not see it her phone sat face down in her lap that photo of her mom.Victoria

s thumb pressing hard against her knuckles

she whispered

d eyes,Jaw clenched two years of grief sitting heavy on his shou

ir the way he had said her name like it hurt ,door clicks shut and Lights out.Then morning came with Claire'

ater slapped against concrete. This

oured out of the cars. Ethan did not

walked ten steps , into dark and empty room. One light flickered overhe

locked Oxygen tank hissing Lia

houted She m

t out, blocking

o So dramatic the billionaire and his

ntract?" Ethan's

clause the one Claire leaked "Right here Sign this, and your mom

dropped. "You

uld call it business. Sa

rolled off him in wave

told Lia the whole truth, did you? Ava did not just die She w

d Ethan caught her, but his

t "She was not pre

spat "I have the

than. Searching hi

look at him "I don't know," he said. "I was never told Ava died before we could confirm it Claire's been using that 'maybe' to co

believe him. she wanted to. But her mo

. "Sign the contract extension Stay his wif

ar of his hands in her hair, his voice in her ear, and never knowing i

to

rom behind them

nd Live stream on 3 mi

, you inherit everything Rivers Corp the penthouse his money all of it Ethan's grandfather wrote it t

hit the ground with a

," she whisp

I swear, My grandfather died before I could read

that is why you picked a broke wa

At 8 AM ticking closer on her watch. Then at Et

?" she

Claire Ignored the cameras his hands came to h

an, not a bank account Because when I said you are the only thing keeping me from losing everything again,' I meant it I d

t She believed

"Touching the pa

es off Lia "You think I would let you touch her? Yo

t Lia like

le faltered. "

then he turned to hi

grabbed her the contract fell to the g

," he murm

ushed to Lia's mom. Ethan did not let go of Lia's han

imbed in with her Lia sat on the be

shoulder touching hers Hh

Lights painted the walls re

ky. "She is go

" Ethan said he squee

er head on h

r close until she was tucked against his

red into her hair.

r eyes. Just

fore sleep took her was Eth

hospital. Lights out in the room.

t the beep of machines and Ethan's thumb dr

breathing on her ow

the chair beside the bed Suit jacket gon

t leave," s

curved "Wher

eps and knelt beside her chair took her h

want your signature I want you. The girl who argued with me a

hat too," she whispered. "But I am scared, Ethan

his eyes met hers"Then

d and saw

ere," h

t he backed her toward the small hospital room door until her

lips hovered over hers

did

. His hands came up to her face, then tangl

ne running too her hands fisted in his

iet Just them the door l

the light

bed was warm where Ethan had been his jacket was d

shook as she

ads wait for m

uffs, a hospital full of people who thought Lia was a gold dig

st time, she was no