hing had

closet. She needed to pack. Sh

osed around

"Tonight was... a

ining. The cake is all yours. I already celeb

raised at the orphanage-had video-called her at midnight, singing "Happ

her a gift beyond price: t

onymous with wealth on the East Coast. She had three older brothers: Leo, the steady-handed CEO who'd been running the family empire since their father's semi-retirement; Nathan, t

aughter. A dynast

'd hoped would be a romantic dinner. She'd imagined

e her want to laugh

locking her path to the door. He was holding a

idn't

d, but he popped

t on a platinum chain. Deep

e hanging around Ti

ded Cora

ed the necklace from its velv

led it across the room. The chain hit

"How long are you going to pr

ace went v

ldhood. She was in an accident overseas-her wrist was injured badly, she couldn't paint for months. She's been struggling with depressi

floor drop out

ing hotel room with another woman in hi

nightstand drawer, the ones she'd started taking because she'd convinced herself a baby would

'd been

or, brushing off invisible dust. "There's

ait to h

should get

ing what she knew, even after everything-hearing

feels guilty about coming between us, even though she hasn't done anything wrong. If we're official

tared

ly calm. "You want to divorce me-on paper-so your m

ng this. Tiffany is kind. She doesn't want to hurt anyo

's so mentally fragile that she's sleeping with a ma

snapped shut li

a stranger. "Tiffany would never be as calculating as you'

didn't say. But s

ment, Cora

convenient arrangement to please his grandmother. And now that the woman he a

carrying the last three years of her lif

he way you

e'd agreed. Cora always agreed. She was an orphan with no fam

d no

cheek. "This doesn't change anything between us.

nearly knoc

t know about the divorce. If she finds out..." He didn't finish. He didn't need to. Beatrice

that's what this is about. Not the

ave no intention of truly ending thi

. Right.

e she was nineteen years old, and she

omorrow. The divorce paperwork should b

entarily wrong-foot

the door. "This is just temporary, Cora.

ce she walked through the door, and now it crested into somethin

d vomited blood ont