he ran. Down the long, winding driveway of the Pennington estate, her cheap wedding
ight a beacon in the oppressive darkness. She flagged it down, tum
entrance of the hotel, her disheveled appearance going
She needed to see
ght her eye. Carter's personal assistant, a nervous yo
shoe. Barefoot and silent on th
cked his phone, and then moved on. The heavy m
ld wall, her heart a frantic drum ag
rd a low, feminine g
e, thick with arou
tilted o
atisfaction. "That pathetic housekeeper's daughter is f
incerity. "The engagement to Amara... it was just business. Her research data from t
five-year relationship, the shared dreams, the promises... all re
like it was fille
peer through the narrow gap b
ned itself in
lla pinned against the marble vanity. Bella's dress was hiked u
muttered, his lips against Bella'
cruel, sharp sound. "She's trash.
raction from the agony ripping through her chest. She tasted blood. S
bright. She opened the camera, switched it to video, and held it up to the crack in t
ntrollably. She leaned against the cold, unforgiving wall, fo
eplaced by a glacial calm. The pain was still there
. It was about Carter's ambition. He wanted the Beaumont name, the Wa
ed each other. Two parasites, feeding on lies. They w
r posture straight, her head he
miss?" the
er voice steady. "To t
ing a pool of light on a massive oak desk. He was sitting in a high-backed
with dry amusement. He swirled the liquid in his gla
sian rug. She stopped in front of the desk and looked down at him. His legs were cross
ry move. "Are you tired of living?" he asked,
ecure cloud server, and then deleted the original. She pl
id, her voice clear and str
forward, the leather of his chair groaning softly. "You're in no posit
opportunities. "You need a wife. A wife with no powerful family, no connections, no agenda. A ghost. Someone to be a placeholder, a shield, to
our family or your company would make a move for power. You need a wife who won't get i
re deep and unreadable, like the bottom of the ocean. H
was supposed to marry... they've all betrayed me. I have nothing and no one. That makes me t
face. It was the first time she had s
r than your si
" Amara replied, the
ience. We maintain the public appearance of a devoted couple. In private, we lead
ly," Ama
of a powerful dynasty, they sealed their dangerous pact. Not
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