sight!" Ethan yel

r until Sterling's men arr

a past kidnapping he' d failed to prevent, he knew it. Maria cried out, "No, Mr. Hayes, sh

ling, don't be too harsh, but Maria... she always takes Ava's side, maybe she sho

ous, dripped into Ethan's

in. I sank to the cold stone floor, wrapping my arms around my belly, trying to breathe, hours passed, the air grew

a wine rack, my face pale, my dress still damp and stained. For a split second, I saw something flicker in his

re here," he said

ind him, her arm l

n a show?" she murmured,

, Ethan, she's just trying to g

brief flicker of humanity gone, C

ered, his voice dev

re wai

foyer, he didn't offer a hand, didn't even look at me as I struggled t

escort me out, Chloe stepped forward, a

er all that... drama," s

er

ingers briefly, almost imperceptibly, sque

Ethan, I'll take ve

leamed wit

accident, I'm sure Mr. Sterling has ex

Chloe pulled a folded d

asked me to g

the divorce paper

ishes you all the best in

ng she had won, that I was u

ghtness filled me. This was it, the final tie cut, she thought she was delivering a final blow,

ced back. Chloe stood in the doorway, Ethan's arm around her, a picture of triumphant domesticity, she couldn't see