phin

ut he didn't come. Dr. Gallo told me he was overseeing Isabella's recovery. Ensuring his "investment

e of Ethan's luxury hotels. A gilded cage. He claimed it was for my "peace and qu

o a contact Dante Moretti had provided. We were moving pieces on a chessboard Ethan didn't even know we were playing on. Se

the art gallery I owned and curated, a legitimate business that was one of the cornerstones of Costell

fresh, angry scar on my side. This gallery represented four years of my work-my soul-hung on these pristine white walls. Ethan moved throu

s voice booming with false pride. "Goes through a majo

brittle, e

ance. One of Ethan's capos rushed to his side, whispering frantically i

ough for me to hear. "She's having a pa

alone in the center of the room, under the glare of a hundred pairs of eyes. The toast he was about to make died on his lips. The public hum

that would have been hurt was gone, cauterized by his

got into a car Dante had waiting for me, and

lly removed every trace of my existence. My clothes, my shoes, my jewelry-all packed into suitcases.

rver and typed out my resignation. Effective immediately. I strippe

s face a mask of thunder. "What the

self," I said calmly

n his eyes. "What is this? A tantrum? Are you trying to get my attention?

staggering. He truly believed my loyalty, my very being, c

en posted. It was a candid shot of Ethan outside the hotel where Isabella was staying. He was holding her, her head tucked against h

on. My eve

voice even from across the room. "Ethan, we have a problem. You have anot

r Isabella. It was a perfect match for him. I'd given him my blood mor

ad put him back in control. He thought he had me. He t

old me, the loyal me, would have rushed to his

my expression u

save the man who had gutted me. And as I watched, a profound, soul-deep exhaustion settled over me

sad, pitying guilt. "You're a good woman, Ser

flat. "I was a loyal on

Ethan without looking at him. This was the last ti