id nothing to drown out the sudden, heavy silence that seemed to drop over their table. Chloe had h

salads when a shadow fell acro

h, flawlessly polished, and dripping with an unearned intimacy-was an immediate trigger. It instantly dragged he

private booth, his fingers carelessly playing with Sloane K

rsary gift clutched in her hands, forced to listen to the man s

d, the sound cutting deeper than any blade. "I've always looked at her like a pathetic little sister.

elivering a stinging, ringing slap to her cheek that still seemed to echo in Chloe's

completely done, he hadn't even blinked. He had just sighed heavily, b

forced her eyes upward. Abe Hays stood beside their table, his handsome face

roblem? Can't you see we'

oe's wrist. "Chlo, stop acting like this. We need to talk. I'll explain everythin

n't know she possessed. "Do not touch me. And do not call me that. If your fiancée sees yo

sk. "Sloane was just being territorial. I told you, my engagement to her is

tional crutch, and then publicly degraded me as a 'charity case' to stroke your fiancée's ego. You said I was jus

"Are you deaf, Hays? She said back off. Take your cheap apologies and go

some old man buy you things? Hopping into his car? Have you forgotten

r a decade before throwing me out like trash? That's what you call 'doing for me'?" The words poured out, fueled by years of resentment. "You, Abe,

short, incredulous laugh that didn't reac

like freedom. She placed her fork down, meeting his gaze.

think this is about his broken heart, Ch

ed at her,

ask of regret vanished, repl

m under everyone to give to you as a pathetic little 'I'm sorry' gift, assuming you'd just roll over and run back to his bed like a good dog." She paused, rel

ng. Students were openly watching now,

were cold and venomous. "You'll regret

eah, someone is harassing your wife in the dinin

ey, but the Sterlings had power. Real power. He shot Chloe

his fingers jabbing at the screen. Across campus, Mark

ain it would fix everything. The fact that the Sterlings had snatched it was a humiliation he couldn't

ise resumed around them, but she barely heard it. The name she had

"Come on. Let's go buy the most beautiful ring in t

behind, and walked out of the dining hall,