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ella
than my new husband had anticipated. My metabolism, conditioned by year
rbon clashed with the cloying, sweet perfume of another woman. Then came the sounds-the w
ld black marble and gilded accents. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the neon bleed of Chicago's skyline illuminated th
lay pooled around me like a discarded corpse. This was Julian's grand design-a calculated,
sheep. He had no idea he had
hed her back and caught sight of me in the shadows. Instead of
She ran a hand down Julian's sweat-slicked chest. "You'll have to get use
er to look back at me,
of my dress. I didn't cry. I didn't scream. I simply brushed a stray lock of hai
e paid for better actors," I said, my voice echo
urned his head, his dark e
over them with absolute disgust. "A
unadulterated rage. He shoved Dahlia aside and stepped off the bed. Naked, heavily mus
fists clenching. "I'm going to tea
g me to cower. He raised his han
ed until he was exactly
The impact sounded like a cracking whip. Julian's leg instantly gave out, his nervous system short-circuitin
ed to his knees, clutching his chest, his face turni
l that muscle and you can't even protect your own vitals,"
eyes wide with terror. I looked her up and down, le
lethal boredom. "I don't take sloppy seconds, es
crimson with humiliated fury. "You bitch!" she shrieked, sc
she closed in, I simply shifted my weight, caught her outstretched wrist,
rd onto the unforgiving black marble floor. She curled into a b
t me, the arrogance in his eyes replaced by a burning, venomous hatred. He r
lian wheezed, spitting the words through gritt
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