s reviewing catering proposals f

than' s private numb

armth. "Bella Vance had a skiin

rent, very pub

pe for transfusion. Your mother, Sarah, is a match.

ords hit me like

en now. Be ready." H

ne wen

with her own delica

rough the sky. I sat numbly

of snow and hushe

was already there, a grim statu

not looking at me. "Your

"Mom isn't strong enough for this. There has to

Hayes Hotels is leveraged to the hilt, Mia. One call from me,

r lifeline. He would pull

n said, the word a sneer.

d marble floor. "Please, Ethan.

men in suits, his security,

clicked shut with a soft, final sound. A security room

pened. Ethan stood ther

sful. Bella is stable.

ced through me. Then the coldn

whispered, tears finally esc

who cherished me, whose eyes held only

s is a business arrangement, Amelia.

a deliberate,

d frac

. Julian Vance, my charismatic childhood friend, his face a mask of greed and madness. Ethan, his empire crumbling, his

, not

rn into the first year of my marriage to Ethan,

ld be different. I would c

.. this cold, c

ession unyielding. "Bella ne

ned to

ince my rebirth, the hop

embered was truly gone, replaced by this icy disda

rced through my despair: I have to

his face etched with worry. He found me staring bl

is awake. Asking for you. But... what's going on with Ethan? He

n mirrored m

oid of emotion. "I can't do this

Mia, after everythin

alm settling over me. "I'll figure something out. We'll

was driving myself to my parents' apartment. My fa

ecking me over. Just a few

he door of my private room.

ntion, Mia? Mimicki

d. "What? No, it

tled in with a large, cell

s office, for y

e table, Ethan' s eyes narrowe

the nurse, his voice sharp. "She's al

led, quickly rem

ical resort he' d taken me to, trying to win me over. A detail no one in this current, brief, loveless mar

ainst my ribs. I sta

ds catching in my throat. "Are