'S

ng through my chest. I stumbled onto the cold stone steps outside

-altering words crumpled somewhere inside. A child. Our child. Yet the

d, and for a moment I thought I mig

va

iar voice

eyes blurring

a sharp figure in his navy suit, his usually compo

s darted from my trembling body to the massive building behind me. "I just saw

o this?" I av

husband have you t

s burned my eyes. "It's-it's not what you think. Adrian was just... upset. T-t

ng. "Ava, I've seen hostile takeovers handled with more respe

is into something it isn't. He's under a lot of pressure with

ly at the table because you begged Father to give him a

ore from my throat. "Please, Ethan, don't tell him. You k

than snapped. His chest heaved as he glared toward the glass doors as if he could storm in and drag Ad

red. The questi

. And I want to keep it that way. I didn't marry hi

expression shifted from fury to something worse: pity. He pulled me into his arms, his voi

as I buried my face in his chest. My brother, my protector. The only

stay silent about this, Ava. He can't tre

feline. "Please, Ethan. For me. Don't tell Father. Promise

g my face with an intensity

e!" My voi

sighed heavily. "Fine. I won't tell him. But, Ava, I'm warning you-if he hum

hard, though dread

ould shield me from the truth of my own choices. His cologne was familiar, g

in the right hands, with the right poison,

ious stares, I never looked back at the building. I n

one, her eyes glittering with malice. "Absol