r: The Pric

ed from the pew

of lilies, and the sound of rain tapping the stai

Her mother had hissed something about lawsui

Ethan could s

ding a photo of a chil

u

his mind like a c

down his face. What

terrupted

find you su

nd and best man, leaning in the doorway. Sti

hell," Marcus a

fed. "I fe

ng the silence stretch befor

N

were go

the right move. Clean slate. Fut

thought she'd vanish fore

reatened to disown me. Alessia didn't come from money-he said she'd r

t job with that. She looked real pro

he words sticking to his throat. "I

le

ing to do?" Marc

enched h

ing to

him. "Do you thin

e hardening. "She came to me-at

e that's

art," Ethan said

op open but untouched. An email from her boss blinked unread. An old voicemail fr

tly over the poun

th

knock

hits on he

ent s

her

lowly, hear

ood there. Hair soaked. Shirt wrin

t h

g at her like she was the only

a," he

"You're not sup

d to s

slee

I'll

protest, but something

stepped

ars, Ethan Carter walked into the