"Ethan, what's wrong?" Sheridan ushered him inside. "Why do you look so upset?"

"I'm not upset. I'm just worried," Ethan said, fiddling with his keys. "I know this isn't any of my business, but have you talked to Gwen since last night?"

"No. Have you?" Sheridan furrowed her brow. "Ethan, what's going on?"

Ethan sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. "I ran into her late last night." Ethan opened his eyes and looked back up at Sheridan. "She was really upset. She said something about her and Hank breaking up."

"They broke up?" Sheridan gasped.

Ethan hung his head and frowned. "I tried to comfort her, Sheridan, but she just wasn't having it from me—especially after she guessed that Theresa is pregnant." Ethan dug his hands into his pockets. "I know I have no place in Gwen's life anymore, but that doesn't mean I don't still care about her."

"Poor Gwen . . ." Sheridan frowned, her brow creasing with worry. "I have to go check on her—make sure she's all right."

"I was hoping you'd say that," Ethan said. "I just want her to be okay, Sheridan."

Sheridan smiled sadly and squeezed Ethan's shoulder. "I know you do, Ethan."


Gwen blew her nose and tossed her empty bag of chips across the room. How had it all come to this? Gwen glanced at the mirror hanging on her wall, her heart sinking as she caught sight of her reflection. Her eyes were red and puffy, her hair greasy and stringy—she looked as if she hadn't showered in days.

Had it really been less than twenty-four hours since her entire life fell apart? Had she really lost everything again because of that damn tabloid mistake?

A knock at the door startled Gwen out of her thoughts. Shoving her tissue behind a pillow, she combed her fingers through her hair and straightened her T-shirt.

Clearing her throat, she dragged herself up off of the couch and over to the front door.

Gwen flung the door open to find Sheridan standing there. "Sher . . . Sheridan?"

"Gwen!" Sheridan pulled her into a hug. "Did you and Hank really break up?"

"We . . . we did." Gwen blinked back tears. "How did you know?"

Sheridan rubbed Gwen's back. "Ethan told me, Gwen."

Gwen choked back a sob and buried her head in Sheridan's shoulder. "It's over, Sheridan. . . . It's really over."

Sheridan cupped the back of Gwen's head and stroked her hair. "Tell me what happened, Gwen."


"Well, this is an unexpected visit," Julian smiled, his eyes twinkling at Eve's.

"I ran into Pilar this morning," Eve smiled, placing her bag on the couch. "She told me what you did yesterday."

"Really?" Julian blushed, his eyes falling to the floor. "It was nothing. I was just repaying a debt we Cranes owe."

"It wasn't nothing." Eve lifted his chin. "The complete one-eighty that you've done—it's like you're the man I first met, Julian."

"Eve, you're giving me too much credit." Julian's face fell. "I was never the man you're making me out to be. Even yesterday, as I was trying to do what I could to right this wrong, it occurred to me that I could have done so much more years ago to protect my mother and sister. That role should not have fallen to Martin."

"Julian, you were young." Eve put her hands on his chest.

"But I knew what was happening, Eve." Julian squeezed her fingers and fixed his eyes on hers. "I knew my father was abusing my mother. I saw how cruel he was to Sheridan."

Julian sighed and ran one hand through his hair. "I should have gotten them out of the house. If only I had paid more attention, I might have figured out that my mother was planning to leave—I could have made sure she ended up somewhere safe."

"Don't be so hard on yourself." Eve's voice filled with empathy. "There's no telling what Alistair would have done if he learned that you were involved."

"But I didn't even try," Julian said. "My mother and Sheridan were the only two people in my family who truly loved me—and I let them down."

Julian took Eve's hands into his own. "I have to find my mother. If she is still living under my father's thumb, then she is suffering—I have to put a stop to that."

Eve intertwined her fingers with his. "Have you heard anything from Agent Freeman?"

"No, but something has occurred to me, Eve." Julian glanced at the door. "If my father kept any paper trail of my mother's whereabouts, then there's only one place it could be."

Eve furrowed her brow. "Where is that?"

"The only place Alistair hides anything of importance," Julian answered. "The Crane family archives."