ng moment, his words echo

ds were a trap, a door swinging open t

anaged, her voice tight. "The one I sha

asure?-crossed Julian's face, so quick s

r the address to Asher's penthouse, a place that had felt l

no longer charged with the tension of their deal, b

istics. She took out her phone, he

ooked them for an hour from now, and

aper, Julian killed the engine. He turned to her, pulling a sleek bl

ce low. "This is for my permanent suite at the Four Sea

exhausted, sick, heartbroken part, wanted to take it. But the stronger

her voice genuine. "But

or. Her home. The thought was a

like a final goodbye to the girl she used to be. She didn't look back to see if he was watching as she wal

up felt like a jou

cavernous, and smelling of him. The scent that on

't waste

itcases and boxes, moving with a feverish, mechanical energy. Every dress, every pair

d boxes. She went into the bathroom and swept her toiletries into a bag-her toothbrush,

presence a welcome, impersonal intrusion. Under her direction, they cleared

with Asher for years, came out of t

ppening?" she asked, wring

ad smile. "I'm moving out, Ro

worried, but Audrey didn't o

key to the apartment off her keychain and placed it on the polished surface. Beside it

han two hours. The apartment was

drey, Rosa pulled out her phone, her finge

business associate, Isabelle draped elegantly on hi

it, Rosa?

panicked. "It's Miss Beaumont. She... she mo

He frowned. "What d

hes, her books... even her toothbrush from

asn't sadness. It was anger. A deep, possessi

voice a concerned murm

nding the call. "It's nothing

perfect imitation of sympathy. "She must be so hurt. Maybe w

was the perfect fue

. She's just trying to get my attention. Give her three d

letely confident in his assessment. He had no i

g the last three years of her life to a sterile storage unit. She looked up at th

, clean slate

n her hand. It was a

ngratulations, Miss Beaumont. Ro

drey's lips for the first time that

rsonal ties. She had r

s just one th

ver the professional tie. She would hand in her