ting my new life as a Westbrook. Their disgraceful behavior and contempt for me stoked an angry fire of determinati

eded to confront him about the ugliness I'd overheard and demand for some basic decency, if not af

her in a dizzying display of opulence. How do people even live in condition's like these? Th

from inside, one surprisingly recognizable as Jack's. Pressing my ear closer, I could make ou

morrow morning," Jack said in a brisk, all-commercial enterprise manner. "We can

responded deferentially. "I'll have my crew work

, let's move on dismissal procceding with the Wellington crew

employees who will be termina

ompany has no room for dead weight or emotional hand-wringing. Eithe

one indicated reluctant acceptance of the tough decree. There was a

all. Get it do

ne coldly terminating over one hundred person's livelihoods. Before I

lingering in the hall. "Oh! Forgive

ease. He returned it gratefully before hurrying off, leaving me by alone t

xurious leather-based furniture. Jack stood with his back to me, hands braced on a huge mahogany table. T

he way you usually spend your wedding nights?

with a deep inhale. "My responsibilitys to this company

nal coming from his lips, wit

tone level as I approached. "But even just for tonight...Don't you think we should take

d and indifferent. Up close, I could see how his chiseled features w

utside of short verbal exchanges. Now his eyes swept dismissively ov

might have been a ceremonial wedding because of our family's arrangemen

with their bluntness, rid

with out an oz. Of delicacy. "Nothing more. I do not have room in my li

thoughts, our marriage was merely a cold transaction devoid of any emotional substance or intimacy. His sole f

wave of dejection. "We're husband and wife now. Isn't there supposed

fulfill in this arrangement, nothing more. You come from your life situations and wishes...And I actual

iles, not even meeting my eyes as h

s of affection on my part, Amy. Our marriage is set mutual self-i

irritating air, Jack turned and strode from the room with

ging to approximately constructing an actual marriage no matter our circumstances were cut down to sour shreds. Jack made it c

e than a business transaction - an end for serving his all-consuming pursuit of wealth. I

d, harsh reality. As silly tears stung my eyes, my dashed desires s

n marrying Jack Westbrook, I had walked directly i