Second Chances Denied: From Dull Housewife To Comic Icon

vans surfaced from a heavy, bone-deep sleep, every inc

of a hotel room, and in the next heartbeat, fractured m

e moment she accepted a drink... and then the fog-thick, dizz

folded her trembling hands agains

t m

n something i

had set

the ache in her limbs as she slipped out of the t

s stabbed the number of her husband, Alec Bradl

a clipped, icy t

red, "Alec... something happened. I'm a

d-flat and distant. "Rylee, why would you think I care?

, the lin

g out of her as despair rose like a bl

ver once truly seen her-never touched he

er in a way that stripped her of every ou

so deeply that even t

nothing, not even w

eamed down her face befo

g, until her phone's alarm chimed sharply and dragged her bac

was supposed to meet her chil

ng trouble. Rylee had promise

shed herself upright, each step to

s, soaking her hair and skin as the shock o

be made public. Exposing it would only drag bo

would take matters into her own hands. Sh

ugged at her lip

y glimmer of light she clu

age-begged into existence-ne

ressed, collected her things, an

n a private suite on the twelf

orridor outside the room, she

g at his watch, his expression tig

t a visible breath. "You must

re opening it slightly. "S

nt shimmer of daytime glow. His tailored dark suit traced clean lines along a powerful fram

spot, her thoughts scat

ll could i

ame hotel, yet he couldn't even

I already said I'm done dealing with your problems. Live however you want-just don't show up with some bastar

y stiffened as realization str

Mr. Bradley, this is on me. Ms. Cooper h

dismissive flick of his

e could stop it. "With you acting like that, ther

he name she used

arn anything about her work,

cted him to be the one ne

something to do

oice edged with frost. "Rylee, do you actually think you're M

fifteen minutes past the agreed time, and the car

rumbled. Without another glance, he str

d from him. "Claire, Eva hasn't turned up at all. I'm on my way back. If you're serious about expanding into anime,

le moment, Rylee understood-Alec's heart had already dr

ly warmth in a life tha

en the child pushed aside, mocked, and

o be nearby, he shielded

lways returned twice as fierce-taunts, blows,

, to fight, to build enough strength to

into the kind of woman who could stand at Alec's side,

impossible it was to win a hea

e'd clung to had

lk away and give herself a

s retreating silhouette. "

. "Rylee, you drugged me all those years ago and forced your way into my bed so I'd marry you. An

her eyes, but she ke

way the stain he'd already painted on her-an ambitiou

d herself now f

olve. "Believe whatever you like. I'll speak to a l