The man hurried to lock the front door and pull the shades.
"Silas, what are we doing here?" I asked, looking at the sparkling cases.
"I told you," he said, pulling me toward a velvet chair. "I’m making sure the world knows who you are."
He signaled to the jeweler, who brought out a small black box. When he opened it, I gasped. Inside was a collar made of thick, white gold, covered entirely in shimmering diamonds. It was heavy and beautiful, but it looked less like jewelry and more like a sign of ownership.
"It’s a custom piece," Silas whispered, picking it up. The diamonds caught the light and threw sparks across the room. "I had them working on it since the day you came home from the hospital."
He stepped behind me and lifted my hair. I felt the cold metal touch my skin, and then a
