ut of this!" Nicholas snarled, twisting hi

ing. He simply tightened his gr

e of pain surged through him, making him fe

suits appeared behind Kristopher. They grabbed Nicholas by bot

pher standing there, her heart

meone had saved her, or the shame of being seen in such a

r, acted as though

jacket and pulled out a pristine white silk handkerchief. Then, with deli

s care, leaving no spot unattended, as though tr

lly discarded the used sil

elynn could only stand t

ture spoke louder than any words, making the

l voice suddenly rang out. "Kristopher, there yo

ess walked toward them with graceful steps before wra

why don't we go have dinner at

the smile she wore was sweet

zabella Davis, the actress who had

.. Kristopher

ynn, her gaze pausing on her face for a brief mom

to Kristopher, her voice slipping into a slightly spoi

to his arm. "No. A madman attacked someone

pped an arm around Izabella'

glanced back

r returned to its former silence, as

spots where Nicholas had gripped her st

ing figure, a bitter, self-deprecating smil

was the t

because he feared that the "madman" might scare Izabe

miliated, or left to suffer, none of i

t had left his heart shattered-had probably fa

t even remembe

ngs left in his mind were l

belonged to t

s that even the mere contact with her h

ight of her daughter's medical expenses, a woman too powerless and

was how

ue-with interest, with suffering,

low like shards of shattered diamonds. Kristopher reclined in his

drop had touc

tically, sharing her thoughts on the rest

ance, while her flawless makeup, perfectly styled hai

rew attention-the type of woman who made pe

r never once

n the view outside the towering glass windows. Beyond them was nothing but the distant c

ee consecutive years. There was even a time when the reservat

econds, the only sound was the

id Kristopher final

e faltered for an instant b

poonful of food and brought it toward him. "Is someth

ion shifted back to

shiver ran through Izabella.

eyes was unlike anythi

usual indifference. It was a silent

his wine glass on the table, wiped the corne

urse. If you have something important t

hesitation, a brief trace of dis

been nothing more than a car

tress constantly surrounded by attention. Both of them had more

agreement-to use each other as a shield a

would not even shake her hand without gloves. Yet today, everything had changed. He had actually p

l-that he was finally starting to feel something for her. Yet the second they sat

sed such a s

mething to do wi

hat woman on the surface, but his actions revealed something else entirely.

hausted woman with a bruise at the corner of her mo

ed nothing in Izabe

Someone like that had no chance of ever

before she closed them, hiding the