al room couldn't mask the smell of decay that clung to he

a small crack in the perfect life she had built. On their fifth wedding anniversary,

et Lily a transfer to a prestigious architecture firm in Europe, a dream job for any intern. She thought s

sed down through generations, suddenly faced bankruptcy. The debt was suffoca

il her heart gave out. Her younger brother, a brilliant art student with a bright future, was the victi

as a sickness the doctors couldn't name. And now, as she l

ver forget. "You sent Lily away, ruined her career, and caused her

kness, it was a calculated, cruel revenge. He had destroyed her family, her life, all fo

condo at Azure Gardens is ready. Get the keys tomorr

the entrance to Mark's home office, a place she knew as well as her own sk

and conspiratorial, comi

nd suffocating. Every day with her feels like a

oked down at her hands, not the frail, skeletal hands of a d

nants of love and heartbreak. He had called her boring. He had d

rriage was over. Her

raight, her hands resting calmly in her lap. She feigned a pl

her and smiled, a practiced, charming smile that no longer reached his eyes

he would have nodded, told him to

hed him grab his keys and walk out the doo

n the dark, the city lights painting patterns on the wall, and s

wered, dressed in a sharp power suit, and drove to see he

e ground up with Mark. She didn't bother with the main entrance, tak

he heard it. Intimate, muffled sounds. A

er hand and knocked twice, sharp and l

at his desk, his shirt slightly unbuttoned, but his expre

hat are you

he said, walking forward and placing a fol

tion clearly elsewhere. "Can't this w

uffled, seductive voice

rk." He opened the folder, flipped to the last page where she had marked with a sticky ta

ce pa

folder back. She turned and walked out

ed, she pulled out her phone. She

Connell,

smooth voice answe

voice steady. "I'm offering you my 20% stake in Apex De

the elevator. The divorce would be finalized in a mont