the first thin

inst her ribcage, making breathing difficult,

r heavy eyes. As though her brain was still attempting to reconstruct the shattered m

stand, she became aware

med too costly for a public medical facility. The gentl

knot in h

sn't by

on her lap. Her small lips were squeezed into a hard lin

a nu

ical prof

and

pulse qu

covers aside. Realisation struck her like a kick to the stoma

t a medical

s a p

he woman raised her hea

in her body was screaming for escap

move when she reach

ck

er pulse pounded in her ears as she sl

linch. "A private

breath. "Whose med

e that curled the woman's

chill run d

o

as not tak

k and shook her hea

n cocked her head. "T

ngernails into her

oom for anything that might end her n

then un

, and Belle t

Alistair K

n grew in

uthority, an indisputable presence that demanded obedience withou

a knot in h

was someone she had

ne who had left her. The one who h

er, t

very differ

g a word, taking long, deliber

heavy sheet of

emained

take a

d it even from the ot

gree

ol, collected, and pot

hroug

eft it

t take her eye

a charged live wire, just wai

y cried out for her to

is t

in what appeared to be

emed

h tightened.

mpting to depart? To the mayhem she had unwitti

y. "Nothing is be

med a line. "Even yo

hest, Belle's determination harde

lash in his e

exhale. "I can'

remaine

n't ha

e both aware o

s abl

uld,

racing. "You're

step forward and

eadly, suffocating,

ed with something much worse, he

athing beca

, but not out of

aluat

ue to be resolved. a

fting the contract and runn

m like a loaded gun as

ting," he rem

e wi

kable, the word

at she wante

al

this

nged with subdued authority.

art po

ontract is yours to sign. For a year, you are married to me. You

r stomach tur

don't?" she

eyes beca

go with

e fr

hin

at he was saying, what he was t

s she raised her chin

denied by

d a tiny envelope f

it. She withdrew the sole sheet

lt sick to h

s from h

eatened with an eviction notice. the

athing beca

a gentle yet

you ne

d the page

r not you

he hospital suit

bed. However, there was no where to go. Not when the only way out was blocked by the imposing figure of Alistair Kensi

angeline Sterling crashed like

ttled by the force of the do

e was a s

ideways as her cheek

ft a searing fire that b

tilted mom

was over

rose and fell with desperate gasps. Although her ice-blonde hair was perfectly ar

o glance up despite th

err

twisted in distaste the inst

nom oozed from her voice. "Yo

to the covers under her a

rage were what she

underlying Evangeline's

d Belle knew

of los

ith heels clicking hard on the immaculate floorin

faltered

ared up, his face was unreadable, and

he remain

refut

vangeline's face. "Obviously,"

a knot in h

unfaithful lover were not

struggle

Belle with a trembling finger. Was this what you were looking for? T

acing as her nails

ere. That she was just an outsider in

ontinued to cut like

Alistair and moved close

ne

hich was now desperate r

l me this doesn't

ve a sha

dn't give

omething repulsive and envious

silent for

turned

Evang

Bel

piercing blue

knew rig

aking a

as the realisation hit

ine obs

iti

hopi

remaine

blood be

was worse th

ce was s

tions with a single word, Alista

s expressio

l and ran out without

the tension before Bell

hours to make

art stoppe

ly, he lef

left s

alone, a

d at the a

ned undisturbed on the hospital bedside, repres

she was unable

silent. Life continued on, unconcerned with her collapsing reality,

ghts wer

or years. Making sacrifices no one saw, labouring

ess, here

that would determin

than it should have been, and her f

io

ngton, A

a ye

mming as the words

A cage. A barg

id ki

e ga

s she put a hand

However, it was genuine. Her lungs wer

eyes were burn

ch

air's

beyond he

life on

tly as memories swept over

lf. She pictured herself working two jobs, missing important life events, and

air appear

His fortune.

things s

ngs her chi

t a trembl

tested

inance, and his merciless capacity

d herself m

ready in motion, despit

ngers arou

tin

eri

kin

line, where her name wo

red as she

she s

e was made when the ink

lost her freedom