a full hour before she finally

ide, her strength gave

ime. That evening, the Sterling family and Quinn Group were holdin

k dress she could find and kept to t

ers, blending in was n

aughter who ran from

Mr. Quinn and ran.

d took a sip of champagne,

ut

people gossiping fell silent at once, terri

already walking toward his business partners with a glass in hand, as if t

air

voice r

glasses of wine, smiling brig

ut with so many eyes turning toward them

She took t

hed lightly over the rim of the glass, where a colorless

ack her own drink in one

ok a sip

, the room be

ring. Through the haze, she heard Sophie murmur to two men i

t, but her whole b

and dragged her toward th

rmured, before her consciou

is hands together as he walked cl

w intimate photos and send them to Ethan. Let him see

Claire with a filthy grin. "Don't w

the buttons of

door slam

death itself, his eyes bloodsh

fright. "M-Mr. Quinn! Th

d. He drove his fist stra

aking bone was s

suit jacket, wrapped it around h

e, tears slipping down her face. "You promised me... Why did

ad not caught her words clearly. "

ng else. All she could do was pour ou

oken. "But you didn't co

chest. He wanted nothing more than to shake the woman in his arm

her face painted with concern. "You've had too much to

ot in her right mind right now. You can't take what she

was off. "Who handed

et Ethan learn the truth. If he did, her dream

t will be full of stories about Claire getting drunk and throw

o him. But Claire was still tied to the Ste

city. If they leaked even the slightest rumor, the career Clai

he calle

es, tears shimmering within them. He

. "She's exhausted. T

ed and half-dragged Cl

tightly. "Ethan, I'm the one who's been by your side these past five years... I've treated you bette

ushed her away with control

here she was, her nails digging into her pal

an dressed in black stepped out and hande

cold laugh. "Send

l room with her head sp

, the way he had seemed to want to say something, and th

had never received her messages back then. Or

s. Maybe he had not aba

den hope. She wanted nothing more than to fi

phone v

was looking down at Sophie in his arms. Their foreheads w

oto was unmistakable. It ha