cked shut behind them as Gabriel

e'd taken a total gamble by asking Nina t

God, he'd

rn to her room alone, a calm and

er with me

shadow, tone more like a

pretending to be a little surpris

t from the chandelier bathed the

, the top button of his shirt undone

tly set place-specifica

table made her face fall fast. The sweet smile she kept plastered

that lunatic sudden

o her seat with calm poise, and lifted her gaze

fuse. Her face turned dark, and ever

hile, quietly

ke she used to-but this morning's tests? Her ca

into Aiden's bowl, complete

rprise and whispere

he just

motions crashing i

totally neglected the child she gave birth to. Yet this tiny b

it was, shattered what littl

littl

h

an

and dropped with a loud clatter, lea

lk sleeve, soaking throug

es glistening with tears as she turned to the man of the house. "Gab

rows twitch

nce at her. "Mm,"

oke with folded hands, "Sir, the estate called. Madam Wallace's birthday banq

nodded.

ace full of concern. "It'll be crowded and noisy at the party. Aiden wil

, like being the only one q

d up, her voice cool. "You want to go? Did you forget who

better for Aiden," Verit

et a nanny walk in like she owns the

h looked at Gabriel, tears welling in her eyes. "Gabriel, I've made a lot of mistakes in the past.

ost pleading, with genu

s cold as if trying to decipher

mocking smile-completely u

e guts to face the Walla

the nerve to think she

t voice broke th

his dessert with a spoon, suddenly looked up. "C

e mid-motion, his gaze locking

pause, his voice low, "yo

le face scrunched up in det

hit Lilah like a wave. Her heart tight

other-too exhausted fighting Verity

l, Aiden forgave

ed for. No matter what, she was

ou instead?" Verity asked quick

ped his head and went back t

so hard it ached. Her

t for what? Just to lose to a woman l

nder a tense layer

lancing at his son. "Time

and trotted after him. As he passed Lilah, he

a warm, com

un after his fathe

sn't rejection-it was Gabr

w would on

together and turned

heels suddenly

ah!

n flinch, just

n a few steps, reachin

"I was just worried about Aiden, I didn't mean to hurt you. We've k

nally stopped,

bel me unstable. That's your

pression fr

ng. She never thought Lilah wa

ugh to cut. "Verity, save your pitiful tricks. W

ing in the Wallace fam