e Agreement. Her mind refused to process them. It felt like trying to read

mbness that started in her fingertips and spread inward, chilling her to the bone. The world she had so ca

were discussing a corporate merger. "This

isoner," she heard herself say, the words a quiet w

up at him, to really look at him. "Th

chosen together, the books lining the shelves, the life the

of something-guilt? regret?-crossed his face bef

plicity. It was a clean, sharp blade

. But her pride, a deep, unyielding thing she hadn't realized she possesse

built for herself. Deleting her social media. Avoiding photographers. Maintaining the quiet

ste in her mouth. All for a marriage he wa

she reached for the sterling silver pen on his

scanning for the signature line without reading a sing

e had likely expected tears, arguments, pleading. He had prepa

her voice clear and even. It was a final, dignified declaration of her

eptance seemed to unnerve him mo

swirls of Aria Vanderbilt felt foreign, like

of guilt that crossed his face was darker this time. He cleared his throat

ld, watching the ocean from the porch. Another broken promise, n

e her. She slowly capped the pen and pushed th

mrod straight. "Then, this penthouse

. He had expected her to crumble, to accept the consolation