The Secret Savior He Threw Away

a blissful second, she thought it was just sweat, a fever breaking after a nig

s snapp

oss the pale Egyptian cotton sheets, centered right beneath he

, the word catchin

hand was twisting her insides, squeezing until she couldn't breathe. She gasped, doubling over, her fingers

as too much. This wasn't just spott

blue glow across the dark room. Diana reached for it with a shaking hand, d

reet Journal. The headline read: Alston CEO and Art Sens

yled. But it wasn't his outfit that made Diana's stomach heave. It was his eyes. He was looking down at Carla, who was laughing up at him, and

ed the tablet onto the mattress. She curled i

trying to answer the door for a delivery. Her foot had slipped on the polished edge. She remembered the horrible, weight

e blood pool beneath her nightgown. She had scrambled for her

nd noise-clinking glasses, smooth jazz, Car

"I fell. I'm bleeding. Ple

al transatlantic meeting. Stop being dramatic and call the h

ne wen

their baby, while he was looking at another

in, still wearing the custom black suit from the gallery opening. The smell of

face. He walked straight to the dresser, unfast

d. Her voice sounded lik

rk stain, and then to her pale, sweaty face. His jaw tightened, but

e flat. "You have thirty mi

cramps making it hard t

expecting us, and the key players for the Meridian

, a tear slipping down her cheek

alling over her. "What, did you see the news about Carla and decide this was the perfe

ain stealing her breath. "I fell down th

d pulled out a small, velvet box. He tossed it onto the bed. It landed ri

e, clean it up. You will walk into that dinner as Mrs. A

g out a trembling hand toward him. "J

ll make a phone call. By tomorrow morning, Wilcox Group's credit lines wi

chest to her limbs, momentarily numbing the physical pain. He was using her

. She never had a

hed shoes, the cold marble floor, and the velvet box. She didn't hav

ated, turning his back to her. "

leaving the d

e felt lightheaded, the edges of her vision turning gray. She slid off the bed, her bare feet hit

otest. It was a shrine to her role as his wife-rows of designer dresses, shelves of expensive shoes, all chosen to project an image of perfection. She

fumbled with the zipper, cold sweat beading on her forehead as she fought against a wave of dizziness. She finally managed to pull it up, the

sat inside, cold and glittering. She clasped it around her neck. The ice o

ut of the bedroom. She moved like a zombie

hrough his phone. He looked up when he heard her heels on the hardwood. He gave her

go,"

dn't wait for her. He just wal

shut, enclosing them in the small, mirrored space. As the car began its rapid descent, a wave of dizziness cras

ndrail, but her fingers slipped. She stumbled sideways,

oping for a hand, a loo

watched her struggle to regain her footing, his eyes as cold and flat as the steel