himed, cutting through the qui

nt of her. She didn't look up. Instead, she casually scrolled through her phone, checking the b

ture completely relaxed. She didn't need t

, heavy footsteps a

cket, and the top two buttons of his crisp white shirt were undone. His chest heaved slightly, betr

. She swiped to the next page of an article, l

oice a low, tight rumble that deman

lly raised her eyes to meet his. There was no anger, no sadness, and certa

hen you handed me that check two days ago," she replied, her tone

his large hands gripping the edge of the small table. "Why are you at the M

ailey's lips. She leaned back i

amily background was never part of my job description. Our arrangement was purely

stripping away any illusion of rom

xing with his anger. "Bailey, don't do this. Don

moothly, cutting him off. She leaned forward, resting her elbo

on is dead. From this moment on, you are Jordin's

. She watched the color drain from his face as

"For Jordin's sake, and for the sake of your precious family alliance, I highly su

o absolute deference. No one had ever spoken to him with such blatant disrespec

," Bailey said, dropping a fi

back was ramrod straight, her steps stead

violently in his stomach. He pressed a hand hard against his abdomen, his breathing ragged. The physical pain was nothing

a passing taxi, the Bentley

.

ow estate, the facade of a perfect,

led, pacing the length of the luxurious living room. She twisted her

p frown. "Dorr's behavior tonight was highly irregular. He complete

ice shrill with suspicion and disdain. She paced behind her husband. "Did yo

een it. She had felt the suffocating tension in

kly, her voice trembling. "Maybe he was just trying to f

ed pathetic even

of the second-floor landing. He leaned against the mahogany

ing smile spread