Caroline's stom

ough fabric of the sofa. Her entire bod

aucet and splashed freezing water onto her face, scrubbing her skin unti

p at the cracked

ng against her pale skin, was

eks. Her stomach twisted

ely dabbed it over the mark, pressing so hard

an oversized gray hoodie, grabbed her

e shop. The familiar, comforting smell of roasted beans and bu

sly looking out the large

. Last night, she had shoved the coffee shop's distinctive punch card and a recent receipt into her dress pocket-the sam

r blood

d illegally right in front of the coffee

door sw

red, charcoal-gray bespoke suit. He looked like

mediately dropped into a crouch, trying to make herself a

the door chim

wer of his presence made the noisy coffe

dar. They locked onto the small, trembling figure hu

her. He ignored the star

ase. The polished tip of his expensive lea

and-seek amusing?" his deep, mo

s she forced herself to stand up. She dusted of

hissed through gritted te

p suit-his assistant-stepped up beside him

o the empty table next to them

s across the top page were th

rs and flipped open the cover. Her eyes widened as she

ands on the table

captured everything last night," he stated

at him, her mo

y security team has already compiled a dossier that frames this as a calculated act of corporate espi

ghter. "Are you insane? That is the most ridicul

ped his

tack of legal files and high-resolution surveil

cial seals of three different top-tier law firms in Manhat

whisper. "If you do not marry me today, my legal team will ensure this laws

egal fees alone will destroy the middle-class life your parents spent thir

evaporated, instantly replaced

es. He wasn't bluffing. He had the mo

ar. She had messed with a man who existed in a st

gical defens

gry tears. Her jaw ached fro

ut, her voice breaki