ungs. She took a ragged breath, the scent of another woman's perfume filling her h

voice shaking despite her effort

s movements unhurried and deliberate. He poured a measure of amber liquid into a heavy crystal g

ttling softly. He took a slow, measured

said. "I

m raging inside her. All the speeches she had rehearsed in her head, all the acc

handbag on the table. "So she wa

asn't a trace of shame or guilt on his face. "She was.

and gripping the back of a velvet armchair to steady hersel

a raw, ragged sound. "What were t

ion shifting into something she recognized with a fresh stab of pain: a look of condescendi

to cup her cheek, to sooth

rejection of his touch, a touch she had once craved, m

. The mask of gentle concern fell away, r

tone. "The merger with Kensington Corp is vital for the future of Car

if explaining a complex stock portfolio. "But

d struggling to process th

whisper. "It's you I love, Ellie. You know that. J

to be reassuring, but

out his obscene proposal. "Nothing has to change. I promise you, she'll g

ical blow. He wanted both. The respectable, powerful wife for th

er to be hi

se in her throat. Her entire body began to tremble, n

ress?" she asked, each word

to continue our relationship," he corre

ive declaration of nee

tle sound, devoid of any humor. It was the sou

et. "A doll you can put away in a box when your new toy arrives? A pet

en, were now hard as jade. "No

. The pain in her ankle was a distant, secon

inging with newfound strength. "It's her an

rt of her, a part she hated, still clung to the hope that he would choose

A slow, confident smile spread across his face. He saw her u

is voice laced with amusement. "You're not going anywhere. You ca

htaking. He truly believed she had no other opti

he last vestiges of love she had for him. It died, completel