Her Sweet Escape From Chaos

er husband Gifford Stanton' s brand. Her dresses were tailored, her pos

a young woman giggling across from him. It was Jovita Griffith, the daughter of their forme

' s dismissive excuses and Jovita' s feigned innocence. She posted a scathing selfie, but Gifford, bli

sted by Jovita, who was wearing Adriana' s vintage Chanel dress. Jovita, smug and victori

w up, connecting with Jovita' s cheek, the slap echoing through the silent room

, and ordered her banished to the countryside. Adriana, however, was done playing by his rules.

strong. "We are not a family." She threw divorce pape

pte

of rules. Not her rules, but

to be the same. Her dresses were always perfectly tailored, her posture always stra

ct of this rigid world,

sgression she' d never witnessed. He leaned back in a cheap plastic chair, a half-p

The click of her designer heels on the paveme

at the office? Is this y

ression on his face vanished, repl

ice chirped, "Mr. Stanton, taking your

creen, one of Gifford' s associates, froze. His jesting

ammed the

vita Griffith. Mrs. Miller's daughte

"Ms. Cotton, it's so nice to finally meet

s. Miller. Gifford had been funding her education abroad for years. Millions. He

ford, a man so obsessed with decorum he wouldn't touch food with his bare hands. She once saw him at a gala, faced wit

e. She chewed for a moment, then del

t dog ta

"Ms. Cotton, it's all my fault. I'm so sorry,

. She pulled out her phone. She framed a selfie to include all th

ached for the phone.

cold. "Just taking a pictur

posted the photo to her social medi

birthday surpri

o say. After a long, tense silence, he finally sighed. "Adria

in, her voice trembling. "

"Calling the housekeeper's daughter 'sis

ely now, as if she had suf

p to leave. She

p was surprisingly strong, bruising. "Adriana Cotton, you are be

ine. The wife

e. Jovita just got back, and she has nowhere to stay.

laugh. She turned and looked di

asked, her voice danger