His Unwanted Wife Is Another Man's Treasure

po on the East Coast, chose to leave our anniversar

d, ignoring the untou

llie," he commanded bef

with Izzy. She posted a photo of them laughing, he

He kissed her on stage at a gala, just to prove

"You don't throw away antique furnit

e when a bomb detonate

r me. He dove to cove

ing leg to carry her to safety, l

ent on his money and his name. He thought I would

as w

stroyed my wedding ring, and bo

ed me down in Tuscany, he fell to his kne

n standing next to me-a man who tr

spassing," I

me, Ma

pte

Vanc

po on the East Coast, chose to leave our anniversar

I realized my life wasn't a fairytale;

underworld. The crystal chandelier overhead likely cost more than an average annual

ess like a promise an

against the floor echoed like a gunshot

e, the kind that usually made my stomach flip

me. His eyes were

garden of the Thorne estate. His hands, stained with the blood of

t anything hurt you, Ellie," he ha

Thorne empire. Our union was supposed to be the steel beam holding up the bridge be

s a

m the other end of the table. "S

nt' I met at the charity auction last month. The woman with lips painted t

cus said, his jaw ti

uncles, his cousins, the soldiers lining the walls-

His grip was firm, possessive,

for the table to hear. "Don't cause a scen

apology. It w

eavy double doors slammed shut,

ide me. The plate of untouched osso

at her lap, feigning interest in her napkin. The pity in the room

w. Every

egitimate" hotels, pretending my art mattered, pretending I was needed. I stayed up

I had tried to talk to him this morning, only to be cut

zzy needs help with

m. I needed hi

room stretched until it sn

egs shook, but I

t," my fat

e word tasted fo

loved me-lingered there. But the man who just walked out? He was a

olitical bridge. And bridg

, into the cold night air. I didn't g

portrait of us, half-finished

Once. Twice. Again and again, until the image of Marc

he blueprints for the new Thorne hote

e mafia world. But as I held it to the corner of the architectural draw

ss. It was the

um chain he gave me on our wedding night. I

opped it in. The clink of the metal hitting th