nd sipped. "You'll travel with me. Meetings. Appea

t agree

o thirty days

our pu

our promotion. You want your free

. "You always were good a

re always good at pretending y

protection. I n

ickered in his eyes. Regre

oked

ow night," he said. "Ilari's CE

ar what

"You'll wear

r flared. "You

d closer. "L

g between the

he heat in her eyes-not anger, not sadne

-

James driver

until she saw the si

of place you don't even en

but inside, the staff

Stones," the wom

Sto

ere beautiful. She picked the plain

to give James

e penthouse, the dinner

seated, scrolling

Paused. Then

look good in b

red him

a glass of w

rathe

l stu

l arr

James finally asked, "Do

ffened. "H

you s

play

James said.

ll folder acr

Screenshots. Docum

mes office.

blood r

onitor you. He gav

re ly

he fell for you. That's whe

, heart hammering. "Why

lie," he said. "Except me. I never

you, she stood too. "No, you ha

lappe

dn't

d toward the gues

or was

ything was a

perfume. Even

preparin

r planned t

--

en in the doorway

school sat beside the bed. A candle she hadn't used in years-the

n't a gu

s her

ied clawed their w

u planned this. You'

he wall, arms crossed.

e. You control

nce you left," he said calmly.

u even find t

threw t

der than it

nds shaking as she touched

wanted to remind you what i

"You don't want me.

. But I didn't. I could've exposed your family's debt. I paid it qu

"You paid my

, Amanda. And I ne

ng you hated me. Thinkin

use if I didn't, I would

between th

him, afraid of what m

to Milan for the merger. You'll wear the red dress

dn't r

you at 8 a

turn around

-

night, Aman

too familia

her phone an

immediatel

the f

le

e whispered. "You

n to fall in

es. "That doesn't

before I even met you. But then... I stayed for

know who I am

n who ever made me fee

e call witho

he dark for

, she opened

the re

l. Bold.

to be-before James

-

00 a.m., Amanda stepped into th

dow, phone in hand, gi

her, his voi

ed the call

it," he sa

ned. "Ke

t on our third annivers

didn't

y to

dded s

private jet, she to

Don't fall. Don't feel.

e her question which one of the