rds from the letter still echoed in her mind, haunting her with their finality. There is no going back. Her pulse skit

face, Raphael's innocent laughter, Xavier's piercing stare that had stripped her bare without e

om, the water in the marble shower couldn't wash off th

a polite voice-female, clipped and precise. "

That was

ers from the wardrobe that had miraculously been filled overnight. Of

ething on his tablet with a cup of black coffee untouched beside him. Xavier Bl

ook up as s

" he said wit

lse to snap back. "It

ould have arrived a

ers wanted to curl into fists. The butler appeared, serving

n carefully, pushing eggs ac

gned the contract, Aria. You don't get to second g

"Do you treat all yo

ng cold flickered behind those grey ey

ed. "Then

t. "Because you were desperate eno

Her chest tightened, but she didn't let it s

r. Black?" she asked, forcin

ir appointment at noon. We lea

etween

stay out o

porcelain. She rose from her seat, appe

p her as she

-

k gown that hugged her like a second skin. The stylist didn't ask que

eone in his study-a business partner, maybe. His voice was measured, c

e gleamed, every edge polished. The house did

back into a sleek style, makeup highlighting eyes that felt too tired for glamour

tailored tuxedo, s

ompliments. Just

ack car, the silence presse

to him. "Wh

nounce

e kind of new

e shoe

fingers curled around the hem

nd of place where every smile had an agenda. Cameras

aist. "Smile," he said out of the

mingled. He introduced h

lack, m

didn't feel like a wife.

gne she didn't drink, Xavier leaned close a

quiet balcony aw

London skyline. "This isn't a fairy tale. This isn't love. It's bu

her arms. "A

s, steel-hard. "Then I

hat followed

e grabbed his wrist. "Why

at wasn't quite a smile. "Because

g her cold, shaken, and mor

to steady her breath, a familiar voi

ri

tu

ph

t the edge of the crowd, c

ext t

r mo

heart s

ll were the

e impor

brough