Beneath the Billionaire'ss Mask

t behind her, her mind too absorbed by the chaot

ssed it onto the chair by the door, the fabri

nt when she noticed it.. a small, neatl

e center of the black marble like a s

her bag down with a

room, the silence pressin

ned for tonight.. the meal she'd spent weeks organizing .. seemed a

t it was unusual. He'd been distant lately, but

er pulse quickening , her gaze

embled as she

ndwritten address on the front unmistakable : For A

han it should have, as if i

p open, the sound of it

paper lay flat against t

usly , as though fearing the letter would

paper that burned h

m

this. You' ve known for a while that our marriage was never what it seemed. I know this will hurt you,

e end of o

am

e paper shook in her hand as her mind str

t couldn

e read the letter again. And again.

, cold, and complete

life.. had ended it with a few lines of text on a piece o

o a knot as the world t

ting . She clutched the letter to her c

pen up, but this.. this was a fin

gasps as she ran down the hallway toward th

by the window with his back to her, staring out over the cit

oice trembled d

er, didn 't even flinch a

houlders slumped under the weigh

.. we need

't the Liam she knew. He was never like this. They'd fough

e said, her voice shaking with a mixture of ang

e letter, her

could see the tension in his post

ess deal, not a love story." He turned slowly, his eyes locking onto hers for the first time. "Our fa

er breath caught in her throat, and for a mom

k, clutching the

own voice, the way it cracked with disbelief . "Wha

ok of something almost like

but she took a step back, s

m. Wanted to demand

d apologetic . "Our families arranged this. We were supposed to m

force of the words, her mind

s if to clear the fog t

t he was saying began to sink in. Everything they'd bui

voice was barely a whisper now, raw with the sting of b

, but his expression remained guarded . "I did

edge of their bed, her hands clutching the fab

it was, hung in the air betwe

breathe. She c

few agonizing seconds, she simply stared at him, the man she

almost too softly. "I really am. But w

t cut through everything else was this:

he room spinning as her mind tried to keep

ife, an unwilling participant in a gam

, the phone on the nightstand buzzed , br

looking down

ge from her fa

d: Call me when you se

turned back to Liam , her mouth

pered , "What else ar