window, but it brought no warmth. A nurse came in, her e

for you, Mrs. Blackwood. He'

bone-weary exhaustion that had nothing to do with my fall

g," I said, m

paused. "I

I want to speak to a hospita

ng to convey the desperatio

tly. Before she could respond,

ctly tailored suit, his face like a t

ismissed the nurse with a flick of his wrist, and she

presence filling the small s

verything you've done? After you humiliated me yeste

back to that

e. "You don't make the decisions, Olivi

y my bed. "You're coming home. And you're going to fin

my duty. I

r marriage contract. A contract you were all too eager to

u will not embarrass me again. You will get dressed, you will get

feated, I watched as he called in his driver, a large, stoic man who avo

s silent and heavy. The house, once a sym

ophia was there, waiting in the grand fo

side, her face a pictur

s you're back! I was so w

mpathy. "I'm so sorry about what happened, Oliv

r, my heart a dead

you really shouldn't have argued about the closet

ory, painting me as the aggres

her. "It's not your fault, Sophi

oversee the final details of the house plans. You will work with her. You

t in my own home. The humiliation was a p

just... I have this vision, you know? It has to be perfect. It's the ho

ut their future, ri

ad spent a month planning it. The day of the event, Sophia, who was on the decorating committee, accused m

nt of the entire event staff. I later found the original flowers dumped in a trash bin behind

lated campaign of psychological warfa

on softening. "I know, my love. And it

gain. "Olivia has nothing else to do. She

s completely blind. Utterly and hopelessly devoted to the woman who had orches

, I would alway