en his wife sitting off to the side of the road, soaked

he excitement the young woman stirred in him, and

ared into the glow of the neon ligh

eport. She ripped it apart piece by piece and the

he turned around and

ompletely, and a thin

y business district ha

er a streetlamp. Rain mist clung to her gray hair

ever went easy on people,

derly woman's palm, and then gently folded the woman's fi

could react, Arabella h

led up at the intersection, coming to

the wet pavement as his suit pants lifted slightly,

a black umbrella over his head. He moved closer and helped the

et with me. I didn't think it would start raining. I'm st

concert. On the way back, the driver accidental

lready close to the company, the elderly woman stayed by the ro

ickly took out the ring and handed it over. "A young lady got the wrong idea and pushed this ring into my hand. She

, though all he saw was a slim figure fading into th

perature, draped a blanket over her, and shut the door. Without

long strides, and the distant fig

ist-blue trench coat soaked through and clinging to her frame, drawing

stayed straight, and a distant chill lingered around

hing remained on the long stretch of road. Puddles scattered across the pavement caug

he elderly woman leaned forward r

gged. "Didn

you deal with planes every day. Yet

your logic

s both kind and beautiful. If you had shown up just

e, Connor said,

Brooks and pointed out that

d him. "Married or not, what does it matter? She took off her weddi

light there was and gave off a sharp glow. He found himself holding onto a wedding ring t

d him with a

le. A faint smile touched his lips, and there was a careless ease in the way

th at least a million. You have to find th

eyes drifting toward the ring resting on

..

ge Brenton had sent two hours ago. "Honey, I've got something t

of the chat, unpinned the conversation, and era

lt cold and lifeless. Dragging her tired body upstairs, she p

Rose petals stretched from the

n switched out to her fa

ss everything, creating a

had made now felt like noth

ard and yanked at the sheets, sweeping aw

next morning, and her head throbbed as she forced herself awake. S

over her face. She didn't give Arabella a chance to react before pul

ides to mess things up with an affair? He kept the woman he actually wanted, used you as a cover, and played

ke, the more agi

a brought her over to the sofa

stion on Arabella's face and the dark circles under her eyes. Her expression

e a look," Arabella replied, forcing a sm

close, intimate shots, her breathing faltered. So this was the truth. Brent

hopping side by side, their fingers int

s hooked around his waist as they stumbled together toward th

f online were even identical to the

her fingers, pressed lightly against a man's chest, with a caption t

It wasn't lingering affection, but the raw ache of something that hadn't fully healed, and regret crept i

ver had sex with him. If you had, you'd probably need a full check-up, and even if the

lla as she shook her head. "Th

she came back down carrying two large bags and dropped them in front of Madisyn. "S

lothes, handbags, perfume, watches, and jewelry

saw them for what they were-selected

want the person who gave them to her, let alone the things he gave her. She wouldn't want t

They took on any job that paid. Following people, taking photos, exposing affairs, pretending to be someone's partner, buying

just copy Brenton's moves, masking the unfaithfulness with the noble name of spons

ion of letting Brento

use the money to help those underprivileged students. Not every one in a bad situation t

sing Brenton over and over again. That jerk

r someone who built everything from nothing, his reputation matters too much. There's no way he'll

t obsessive. It didn't seem like he was completely indiffer

..

taying home, sorting through her things an

before her death. Arabella decided that once

the vanity, carefully getting ready when Brenton re

s hand on her shoulder and gazed at her

fore she turned to meet his eyes.

ve I been neglecting you lately because of work? Once I get some time off, I'll make it up to you. We ca

g it obvious. "There's no need for that. If there's no love between

ave, there should've been at least something left between them. What she wanted was simple.

rdened, and his voice dropped into something cold and sharp. "Divorce? Don't even think about it! The

A chill ran down her spine, and