hing from across the room

e concerned faces around her

ession h

y pulled Izzy to her feet, and then, to everyone'

in the suddenly s

okers. Izzy stared at him, stu

his violent, public display

ed to Anya, his face a

are you alright?

d Anya, pulling her clo

protective husband snapped back

protection; this was control,

stunned Izzy, his voic

ming a liability. And your attempts

enior partner, who

our remote Alaskan research outpost. Effective immediately. She clearly

y banished, her career prospects in San

with a mixture of f

sickening real

punishment for

heading a lucrative new environmental i

ing Izzy to manage a project that would make her indispensable

ame, one where he kept bo

dull, constant ache. He was far more m

strous birthday dinner, Julian kept Any

e where Izzy had been unceremoniously dumped by the seni

n placed a comforting hand on Izzy' s arm,

e, then quickly

tight smile, dabbing at the sp

ent call I need to make regarding

eyes still fixed on Iz

e wasn't ma

him through the restaurant

o was clearly trying to lea

bbed Izzy' s arm, pulling her away from the other ma

, and they drove off together, abando

a shard of Julian' s broke

t even

tly dabbing at the blood with a n

dam?" he asked, his

cing a smile. "

thing compared to the ga

composure, get through

he shadows of the restaurant' s priva

sumably with Izzy, who m

, a stark contrast to his ea

re mine... Yes, Alaska is a huge opportunity for you, for us... An

ve of betrayal, confirmin

eassuring her, while syst

was a physic

the alley, mirroring the d

shared, the life they ha

it was dead, murdered b

alvage, only a hollow ache

A new notification

ntertwined with Julian' s, t

l bandaged from the broken

r, the city lights

journey to a brighter future. He always knows ho

e photo, tears bl

bond, the shared intimacy, it

despair w

later, smelling of Izzy' s

ituation with Izzy... unprof

brace her, but

devoid of emotion, "what does

question, then smiled his

ing around their opulent apartment. "It' s pro

mfort, now felt like

d, a small, physical remind

her again, atte

" she said, her voic

r of suspicion, of something

placed by his usual

But know this, Anya.

e a threat. Her rejection seemed