spare it ano

nd for herself, forever pretending to push him away in some

he turned on his h

r phone call with Claire flashed through her mind, and a faint, brittle smile curved at her lips. Her own

headed downstairs to catch

l blow that would shatter wha

.

ing and rushed over, hurriedly pulling open the car door. "Mr. Br

flat and icy. "She didn't realize that

into the hotel room, dragged the intruder out, and

arm and shockingly bold-nothing like the qui

d in the end, he'd slept with

ed off, only a cold sense

g but a blemish on hi

ng to even a scrap of hope. Whatever h

aving him blinking in confusion. "So Mrs. Bradley has no

g the conversation elsewhere. "We've traced everything. The one who slipped her the dr

e bridge of his nose, irritati

as Bryanna thin

n with cool precision, and froze Bryanna Bradl

your departure tomorrow. You're studying abroad for si

over the car's Bluetooth. "Alec, why are you cut

th. "Bryanna, are you seriously preten

stant she realized her s

ne who drugged you back then-if not for that, you would've married

to his voice, "Shut your damn mouth!

"No way I'm leaving the country! I'

dy helped you cover up what you did. If you insist on dragging this out, you'd bet

icy warning, Bryanna

Alec finally pressed, his tone flat and unreada

the front. "Don't say another wo

ble to recall a single moment when

he servants' greetings without slowing,

kshelf, crouching before the lowest cabi

apped in Clai

the correct code, an

yers of neatly arranged documents, investment files, and contrac

revealed Claire frozen in time-laughing, studying, smiling shyly at the came

's heart had been chasing someone else

er out-had he truly never f

n her teeth, a dull ache spreadin

r happened, would Alec have walked

lness of the room. Her phone lit up w

ce carried through the line. "Ms. Cooper, this is Claire Murray from Skyline Productions. We were scheduled

led her personally made

After a quiet breath, she responded in a muted, controlle