he then wheeled Connor toward the bed. "It's late-you should get

ey didn't share the same room, with Ni

ackground report. After skimming only a few pages, he shut the file with a f

.

rika's birthday party, adjusting every seam until it

the old habit of shrinking inward leaving her shoulders rounded and her

urned before the mirror, studying the reflect

and spoke with practiced courtesy. "Ms. Perry, this is

second, genuinely surpr

fted the lid and found a sapphire necklace gleamin

cklace sharpened her presence i

sure she was comfortable accepting. Given that the money for their arranged marriage had come from the Reed fam

asked, frowning faintly. "Emily's birthday is the day after tomorrow. Wouldn't it make mo

nsense. Connor had never fretted about money. A necklace priced at a mil

e money in his pocket, Samuel played along with the story. "The store offered a special arrangemen

face as she lifted one brow. "Wait

amuel added, "Mostly because Mr. Reed is devastatingly good-l

ow it caught the light, Nicole approached Connor and thanke

thout the slightest flicker of inte

eeks, and she murmured, a little flustered, "Thank you for being s

book in his hand, Connor answered coldly, "Spare me such talk. I

blunt, but they car

augh, her mood untouched, and turned

teasing smile, "Funny coincidence, Mr. Reed-we have an engageme

how her uncle's family would handle her, so he answ

.

y celebration arrived. Righ

y welcomed guests, the two of them polished and dazzlin

armth, smiling brightly as she said, "I'm really relieved you showed up. I was

ir focus, murmurs rippling through the ro

elf decent, spinning half-truths in a few soft sentence

replied, "Why do you always phrase things in a way that invite

the sweetness on her face crack

When the question was flung back at her, panic flickered in her eyes, and she instinctively fell bac

s he turned on Nicole. "After all this time apart, I honestly thought you'd reflect, maybe even change," he

ess rose in her chest. "After all this time apart?" she replied evenly. "By my count, it's been barely half a month. I assumed you cou