n Andr

y Hall clerk's eyes

ands. I had only gone to retrieve a copy of our marriage lic

an octave as she slid a single sheet of paper acros

own at the

o

emed to puls

rk," she explained, her tone apologetic but final. "A

tilted on

't his

his mi

o

ess tha

egal claim to him, to his fo

rrow, no one would lo

ok for a runa

s bri

diabo

ng sunlight, feeling less like a woman an

show had

was the Fou

ery one Charlotte had mocked weeks ag

the camera flashes assaulte

he small of my back, gu

inst my ear, his breath h

I sa

rlo

ck gown that clung to

neck rested the

that had belonged to

d sworn to me was locke

eye across the

y, she touched the

rking her

of excess. Alex sat relaxed beside me, sip

r presented t

oice booming. "A sapphire necklace of unparal

sitate. He rai

said, his voice cutti

gasped co

his smile dazzl

, loud enough for the press

erupted in

e rise in

h

-dollar necklace when he wo

Alex said, standing up and but

e, the picture of

nutes

silence at the ta

our table. He no longer looked

adley,"

now knew

eems to have..

n," I corrected

dropping. "He left the building. And th

d my veins, free

ty million doll

n he ha

hardening into steel. "Or we will have to invol

were

applause had tur

umbled with my phone t

e

drain

d no

ered, the room

xing greedily on my lobes. "Those look like a

to my ears

my grand

had left of my

e darknes

red, my voice brea

outside," the

ed the d

o violently I ne

in his outst

of my jewelry, my di

Charlotte raise

't loo

right bac

to the debt they would