His Manipulation, Her Undoing, His End

Kline

izzying spin threatening to pull me down. My body screamed for me to fight back, to push him away, t

res. This wasn't the way. I needed to move with precision, not primal instinct. He wanted me

mine. The triumphant smirk was back, clear as day. A chilling satisfactio

lm. He must have expected tears, a struggle, a desperate plea. But I just stood there, breat

again, clinging to his arm. "Oh, Holden, my ankle... it really hurts. Can we just..

rous." "Someone should call security." "Poor

enough to send me sprawling, but with enough force to make me stumble. "Get out of my si

home, Cleo!" "You don't belong here!" "She's a threat to Dianne!

I remembered the late nights, the compromises, the endless excuses I made for his cruelty. I remembered giving up my own dreams, my own voic

terly tragic. All of it. All those years, all that effort, all that love I

nt tonight. You will transfer your shares to me. And you will do it with a smile on your face, or I swear to God, I will make your life a living hell. You have nothing without me. Rem

wavering. The fear was gone. Rep

ling the top of the hour. The gala was about to begin. Elsworth Ingram, Holden's father and the Chairman,

softened as they lingered on the bruise forming on my arm where Holden had gripped me.

teel. Hazen Ingram. His broad shoulders filled the doorway, his dark suit doing little to soften the rugged lines of his body. The jagged scar on his neck, a brutal white line against his tanned skin, pulsed un

until his eyes landed on me. He stopped, his ga

owl that seemed to vibrate through th

ittle over-dramatic, as usual. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have an announcement to make." H

a hand. "Hazen, my boy. A word." He seeme

wishes, Elsworth," he said, his voice flat. "But

figure who had pulled me from a speeding car, years ago, when I was certain I was being kidnapped. The strong arms

from Dianne. I kept my eyes on Hazen. He was not the prince. He was the m

To do what she's supposed to do." He smiled, a triumphant,