next

ot outside th

his left hand tapping ligh

ime you two started thinking about a family." An elderly woman's vo

patient, though a flicker of

, Grandma. There's no rush. The most important thing

voice sharp with anxiety. "Your grandfather's doing mu

iam sighed, a sil

u try to change the subject. I've heard the rumor

silent for th

until the old woman pr

re of a man forced to comply. "Fin

leasantries, Willi

teady tapping on the steering wheel as h

essed into

the message lis

"My Love"-a florist's profile picture-scro

orning: a matter-of-fact note with the time a

n't sho

e sent her a new mes

ar window revealed Daniela's slig

door and slid into

anced

thes as yesterday-an outfit

ored shirts and suits, she had manage

late," h

averted

ime," she

. She used to wait for ages

r a split second, and he look

obably hadn't slept last night a

wasn't im

ay. "We won't tell the elders about the divorce

ight away. She only as

d." William's eyes narrowed, a fla

y silence fi

eternity, Daniela let ou

to a fist. He stared out the

ondered what their c

his fingers over her flat stomach, murmuring against he

t.

t gotten

months. It wouldn't

y had six m

me and went. After a few m

am. Are you sure yo

flashing in his eyes. "Getting co

at home, wai

said nothing more. She just pulled o

g deeply. It was a prope

cold and businesslike. "I'm only taking my fair share of what belongs to the Harrison famil

lled out a pen and set i

you have no

read, the deeper

y wasn't taking any more than her due. Her s

n't ge

of this contract

y had six m

and then everything would go back to norm

iela couldn't li

no self-

deliberately pushed her to do thi

ver re

th hands, her face alight with a beaming smile, a

iant partner, a fact he'd confirmed

ge would have likely drifted on witho

t.

cally beautiful and stubbornly defiant as she coughed up

anced at t

as Daniela's face, compl

ome kind o

d even used the forged c

silent laugh

hed up t

d his name wi

uld threa

copi

a took

got out o

bmitted the paperwork, and fil

decree would arrive after the state's mand

er, they walked out of

n the sky, its rays wa

d the crowd st

l the newlyweds fr

in-hand, the woman's face

ear ago, when they'd come to register their ma

t his gaze o

s still a b

her compliance, "I'll still put money in your acc

answer. He simply tu

turn the corner and

r she'd call

drove off in oppo

or Valerie F

ward Cresthaven Gr

florist studio, Valerie looked up and gre

his pocket. "It's done," he said

ching her appointment slip, wal

n across fr

e privacy curtain sh

best friend, her voice laced with worry. "You wanted this so

py of the divorce filing

rily calm. "Just do it.