na

every breath I take feels restricted as Mrs. Winters fastens the diamond

he says softly, her hands gentle on my

what you're g

e pity there, the same pity I've been se

ou, Mrs.

once before leaving me

n elegant updo, diamonds dripping from my ears and throat, but her eyes are holl

ly, each step measured, my hand tr

tatingly handsome in his custom Tom Ford

at genuine laugh he never uses with me, he d

say quietly,

ng at whatever response he's getting, probably Vi

d looks at me, his eyes sweep o

ar's w

cknowledgment that I spent two

der sits across from me in the back of the Bentley, his phon

st my window, try to prepare my

start, my voice barely above a wh

lying across the screen, "I told you it was business, we're not having

entire city saw you leaving a hotel wi

ty will see us together tonight looking perfect, that's what

my voice breaking, "i

rt to

t his phone, "that's exactly what you are, no

ears threatening to ruin my makeup, I won't

aparazzi screaming questions, everyone wanting to know about the

he becomes the charming billionaire Manhattan kno

from the car, his hand is gentle on mine

rling," he says loudly enough f

le, the one I've perf

nk y

one watching it looks loving, protective, but his fingers dig into my ri

nd crystal chandeliers, Manhattan's elite in their

s wanting to shake his hand, beautiful women in designer gowns wh

dress that barely qualifies as cl

't seen you in ages," her ey

looks love

s, doesn

und my waist, "Elena works v

m a doll he dresses up f

I manage to say, "I n

t, squeezing, "Don't be long, we

cking on marble floors as I pr

nk, staring at my reflection, tr

iety wives I vaguely recognize, they're t

t night?" one of them says, "how d

body before Alexander, an orphan with nothing, s

his mistresses," the first one adds, "takes a differ

one sighs but doesn't s

marriage lo

th look

r reaction when Alexander hold her t

s echoing in my head, is that what everyone thinks? That I'm just staying fo

hands and return to the ballroo

on his chest now, laughing at something he said, he's not moving her hand away, o

like a ghost hau

ng stronger than champagne, "Whis

a warm voice

don't recognize, tall, maybe six feet, kin

andsome in a way that's different from Alexander, les

say that,

us Rivera, and you look li

the man he's been trying to destroy for the past two years, I should walk away, I

lize how stupid that sounds,

iskeys, the good stuff, not whatever watered-

s, our fingers brush and I feel something I ha

Marcus says gently, "and I think you de

ou don't know anythin

tanding, "I know you run a literacy founda

day, I know you're brilliant and compassionate and comp

are you being kind to me?

at's exac

o blind to appreciate, you're remarkable

my work, about my dreams, Marcus tells me about his own charity initiatives, about growing

just conversation, you deserve to remember what it feels

so hard I gasp, pain shooting through my arm, Alexander

ington's charity work, we should collaborate sometime," he pulls a business card from his p

eeper into my shoulder, "

cted at me not Alexander, "Let

uth right at my ear, to anyone watching it loo

iving hell, and trust me Elena it can get so much worse than it

ht enough to leave marks, he pulls me through the crowd, a

pped in a loveless marriage, I'm trapped with a man who

n my hand, hidden in the folds of my dre

here who could show me what it feel

's a way ou