s Point

swer him r

slowly into the sheets, grounding myself in the reality of the hospital bed, th

ria

ould taste

t tastes l

joke?" I

le, either. He simply watches me with the same

don't joke about d

tra

would frame

be married last w

kno

urpris

him shar

lies. "And because your name is already ci

s low in m

s pity," I

mmediately. "It

laugh. "That's sup

ity is useless. Pragm

ere beneath the layers of pain and e

, "not a partner. Not a

y. "A public spouse. Someone intelligent enou

uld I do th

answer im

s beyond the glass, distant and indifferent. When he turns ba

s hospital alone," he say

oat ti

ur former fiancé will control the narrative. Your stepmother

ted B

ical H

c Col

's nothing left," he finishes. "And

lands with terri

Cole's cold indifference. The way the w

rrying you fixes

rd says. "It gives you

pau

lly," he add

llow

softer this time. "You don't

crosses

he says quietly. "It

n't

me the answer wo

between us, heav

the question th

ife look like?"

er is im

e. Watched. You will be cri

ntly. "An

siders

ever had," he says, "once you learn how

word

we

se my

neeling on m

my father w

ed aside at m

nothing

didn't

didn't pr

ns when you

ze sha

thing," he says. "

eyes. "W

le my empire," he s

runs thr

I refuse

says simply. "And you s

him for a

ng me survival in

ng me to become some

r touch me?"

ithout hesitation.

more than I

ve?" I

smile touch

he says. "And you are in

ruth

oesn't b

ale s

h

ept,"

ds feel

av

slamming shu

ot in relief, but

"Then we will d

rk arrives

dical directives. A prenuptial agreemen

thing withou

sh died at

ing is being

Richard looks

hat once this is public, you

nvisible when i

approval cros

ll announce the engag

ment?"

ies a dying man without questio

is the sto

aze h

chosen," he say

m in a cast, my ribs aching, my name

dream

dream

l, very tall, while the world

irst time sin

not a