e. The early autumn sun broke through the skyscrapers, hitting her directly in t

hen an elderly woman in a plain beige tr

s. A canvas grocery bag slipped from her grasp, hitting the con

ward, her hands shooting out to grip the old woman's frail

carefully helped the woman steady herself, then crouched down, her han

n her aged eyes, but she instantly masked it with a look of overwhelming gratit

nd Blaire's wrist with surprising strength. She pulled Blaire towa

theatrical sigh. She stared at the passing crowds

was a dirt-poor sales rep, drowning in mortgage payments, and working himself to the

ced into marriage struck a raw nerve. She thought of Sharon's suffocating de

She pulled out a printed photograph and shoved it into Blaire's hands. "Please,

solute rejection. But the words died in her

dark and straight, his eyes piercing. His jawline was so sharp it looked like it cou

e beat. As a hopeless victim of good looks, her body betrayed

raging in her mind. With a face like th

d down. "You won't have to interfere with each other's lives," she promised qu

e shrill audio played out loud, echoing around the park bench: "If y

stricted. She curled her fingers into tight fists, her nails

hardened into desperate resolve. She looked at

d. She stood up with the speed of a marathon runn

impatient. The Matriarch ignored his tone, barking an absolute command for

at-up, black Toyota Camry scree

d out. Jude walked toward the bench, his face set in a dark, thunde

hundred times more intense than the photo. Her stomach did a nerv

n scrutiny and deep-seated defense. He instantly categorized her as ju

nd pushed her forward. "This is your future wif

but his eyes caught Blaire's. Her gaze was clear, open, and comp

tes. He weighed the pros and cons in a fraction of a second.

nted a trembling fing

Camry. His voice was completely devoid of

ralyzed her. But under the Matriarch's aggressive shoving, she forced he