The CEO's Regret: Too Late To Beg

cating sea of black ties and diamonds, a

glass of tepid sparkling water, forced to watch m

ss. In the sanitized language of ou

ear, told a different story. She was glowing, draped in a gow

ike the quee

ing scenery, a gho

It was Mrs. Gable, a woman whose smile was as sharp as her gos

choed, the word

way from the main hall and headed toward the powder room. The corri

heavy door to the

ty lights, touching up her lipstick. She wasn't alone. She was holding co

her voice echoing off the marble tiles. "Since

the door, my heart hammering aga

rls asked. "I thought h

Fifteen years of it. He paid for my art school in Florence, you know. Even when his father tr

ver my mouth. The t

een

n hit me like

day because of "work." Every time he

a vacation because the company was tight, yet

It had alw

ou marry him?" a

a wife who looked the part on paper. Someone safe. But look where we are now. I'm the one giving him

cond c

I was the placehold

opened. Heavy, urgent foo

re you i

d the line into the ladies' r

, Ben," E

r, wrapping his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.

ered. "Do you need to le

ing back into him. "Just t

ed slightly. "E

hand down his lapel. "Everyone knows, Ben

e

pull away. He just sighed, a sound o

"I don't want you o

eft to

waited until I could breathe without f

self in the mirror. My face was pale, my

nds. The water

tt had made to me. To love

All

a paper towel and to

asn't going to give them t

music was louder now, a jarring co

oom. Bennett was hand-f

ing a strange, cold

into place. The picture they formed wa

anymore. I wasn'

as