bled in Isab

use she

refused to l

a charcoal suit, one ankle resting on his knee. He acted like th

his out," he said smoothl

paper

years

ars of s

Her saving

ed to

up. Her eyes were cal

ign," s

urprise. He had expected t

comp

ued softly, "I ha

w tigh

a negotiatio

plied. "Because

led heavily

thouse, lawyers shuffled papers. Clerks moved b

sion sharpened.

's pulse

ght of l

na

ate p

t taken but could alre

be carryin

ont of his entire family while

omach

l not

y in HartTech," she said e

l lau

incredulo

mpany's valuation just

ured your first angel investor. I ran a marketi

ere my

your pa

ession h

cent is o

rcy," sh

eyes flashing. "Y

chives showing Sophia Kane accessing confidential c

drained

bella continued. "And I know Edward Kane's firm recen

s jaw c

threate

tecting

le

me since last ni

e

lo

re

losing

losing

ething insid

sealing i

n't," he s

," she a

he me

eart

till

ated

he was sleeping on a futon

d in him when i

m when his own parents

d

her like she was

ity to b

the ache risin

more tha

rve di

ing, she feared

ng irr

eath th

whis

I'm pr

fight for

ia try to

p watching its father

curled aro

o

er future child be

finally

e per

iv

r. F

ld his

buted to HartTech's founding strategy. And you f

wed. "You're s

topped bei

t her for a

ulat

, co

in

art sl

ected him to a

mended docume

ig

second, sh

n ye

wit

she s

tood imm

apo

oftn

bus

ye, Is

I'm

than

od

hed him

inside her f

nto p

o p

ouse hallw

f the conference room,

one vi

i

ered imm

er sister

s do

le

curse. "Ar

ill

ou tel

rifted unconsciou

N

lla

onfirmati

if yo

down at the si

et him con

efore her voi

urned th

ided wit

caught her be

ref

ice wa

tro

rousl

look

breath

der La

business world

k suit. Silver cufflinks eng

rent Globa

iona

ucha

studied her-

ent

recogni

art,"

omach

kno

nt to know capab

blin

pa

alled her th

do

ng campaign," he said smoothly. "

t into he

ken public cr

icked briefly to th

urt is rare

wasn't

s obs

nic

ssary," sh

something cro

rov

ategic," he said. "They ma

lse qu

e fli

gotia

answer, a clerk h

your signature on the

rita

xpression coo

nce with your grandfather

h

ru

ent's marri

d produce an heir to re

a stepp

handle your...

his mouth li

. H

es

estimate you

e walk

rder than it had whe

t feel like

invi

a stood at the filing desk to

huffled pap

well, Mrs.-s

dn't correc

was

ally wr

d another docum

edgment of marita

arely glan

raced wit

ercent

ew

sible

ew

si

amped everyt

atulat

lla f

r w

n looked

riage reg

orld

wh

tion to Alexander Laurent. It was fil

art st

s impo

scanned

rocessed the documents to

own Isabel

ed my divor

ate," the clerk insisted ge

th came

der La

ria

en read the s

approached

l

sur

tu

er stoo

hing

'd expec

problem?" he

d despite her eff

iage certificate wit

clerical merge due to identical surname e

ract

ze never left

r values effic

roared i

u k

e was answ

fla

orchestra

pped c

hreat

powe

opportunity," he said qui

now what I

u negotiate aggressivel

oftened jus

pt to

n burned h

that dis

vulne

ated this,"

evenly. "Or perhaps

d been finaliz

d

legally

naire she b

aniel re-entered wi

opped

el demanded, eyes flicking be

d tightened possessive

didn't loo

ooked at

x-husband," he murmured

face turn

his," he snarl

most l

auda

marry someone

gaze darke

at be so

ir cr

stepped

seriously ma

finally tu

o

sur

s my

ords

ses

na

s flashed wi

she hissed. "She's just

arr

last

t something

sp

was da

po

as into

fted h

t need

r as if seeing her

br

begg

ucha

gret this,

voice cut

won

ed out with

house doo

ce li

ned slowly t

't real,"

egally

use

d you pro

m wh

d-just briefly-

t nearly

k into war unarmed

oded he

you know

ore than

ath cam

you want

her for a l

h

he

it like a

instinctively

pped c

s child," he said calmly, "the L

nd spi

he possi

le

en watching her

" she wh

, something cracke

almost..

tly, "you were never m

lse th

led faintl

city, the world c

had just detonated t

d at mi

ed at

ho clearly had secrets she

extended

me, Mrs.

tared

wond

t escaped a

o a far more d

t Re

xander Laurent. Due to a shocking legal mix-up involving contracts and surnames, Isabella accidentally signs a marriage certificate bi