After I Returned The Real Heiress Everyone Regretted Letting Me Go

lies, and every smile in the room felt sharper

been twisting for hours. Four years of being the perfect couple, the merger of two empires, the fairy tal

t," she said with a quiet laugh as yet another guest drif

s and took a measured sip. "You

fallen for that quiet strength once. She nudged his arm, teasing. "You

er enjoye

. "Good thing I enjoy th

e and smoothing an imaginary wrinkle from her gown. Amelia Hart's smile was camera-ready, as

e already smiled for e

mother said, patting her cheek. "Th

His eyes barely softened when they landed on her. "Northshore Capital's chai

straighten

nod. "My office tomorrow m

be t

n executive. Amelia shook her head fondly. "That man remembers billion-d

d a smile. "He

ly friends reminiscing, elderly donors offering marriage advice that made Katherine w

s phone

e-there and gone so fast she almos

d. "We'll

twenty. The photographers were as

said, a tiny crease between her bro

ridor toward the garden terrace. The cool night air brushed her bare should

he baby

eps fa

coming now. Stay with

s a new message lit the screen. Katherine's

an

Just Joanna. Like she belonged ther

t saved with full names, titles, companies. Even after four years, she was still listed as

this woma

something raw flashed in his eyes-guilt?-be

voice light even as her throat tightened. "

eavy moment. The kind of look t

ietly, "there's somethi

y he said her name... it carried we

push the dread away. "Don't tell me you're

king any photo

faded. "

e I'm l

She searched his face, waiting

e asked. "If it's wo

not

He reached into his jacket and pulled out the small velvet

lammed agai

where her engagement rin

steady as steel, "I don't

waiting for him to take it back. To s

.Wh

't mar

ust facts, delivered the way

pressure from the companies, we

t the co

" Her voice crack

g her eyes. "I've fallen

gers curled around the diamond on the left hand-the

estion scrape

flinch. "Sh

, the beat of her own heart. Pregnant. The baby he'd a

ho had take

in front of him. Her hand shook as she slid the ring off her finger and droppe

rry," h

d and walked

ce on her finger feeling like a brand. The man she had loved,

d from the hallway. "The p

sing in her throat, and turned back toward the ballroo