s breath catching in his throa

't want

Vincent's hand. The pressure on her throat eased just enough for her t

ie, you'll be buried right beside me in the family plot. My name will be tied to

. Her grip on his hand faltered, weakening as the

worthy of a tombstone with our name on it? When you're dead, I'll have your body burned and yo

Chelsey

voice a low, dangerous rumble

mily record, I am your wife. You hate me, don't you? But you will nev

strangled gasp escaped Chelsey's lips. A single

le from her past life flashing in her mind, Vin

ough her, so intense it felt as if every bone in her body had shatt

pale lips parted as she d

wering his head. "Mr. Marshall, I failed to escor

a nervous, shallow bow. "Vincent, I... I'm sorry. I should have inspected her belongings faster. She use

anything..." she rasp

dically cleaned each finger that had touched Chelse

clothes on your back were bought with

been burned long ago, on the very day she married him. Valerie had called her wardrobe "tacky," in

was glacial. Without a backward glance, he

meek act vanished, replaced by smug triumph as she saun

y pig like you could ever win him over? God, you're pathetic. All that makeup, all that weight you put on... you actually bel

She stared straight ahead, her expression impassive, treating t

What's with that look, Chelsey?"

ped Chelsey's lips. "Valer

nching pain twisted through her insides, b

ld only invite more cruelty from Valer

widened. The scornful curl of Chelse

n illegitimate daughter so shameful that you've spent your whole life trying to steal what's mine? As the rightful heiress of the Moore famil

Shut up!" Valerie shrieked.

affection and manipulated me into humiliating myself at every turn. You fanned his indifference into

sts, her gaze venomous. "That ju

on was stark. Thinking of her past self's foolish

ike a brainless parasite. She'd been dealt a w

reness," Valerie sneered, her la

d to know if anything was broken. She pressed her palms against the floor, trying t

at the floorboards, sweat beading on her foreh

's face

e! Maryanne Marshall is dead; there's no one left to protect you. If you had any sense, you'

hall, Chelsey's composure waver

ill not long after the wedding. In life, she had been Chelsey's staunchest protect

ou honestly think you'll just waltz in and ta

d why not? If a worthless thing l

? Let me explain something to you. You are the daughter of a mistress-a homewrecker. Vincent may be illegitimate, but he was born before his father ever married. His mother never destroyed a family. He is