ed with

d to sign up fo

Something serene and uncomplicated. A few hours a week where she

out it casually

ven glanced up

cel

nked. "Ex

e told her. "Your calend

retending to

upward. "With

yo

tablet do

e's an us. There's you, and there's me-trying to g

ou're my wife. That

uries

for the first time since their we

li

goi

his tone curt. "A

e to he

what I already fear-that you don't

en she

e firs

t aski

s in the city center. The teacher smiled warmly, addressing

began, her movements hesitant at first.

wasn't

as s

edge that, for a few hours, she wasn'

was

at was

-

tting room with Gabrielle, reading something on

mped up and

at and stood before h

wen

dn't

he said

again ne

tracted. "I won

was si

t enjoy bei

. "And I don't enj

eyes

between th

o struggle. Would

someone walking away

anyone allowing me to

oked

st a moment-she tho

-

n a plain frame by the studio assistant. She hadn't expec

aring at it when

sto

did t

no

loser. "It's

"You say that li

But something ch

g it," he said. "

sidering t

n eyebrow.

. O

tion. Th

r en

-

marble table outside her door. There was a collection o

was no

did not

t was D

. Uns

ignif

-

-

e thought the ti

appe

-

tight as she entered Elise's sitti

hy

een... an

l, her chest tightening. The staff

an stood with two

he middl

ung

yi

gna

Elise's and w

n said softly.

Elise asked, h

did not

er di

er Hotels. I-I had no

le

Destr

began to pound

n said immediately.

she crying

ened with being fired. I thought-he sai

ened a bit. She cl

old he

Not romantically. She mis

? She's pregn

t the f

to Mia. "Is

ow anymore. I just-he was nice. Fo

loser. "She's being m

t a shiver d

?" Elis

in. She was told a falsehood. Fo

bbed l

eal anymore," she sobbe

throat t

't merely

was a

-she was trappe

-

the house

r room, going o

rying. Damian's

ed to tr

t was an

ps in u

t in slow

-

on her door

dn't o

t in a

't touc

now what t

edge of the sofa. H

kes. I've used people.

him straigh

thing. No filters.

esit

he

-

l but blood. How Julian had stolen the one woman Damian ever l

was h

everythi

s merely one pa

le," Damian said. "

head. "No, you

tially. But

ed hard. "I

her hand. She d

am

-

ked into the press conferen

ploded like

together at

g. Un

nt. A

ind the

ation was s

she

as only b