a's

n tough. That's probably the

the

been soul

ng in my chest. She was always there, her face a constant reminder of everything I'd lost. Every breath she took under my roof had f

.. I couldn't t

ring her voice-it got to a point where I didn't trust

let h

er I never wanted to see her face a

tter. That once she was gone, I'd

't fix

away. The emptine

nded, when I was alone with nothing but the buzz of the c

le

felt the heat rise in my ch

ed that she still had a place in my mind, eve

arma had finally caught up to her and dr

I wa

to admit it or not, I w

ured myself into work, drowning in deals, deadlines, boardroom politics. I practically lived

Like her spirit still

t into a pile of rubble. But I couldn't. It had been in the Thorne family for gene

still had some shred of

e a permanent fixture at my compan

t someone. Take her back. Pretend

never

en left. And I was still just

into a cold, loveless marriage, just like she deserved. I

didn't it feel

p every morning

ccess tast

ssmen in the city. My face was plastered on magazine covers, quoted in financia

mber the last time I fel

t me sane. And my office chair

started commenting

forty," she said just last week. "This i

what was I supposed to do? G

healing. I didn't

lieve in lo

ly loved. And Valeria... Valeria had ma

kaging. If my mother kept nagging about grandchi

f the car and walked toward the towering glass building

tside, photographers loitering near the velvet ropes. Men in tuxe

stered on my signature expre

ion's owner. Our family had pledged a generous donation-enough to get our name plas

erred boardrooms and negotiation table

llo to a few key people. Nodded

beeline for

for a bit, make sure my presence was noticed, t

stool and tapp

bartender. "No alcohol.

uit and ice while I st

My brain began to zone out as I took the first si

ty function. Another reminder that I was livin

en I h

s Valeria Daelmont, recipient of this year's Ashton Humanitarian Impact A

the glass

h

d up so fast m

le

through my sku

d the stage-an

. In a gold dress, of all things.

d the room, and I just sa

witch w

of wondering if karma had chewed her up and spat h

ing an award. For hel

ing felt lik

oss the stage like she owned it. Where th

another sip, needing the c

n't get t

mething el

at made my b

r than six-ran up th

I fr

c events, but because the moment I saw h

was

me when I was his age. Same bone st

y

Not

ht b

eria's. And b

, every cell in m

him close with ease. She smiled a

g inside

fast my stoo

There was no

tle boy

elmont had

him hidden from m

dare