was swif

Chloe already a presence in our home, her lau

for her to take over the philanthropic foundation. And th

He was looking at Chlo

g that foundation, managing ev

my voice even. "I'll prepa

Meticulous records, financial statement

ignature pages for the foundation t

ment. Generous, bu

Ethan, he was on a call, laugh

e, and here, darling

ing his name, distracted b

al on my freedom with

humiliati

h-profile tech summits, events wh

ome, scorn from others. "Poo

aya, loyal and discreet,

Ava," she'd say,

's mother's house, the air was

han's mother, s

across the room. "And still no heir for Ethan. C

He just refilled Chl

ved. A beautiful torte

ly allergic

restaurant, demanding the chef personally assure him no nuts

passed, Ethan s

he r

emembered. That a flicker of the

e tight with concern, n

exposed to nuts! Sh

at the hap

m went

ther, I felt a profou

ed faintly

for Av

terpretation

scomfort of a man who knew, on

was the price of