window cast long, gray shadows across the sterile white blanket

b hovered over the call button for a split second. Her heart hammered against her ri

to Axel's sprawlin

ch into a crystal tumbler. His phone vibrated violently against the marble co

say a word. He let the heavy, oppressive silence act a

er. She gripped

" Chloe asked. Her voice was chillingly calm, comple

his scotch. The amber

y executed bluffs, Chloe," Axel

-alimony clause is non-negotiable.

les strained. He was deeply annoyed by her steady

e?" Axel demanded, his voice d

or your toxic family again," Chloe stated. T

t. It felt like a physical burn behind his ribs. He abruptly pul

wisted sense of victory fluttered in her stomach. She set

nto the marble counter. The sharp crack ec

e oak desk, the leather chair groaning under his weight. His mind

and pulled up the legal document K

e silence. He grabbed the warm pages and

ng the dense legal jargon with the prec

all claims to the Carlisle real estate portfolio. He checked the liquid assets

clause. It was completely struck through.

ed pen hovered over the paper. His brow furr

hidden loopholes, deferred compensation clauses, or

gut. The document was airtight. She was literally

a simple negotiation game began to crack. It was immediately repla

assets he didn't know about. A woman like her didn't ju

on Chloe for the last three months," Axel ordered the moment the line connected, utilizing his maximum clearance network that already had her comp

divorce paper. A sudden, inexplicable reluctance

sively. He was frustrated that a woman he had always consid

at the Manhattan skyline. His mind obses

is directly with her lawyer. He picked up th