ia's
en Ashton dropped me off. His arms
guy in th
ving to Ashton. He pulled away slowl
ird all week." Marcus followed me ins
mond catching the porch li
ars." He grabbed my hand, examining the rin
vent." I went to the kitchen, needing somet
go when he fired you." Marcus's voic
he NDA was ironclad. But I could
We talked. We connected." The words fe
rcus paced the small kitchen. "You don't even believe in m
nged m
llionaire?" He stopped pacing. "Oh my God. This
ce answe
ch asshole to save the house." His voice cracked. "I'
could finish school." I grabbed his shoulders. "Thi
're lying. Your left eye twitches." He pu
rcu
eaded for the door
tchen, wearing a stranger's ring, and wondered if
one b
d it go
hing's wrong. J
ple always do when
e counter. Ashton's cy
zz. Sophie
meeting. My place.
******
glass in my hand th
alert blowing up with photos
le al
er laptop. "Look. 'Tech Mogul Ashton Blackwell Engaged to Mystery Woman.' The
e. His father i
e sat beside me. "Please tell m
up my l
You married
ernoon. Had dinner with his family tonight. His grandmother knows it's fake and approves.
ss. "Okay. Deep breath
money, the terms. When I finished,
a half mill
's tuition a
lable billionaire." She set down her glass. "Liv, this is
know whic
Really like, wh
me about his mother. The way his hands cl
derneath. Something hurt." I stared at my ring. "His grandmother
ve to survive him
If it happens, suffer quietly until the contrac
you could? C
ven as I said it, I remembered the way Ashton had defended me
with women like me. We're too different." I finished
it's worth, I think you're
e rang.
ld take
, retreating
el
ight. "Victoria Sterling is back in San F
"Your ex-fiancée? Yo
think she'd matter." He exhaled sharply. "She just call
hy
me as unfinished business." He pause
ng to my brother and being
she knows exactly how to manipulate people." His voice dr
d she do
break us up. She'll dig into your past, find your weaknesses, exploit them." He
debt, about working three jobs u
ly news." He sent me a link. "Check your email. My publicist prepar
ost Eligible Bachelor Off the Market: Ashton B
hat stung more
me sound li
in the background. "I'm sending a stylist to your house tomorrow morning. You ne
ong with m
factly, no malice. Somehow that made it worse. "The stylist's nam
you want to c
that for later." He almost sounded amused. "
t am I supposed to
etting married, and she's too late."
Marcus all night. I'
htly. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry about your b
ve? You're getting ex
"Goodnight, Olivia. Don't let the
before I co
m. "Wine's not strong enough.
fiancée tomorrow. The o
't messy enough." She grabbed the tequila and
es. The tequila
e time. A text from a n
well. Don't let Victoria intimidate you. She
wed S
the gran
rder." I took another shot. "What if I a
But at least you'll
but it sou
ght was still off.
orry. This is the right choice e
n't re
beautiful prison I'd locked myself in
ly was just transac
ie we told ourselves
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