The Secret Heiress Next Door

cold night air like a

s Mo

world tilt ben

t, she coul

era still raised slightly as if she had just c

s smile was sha

ly turned

organ?" he

ce wasn

t

conf

oc

rch

t tightened

feared since the day she mov

en her two wo

as standing in

uietly, "what is

outh, but the wo

chuckle

hasn't

this," Lila

ist raised

'm ruining your

ze moved b

la.

e was so

t ple

l me what's

cracked

could see it

tr

she would tell

allowe

to tell you,"

e lau

ou wer

ot her

to

age had alr

another st

ight?" she said,

to know who you've bee

top," Lil

dn't look aw

eak," he sa

urt more than

s smile

he said, gesturing toward Lil

for drama

eiress of Morg

oed through t

tared a

hat t

ence wa

widened

the Morga

d down at

es

heavier than anythi

oment, Ethan

ir suddenly

he exhale

this t

ce trai

d up at hi

out everything,"

t tell you th

and throug

still

hit her li

u to see me diffe

hiding the trut

ared," sh

staring into the da

ieve you were j

m no

e sno

y apartment and pretending to be poor?

," Lila

urnalist i

d. "Business magazines have been speculating for weeks. Investo

ed back to

mon

dded s

eded

for

e my ow

rolled

touch

ed between

you said... about wan

rue," Lila s

idn't tel

ught I'd treat y

es

I would

nswer

t mean I deserve

est ti

wanted to

her face for

es it feel l

r than anything Cla

espond, the journal

s has been fascinating, but I should

head sn

can

tch

" Lila said firmly, "you'll

e shr

my pr

n fr

you doi

est story of the year,

her phon

ing in a small apartment while sec

grin

ve romance

epped f

air

rnalist

lmly, "you'll destroy my chance to reso

idered her

should

quietly, "I can give

s eyes narrowed

o

e exclusive inter

full

aised an

nd

ot ton

retched be

laire smil

esting

ered he

twenty-f

our?" Lil

ous," Claire

you by tomorrow night,

ned and walked awa

fell sile

Ethan remained

tween them fel

fra

he railing again, star

e said

he richest peopl

arms slightly, un

the first thing people s

nced a

did

kno

u still

es

hy

ted before

le find out... the

rowned

do you

the money,

pany. Th

ice so

op seein

t, Ethan di

said q

seein

stung s

kno

on't know wh

onesty

unders

gry?" she a

't kno

was painf

silence for

han looked

quest

ka

y of it

art ti

t," she said

cof

wal

nner to

trembled

ally to

ed her c

ide whether t

she sai

pretended

the part where yo

es

sig

t's a pretty

n, a small smile t

ai

laire arrived, Ethan's exp

must be c

ave no

ed up at

s is definitely the strangest fi

out a sma

ne

ed at h

t happe

about the bo

ourna

comp

waiting for

g back,"

gan Ind

uiet life

hesi

if that life e

nodded

from the railing, "I guess t

walking dow

ew steps,

ooked bac

il

es

sion was t

till inte

art fl

ime," he ad

e truth

rned and w

a alone on

truth she could

e might be forc