n the mirror, steeled her nerves, and pinched her n

rowned

"It's for your mom. S

er a long, unreadable look before tu

up with satisfaction. She handed Carol a bank card right then and there and gleefully encouraged

card and forc

the old house. Jack drove her to work an

d coworker called out, "Whoa, is that a Rolls-Royce? C

hook he

n made her cringe-cheat

ial. Carol always looked stunning, so changing

nted, the crack in the front one was just enough to make out a sharp

kly covered her friend's mouth. "Shh! Keep

nodded

had the scoop-Carol had not only married rich, but the

"Wait what?! Carol, you're really m

He's been into you since your f

n, "I was never into him. If th

nt it than Philip me

lly got

ea

t R

op

. Even after you broke up, you still didn't

l si

won't work out as a couple, but we

wer cam

g 'just friends' stopped being an option. You're just using this marri

appened kinda suddenly. Otherwise

ilip didn't sa

bit, but she couldn't he

uldn't b

gs never lead to

man she didn't care for-and w

when she really

think loved her most, turned

but that evening, her co-workers decided to throw a

asn't interested in being public-just the fact that he hadn't blocked

"He's super swamped at

, suddenly spoke up with a hint of

earlier immediately argued back, "No way!

dinner. The weather app says there's gonna be a storm. It's not safe for yo

e others picked up on Philip's frustrati

ended, the rain so

someone else chimed in, "Carol, just call

e him come get you," one added before lowering the

from it, she sent Ethan a message: [Dinner just ended. It's raining hard and cabs are

eply-just another mes

f when her phone lit up. To her surprise

he answered

lm and low, hard to read:

nt entrance. Sure enough, a sleek black B

Jack was already hurryi

whispering excitedly, "Is that your husband?

her head. "N

, and turned the umbrella fully toward Carol with respect

ding goodbye to her coworkers before wal

and curious stares

an beside her in his crisp suit an

ting on a show earlier. Didn'

side profile sharp and un

? Riverton's massive. Mitchell Group's in the east, I work all the wa

eyes sparkling like stars. His heart gave a little jolt, but h

really are a plan-ahead kind of guy. Were you, pe

d away, dodging her

fire back, a notification

the main reasons I joined this company was for you. Now...

rt your personal stuff out. I don't want to wake up one day and see headlines

s no big deal. "You're blaming me for being too ch

le back on her face. "Only questi

He didn't respond, just stared hard