t door. The automated lights flickered on, casting a sterile white glo

polished marble floors. She ignored the king-sized bed that she had n

side was a meticulously organized collection of bespo

l suits and blouses. A handful of dresses boug

on suitcase from the bott

'd worn to her law school graduation. The worn-out sweater she loved. She left behind every piece of jewelry, eve

d took out a velvet box. Inside, the Bolton engagement ring sat on its satin bed. It was an enormous, ost

squarely in the m

t. It held the only photograph of them together. It was from their wedding day, taken to appease the press. Eve

e frame and slid the photo out. She walked into the adjacent h

te from him. She fed the glossy photograph into the slot. The machine whirred to life with a low, hungry growl. The

peared, she heard the electronic

i

thunderous mask of rage. He was still r

ase by the door, then darted to the shredder,

rama, Ciel," he snapp

ick legal file down on the polished wo

he said, his tone that of a CEO giving an order to a subordinate. "It's the

n was breathtaking. He wanted her to use her legal expertise to cle

ess laugh esc

she

apped up. "Wha

e. I am not your crisis manager.

ad her cornered, that his threat at the hospital had brok

and shooting out to grab her wrist. His grip was like steel. "

step. The look in her eyes was no longer emp

inted a trembling finger toward the bedroom. "The ring is on

is control finally shattering. "After everything

of suppressed misery. "You've given me nothing but humiliation! You're

l the words left unsaid for a thousand days

d over Ciel. It was pointless. He wou

uitcase, and pulled up the handle. The wheels rattled lo

the middle of the roo

voice a low, venomous promise, "and you

dn't ev

d her, the sound booming through

s the