t and memory. Her grandmother had always insisted that she

poke with quiet confidence. "With you handling this,

studied her expression. "So y

wer. "I do. You carry yourself like a true

ed in Leland's gaze, but it

at shifted the air between them. "Do y

o think, Jillian resp

action formed on Leland's

not ending it sooner. If I had, you might ha

ession was immediate, and h

pped tone. "So your voice is back, and this is how you use it? Just

tion, Jillian picked up th

in a stiff and formal manner, that he would

e at first, she eventually r

ed Aurora Mansion, bot

land caught the subtle tr

her shoulders with firm insistence. "You're already an adult

eland stopped her and adjusted it more

rly surprised that he remembered, "That's the first

d near the floor-to-ceiling window on the

aught sight of an unfamiliar man escorting his wi

call and stepped outside, his expressio

ad inside, Leland noticed Denni

on Jillian's shoulder to stop her. Raising his voice on purp

cross the space and reached

rp gloom settl

, Dennis had already closed the

and tossed it aside as if it meant nothing. Without warning, he li

against him the moment she realized it was De

ian didn't spare him a glance and imme

all, his expression heavy with displeasure. "Telling another man that yo

supposed to feel when you were so close with Melany? And don't forge

and the lingering scent of another woma

nd, Dennis regained his footing and moved

u don't even have a divorce agreement. What

," Jillian said w

f a mutual agreement was not possible, she would

rds. Then realization dawned on him. "So you brought another man int

settled in his m

f the patent, had driven he

, mocking look cross his eyes. "Give up on

stion that had been weighing on her. "W

reason. Then why was he

is gave a curt response. "

e, no one in the Miller family will question how you treat her, and no one will criticize her eit

er. "You don't actually want this marriage. You jus

word came f

spoke louder than an

face as her expression hardene

chest, dull yet suffocating, as if count

out her question. "Do you really

s lightly against Jillian's cheek. "You were the one who insisted on becomin