walk away.
was calm, flat, and
ylor sat across from him in a high-rise office with glass walls that offered a panorami
ay on top of the thick contract. One signature. That's
n afraid. But all she felt was the fami
The man who'd ruined her family's legacy with one ruth
st, on
ions outside of public appearances. No access to my private acco
chair, the movement smooth, delib
hout flinching. "I don'
age? I was under the impression this
ur public image. I get enough money to secure m
ds for a b
rld," she
nstant. "Very well," he said, tapping the desk. "The terms are clea
ady. Ariana Taylor-a name she'd built from ashes. Not her birth
tulations," he said with dry finality.
roman
t will go public tomorrow. Wedding in
ulating her next move. "
m you can use-or you can pretend t
l pa
her face for a mome
kirt. She hated how effortlessly magnetic he was-even now,
earsal dinner," Damon sa
d on the handle. "You think you
s immediate.
without humo
+
d in front of a full-lengt
Ariana stared at her reflection. The dress was perfect. T
wasn't even real. But the reveng
the edge of her childhood bed, promising her that one day,
had burned t
he memory and squa
e running. Today, she st
he was the one c
+
bloids would worship: lavish, exc
another deal. He didn't smile when she walked down t
d ever so slightly ar
he said softly, his v
e same," she replied w
smirk tugge
ant. As the officiant pronounced them husband and wife,
ras, it was
, it was
+
laced by silk sleepwear Damon had provided. She didn't wear it for comfort-b
said, entering the roo
think
rous h
wly. "What hap
. Appear happy. S
after
my way. I'll st
just fine. "Go
e guest room, but hi
ask why I ag
r her shoulder.
like me don't marr
a woman," she said cool
his face. "You're many things, Ari
her room with a click
dn't
t
earn that marrying her was th