Too Late For Regret, Mr. CEO

floor-to-ceiling windows, forcing Arden

e bitter reality of their crumbling four-year marriage. Federico had initiated

nter of the massive,

Her fingers brushed against the icy

sat up quickly, her vision still slightly blurred from the dimness of

of the master bat

navy suit, his broad shoulders filling the frame. His hands

d spent the entire night tangled in her limbs. His eye

up to her collarbone, hiding the da

outh up, wanting to break the suffocati

rature in his dark eyes fro

and. He picked up a thick, heavy do

nded on the duvet right in front

he cover page spelled out D

om Arden's lungs. Her b

efusing to process the letters. She

bling so violently it barely sounded like h

out a harsh

que beaded necklace resting against her

his large frame castin

hly under the antique b

t string leaving an angry red welt across the s

time last night," he sneered, his jaw

accusation hit Arden like a

lly, her hands wrapping

is my mother's neckl

e stepped back quickly, brushing off his

a single second to

er cufflinks, his face a m

ck today. I am going t

girlfriend dropped into the

ce. Her skin turned an ashen gray, an

ed expression. A brief flash of dar

el and walked towar

and on the brass knob

ptons and cry to my grandmoth

r slammed shu

leaving Arden entirely alone in the dead silence of th

back onto the pillows, all the

ack finally broke free, soaking i

lently as she reach

he dense legal jargon blurred toge

d she walk away with absolutely not

ld spread from her chest

tly went to her

the Upper East Side, kept alive solely by

desperation w

the nightstand, the buzzing sound

with her grandmot

er face aggressively with the back of her ha

thick with worry. The steady, rhythmic beeping of th

just informed me. The bank said the trust fund paying fo

in Arden's brain. Her m

he divorce agreement in her lap. The

apped back in

kles turned stark white. Her fingernails dug deep

wer lip. The metallic taste

one this. He had cut off her mother's lif

ise," Arden said, her voice dro

t remaining shred of warmth