l clutched in her hand when

w. It had been for months, if she was hones

'd hosted dinner parties for Julian's colleagues. Past the study where he'd spent more and mo

to the

ved. She looked at it for a long moment-the dia

d set it on the nightstand

ded before she

t and opened it on the bed. Then she

t as Mrs. Julian Hart. What went into the suitcase were the things that had always been hers.

the closet, she fou

ned it

rough. Amateur.

or because Julian had forbidden it. She'd simply stopped making room for it. There was

ketchbook and place

s on the desk

she sat down and logged into an emai

te

fuller than

alleries and a recent email from her agent

l she'd been avoiding since s

ted. He wants to know if you're

ared at t

essy and amateurish. A year into their marriage, she'd moved her studio into the shed. By their third wedding an

ponse to her ag

lector have a

packing and the papers wer

spread them out. She read through every pag

ed the financi

es were s

oney and never worry

given him the profits from her paintings. Not as a loan or an investment, but as

his success was

hat it had never b

signed her name at the bott

a note refusing

-

me to the house while Mario

, stopping in the doorway when he

leaving,

lea

nt. Then he noticed the p

signed t

hav

er phone. Her ri

up the agreement, going through the

ing to be petulan

't wan

iculous. It's what

him and laughe

cially secure, Marion.

ughed

lian. You're better off spen

is about? Your se

she said quietly. "After ev

and threw h

both know this marriage was over bef

s, but she took a deep breat

papers. I don't

ret playing

zzed. Her ri

d up her

regret is ever mee

e to the front door, brus

as she stepped outside and

ver took her suitcase and loaded it into

ail and saw a new me

rested in the commission and he has no p

r seat as the car pull

d out a

ow