to breathe. An overwhelming pressure tightened around her ches

able. Before she could even catch her breath,

er eyes, a plain white hospi

in the room was a man wearing a neatly pres

tely. He was Alec Bennett,

from acute gastric bleeding. It was most likely caused by irregular meals and excessive st

red on Hannah's lips. "Than

ment. I hope you can understand, Ms. Mitchell. If he hadn't shown up today, it wou

ave." Hannah slowly turned onto

a fruit basket and nutritional supplements on t

ide a private dining room at

open, the conversation inside th

ive white shirt. Hannah had accidentally left it there whil

Valerie's parents looked at him in disbelief before their

ully from her seat, walked over to Colton, and naturally slipped her arm through his. "Colton,

expression, Colton qu

ed. "We were just talking about your new home after the wedding. Colton wants to use the villa in the norther

smile. "As long as I'm with Colton

are one of the city's most prestigious neighborhoods. Very few people can

ly tightened around t

ile that carried no warmth. There was n

you move in together now? It'll give both of you more time to get used to married life." E

oo. Hope filled her eyes, a

e for several long moments befor

faction, while Edith quietly let ou

left first, leaving Colton

on, I've been thinking about the villa. I'd like to decorate our bedroom in a luxuriou

ace her. His eyes were cold enough to send a chill through an

ss surrounding him made her ins

it became calm and dangerous. "This marriage is nothing more than a contract. We only

private life. And don't even think about laying a

turned around and walked toward t

staring at his retreating figure. Resent

s her fingernails dug into her palms. "Colton, you've humiliated me because o