The Contract I Signed With My Ex

ent. It was filtered, expensive, and smelled of lilies. Aderinsola Adeyemi was de

e fabric felt cool against her skin and covered the jagged lines on her back an

mmit was full tonight. These were the people who ran the city. They drank from crystal glasses, talked about

not flinch. She turned her head. Madam Eleanor Graves stood there.

oice was flat. She had practiced this tone fo

Eleanor said stepping closer. "Lucien is in the

the floor, a circle had formed. At

tailored. He held a drink but did not sip it. He look

It was the place where the child used to be. She pushed the feelin

ssa

en. She touched his arm. Her fingers had long, red nails. Vanessa l

he Blackwood emer

board wants them married by the end of the quarter

a scandal-free union," Rina

rs. Her heels made a rhyt

Click.

to look. They did not recognize her. She had a new face. A surgeon in Geneva had made sure of that. H

He was a senior board member. Five years ago,

Arthur asked. He

Her grip was firm. "I recently acquired a si

Vale acquisition. I heard

Mr. Sterling. Time is the on

eyes. "Are you here to meet Lucien? He is the man yo

na said. "I am here to see if he i

said. "He has no blood i

headed toward the bar. She needed a

sed a group of women.

the girl from five y

ne who stole the fund

e died in the state f

way. It was a me

That was the lie they told. They didn't mention the cold floor. Th

bar. She did n

red the drink. Rina took it. She turned ar

nly ten feet a

talking about her charity work. She talked

ge that Rin had the password to the secure server. That mouth

at the floor again.

e scanned the room. It was a habit

es sto

ked at

a slow sip of the vodka. The alcohol burned her th

he felt something. He handed his drink to a

s arm. "Lucien? Where are you g

wer her. He kept

redator looked at you, you became small. She forced her shoulders to stay down. She tilted her chin up. She was Ri

s five fe

was deeper than she remembered. It was

en looking for in your sprea

nd under Lucien's elbow. She looked Rina up

Vanessa asked. Her voic

ike a statement of fact. "You bought t

it a strategic ali

d closer. He was tall. He tried to use his height to d

e the next few months, Mr.

n. I like her. Is this a new style

sa's neck. "I don't make threats, Ms. Cole," Rina said. "I make

a second. "The books? How dul

d. "A high stock price buil

ld. "Careful, Ms. Vale. You

more than a guest." She turned her back on them. It was a power mo

eyes on her. She could feel the heat

balcony. The night air was cold.

vibrated i

lled i

text fr

e the leverage. Look at the monito

usually showed the company's history. It showed black and white

ment appeared. It was an internal memo. It was d

ut Rina saw it. It was the proof that the

nse of grim s

you saw a ghost

gest rival. He was a man who liked chaos. He was dre

in ghosts, Kael

. He leaned against the railing. "We just wear

you. Bus

ve a grudge. I can smell it

e walked past him and headed for the exit. Sh

zed again. She thought it was Elias. She loo

sage wa

The scars don't lie. He will see you. Tomo

ve of nausea.

as standing by the pillar. He was watchin

a was

ights were bright and blinding. She got into her car.

" Rina

hed the silk on her arm. Underneat

this. She had spent five years

ext chang

one

was wa