d at Harris Kingston, certain I had misheard him, certain that the stres

ping into still water, creating ripples of disbelief tha

d pulled out a thick manila folder. When he opened it, I caught a glimpse of photographs-pictures of me le

been wat

ack and white, proof that this man had been studying my

maddeningly calm as he spread the contents of the folder across his desk

ce. I stood up so quickly that my chair rolled backw

ered in those steel-gray eyes. It was gone so fast I might have im

he authority of a man accustomed to being obe

ok at medical bills and see profit margins?" My hands shook with rage, and I did

f that explained everything. "And you need mo

er instead of the most important decision of my life-made

backing toward the door. "Co

es. "Your mother needs heart surgery that costs two hundred thousand dollars. Your brother wants to go to MIT, which requires another hundred and f

He knew everything-every debt, every drea

certificate," he continued, his voice dropping to something that

nded foreign to my own e

house, attend social functions with me, and play the role of devoted spouse when necessary. In exchange, all of your family's debts will be p

ed together-legal jargon about separate bedrooms, no physical intimacy,

anning the terms that reduced marriage to

again. "Nothing more, nothing less. At the end of the year, we divorce quiet

ression I couldn't read. "Why me? You could have any woman in New

eed me more than I need you. That ensures you won't betr

esearch about Harris Kingston's past. There had been rumors

e was answ

id, clutching the contract a

e door opened to reveal a woman who could have been a model. Tall, elegant, with

already turning back to other papers on his desk, as if p

r. Instead, she smiled-a cold, calculat

is's attention," she said, her voice carrying a

wing dangerously. "Victoria, I said esco

xed on me. "It's just that I find it fascinating how Har

s burn with embarrassment and anger, but bef

ied a warning that would have f

d to me, and her next words made my blood turn to ice. "Tell me, Flora-may I call you Flora?-has he mentioned

e was deadly quiet, but s

en the year is up and you've served your purpose." She leaned closer,

ding in that opulent office with more questions than answers an

r, the first sign of anything other th

he said quietly. "Victo

e barely above a whisper. "What aren

e sworn I saw something vulnerable in those steel-

urs, Flora. Tha

words echoed in my mind. What did Harris really want from

lished steel. I looked like a woman standing on the edge of a c

choice di

from Tommy: "Mom's asking fo

y felt like a lifetime an