The Red Queen's Spectacular Rise After Betrayal

n penthouse, the city lights below blurring into a stream of gold and red that looked nothing like freedom. It was their fifth anniversary. Five

a towel low on his hips, water droplets tracing the defined lines of his abdomen. Gisele felt that familiar pull in her chest, a phys

, that rare, soft smile reserved only for this apartment, and pulled her toward the Italian leather sofa. The leather was cool against her legs as they sat,

he marble coff

sion. Evander froze. His hand stopped moving on her thigh. He pulled back, his eyes shift

s. Evander's pupils contracted. He stood up abruptly, the towel almost sli

lipped. It is the company.

lexus. She set her wine glass down, her hand trembling slight

udy. He didn't look back. Don't be d

study door. Th

a wound. The silence of the penthouse was deafening now, amplified by the sudden absence of his warmth. She wai

uit, his tie perfectly knotted. He walked over and kissed her forehead,

id, checking his w

ed with a heavy thu

lly, the need to do something, anything, other than drown in her own anxiety forced her up. She walked in

ng as his unofficial assistant. That was when she saw it. The wall safe behind the painting was not flus

tracted. He had

hand moved of its own accord, pulling the heavy door open. Inside, amidst stacks of cash and bonds

e cover page bore the seal of the State of New York. "Dr

left h

e: Evander Mathews. Her eyes dragged across the page to the bene

oping, childish, fam

day Evander had told her he was

er knees, her hands scrambling to pick it up, to reread it, to find the mistake. There was no mistake. Behind the contract was a detailed

name wa

t. She had alway

from Evander. Won't be back tonight

ugh, devoid of humor. Acquisition. That was what this was. He had acquired the

bathroom and stared at the mirror. The woman looking back was pale, her eyes wide and hollow. She didn't scream. She didn't break the m