stifle a sob. The sounds continued from the bedroom-Dara's sh

y," Dara squealed. "

ound. "Let her. Maybe the ice queen

romising to wait until our wedding night, painting himself as the perfect gentleman. It

the hall. I locked the door, turned the shower on full blast, and sank to the cold tile floor. The ro

imate betrayal, seeing it with my own eyes was a fresh hell. The man I had promised to spend my life wit

ark. "Just a little longer, Amelia. I want ou

A public execution of my reputa

an to seep into my bones, steadying me. The tears slowed. The pain was still there, a raw,

lled with laughter and warmth to fill the void my mother's death had left. But no love, n

would give them one. A grand

stepped into the hot spray of the shower, scrubbing my skin as if I could wash away the filth of their

teady now. My

of their lovemaking, and I fought back a wave of nausea. I pushed the bedroom door open. It was da

nster. They

ad been so easily duped. I was a woman who had been to hell and back

s hair was damp, and his skin was flushed. He froze when he saw me, his eyes wideni

home early," he said, h

at me with a sheepish grin. "Sorry abou

at I knew weren't from any wine glass, and I felt nothing

smile. "It's okay. I'm

ectly. The trusting,

ping his lips. He thought he had me f

his arms around me. I had to fight every instinct to

ill in his embrace, my mind a whirlwind of cold calculation. He had no idea