ng dress rustled against the

r tablet clutched to her ch

e tablet, her face went

Chaya w

xpanded. The audio was tinny, ec

voice. Slurred. Drunk. "Tonight is

oors above them. Julian's face filled the frame, sweaty and red. He pulled Anna

ter!" Annabelle shrieked

h. "He's live. He's streaming this.

e turned around an

o marry in twenty minutes groping her

een Record, then she hande

in the ballroom," Kailee said. "Tell

.. you're going to pla

o

ank, she pressed the button for

g around for security. "That's Hendricks territory, i

job tomorrow,

dinged. The d

k suits blocked

in Hendricks I have a solution

touched his earpiece. He murmure

etched for

aside. "Mr. Hendri

e elevator. The doors

lhouette sat on a high-backed chesterfield sofa.

't offer a greeting. He sat with the sti

alked to

eep and scraping. "You're supposed to be

id. She stopped three feet

ound. "And you came shopping here? Y

e a businessma

s face now-sharp angles, eyes that looke

they're using your 'personal life' as leverage to block your acquisitions. They want

d. The air in the roo

dows, took a step forward, h

k at the gun, she

m legally incentivized to be silent, stable, and spotless in public. I am the perfect, controllable, temporary wife, and in return for your legal prote

d around his face. He looked at her dress,

n't fi

" Ervin repe

ence," Kailee said. "A perfect publ