he constant, low-grade sound

e noise of city traffic, the clinking glas

wn so small it felt more

beige box filled with beige cubicles, where he w

ople, quiet and resigned to

eing him as a strange bird with clipped wi

und a strang

one he had built for himself ou

s con

alked in through

expensive city clothes and polished shoes a stark

ted his exile, looked around the ro

eside her, his gaze sweeping ov

pping with false sweetness. "Look at this pla

nd, his hands rest

, moving closer to his desk. "I've decided to be gener

er perfume cloyi

d me. After Mark and I are married, if you're good, I might

an office f

heir faces a mixture of

one and only escape

his computer screen, his ex

a moment, letting her words h

phia," he said, his voice ev

en delivered

mar

ia f

ace contorted, first in

denly shrill. "You're lying! Who would

dismissing every woman ther

e just saying that to spite me, to

ed, a low,

ybe he found a local single mom desperate enough to take him in

iberate jab at Ethan's prid

ened, a muscle twi

height making Mark take

is voice quiet but laced with steel. "You don't know

only fueled S

ching for something to validate her o

d box filled with colorful, clu

her voice. "Are these for me? A pathet

gave a small,

lets were n

an they had never met but had heard so much about. They were a symbol of the simple, genuine

engineered, the way Sophia had looked at him with cold disappointment, choosing to believe t

d, his voice flat a

me what to do!

no other outlet, f

he bracelets off the desk. They scatte

ately, she st

ads into the dirty floor with the heel of her expens

a final insult befor

triumphant smirk and fo

own at the cru

presented had been trampled underfoo

t peace of Havenwood was shattered, and a