Photos of him and Clara Bell were everywhere: walking hand-in-hand in the park, dining at exclusive restaurants, attending a gala for

leanor. They praised her "natural" beauty and her "humble" origins, contrasting it with Eleanor's now-tarnished image as the privileged wife who had bee

e-art research lab for Clara, a project that cost hundreds of millions and required displacing three entire departments. When a senior executi

votion-she had once thought they were unique to her, a testament to a love that was one of a kind. Now, she saw with painful clarity that it was just a pattern. Alexander' s love wasn' t a

h it, a cold resolve was hardening. She had one

other lived. David was pale, tethered to a series of machin

voice weak but warm

taking his hand. "Just been busy. I came

he didn' t tell him about the baby or the full extent of Alexander' s cruel

ts?" he asked, fear cloudin

and. "He gave his word. You don' t have to worry about anyth

pain she was trying to hide. He nodded slowly

" Leaving him was the hardest thing she had ever had to do, but

name Sterling and reverting to Vance. She refused all the properties and stocks Alexander had offered, taking o

been loyal to her, watched with sad eyes as Eleanor systematically went through the house. She packed a single suitcase with her

photos of their wedding. She added the custom-made art supplies, the rare books, and finally, the one-of-a-kind graphic novel

ere, frozen in the doorway. They had clearly come to the house for something, not expecting

thunderous rage. "What the he

look at him. She simp

them." She spotted the custom-made piano in the corner, a magnificent instrument Alexander had commissioned for Eleanor' s 2

e piano, and then to Clara. An

ommand. "You' re not going to destroy that piano. You' re going to l

nt. He wanted her to watch as Clara took over every aspect of her life, e

anding face. She felt a strange sense of calm. He could take the piano, he could take

papers of the graphic novel caught first, the ink illustration of the