Goodbye, My Heartless Husband

ried her face in her palms and let out a fragile c

ly into his embrace, his icy eyes locking onto

r face devoid of emotion. "She struck me fir

eak of crimson traced its way from the

he injury, and a faint crea

ture well enough to know

aid with casual indifference. "Then

oreen with nothing to say. She simply tu

rang out behind her, low

was, her hands curli

e way. She wheeled around and, without the slightes

rembling hand against her flushed cheek as the helpless façade she had worn shattered complet

e was the one who asked me to come-" Hayley cried a

led across Mi

ting calm. "Was that apology

unreadable stare. The woman who had once obeyed him without ques

wen." Before Michael had the chance to respond, she turned sharply and delivered an

lieve Noreen had tr

d to Michael's side, gently cradling his face as s

unleash her anger at Noreen, the wom

d she possibly tre

caught the taste of blood. The sharp metallic flavor stran

from her fr

the spot, disbelief f

he trying

ly removed her hand from his face and

.

oted herself to putting the scatter

k was on track, she intended to bri

Estate, her stepfather's drunken shou

r head against the sharp marble edge of a table. Holding her there, he snarled, "Now that your dau

a kitchen knife from the counter and char

pening a deep cut that wiped the drun

turned white. The murderous fury burning in her eyes forced Rick to stagger backward.

taking her mother stra

e torn wound across her forehead was the most horrifying of all. At

ke this for a long time? Wh

em even smaller. "It's not that serious," she whispered. "He only

helm her. "Mom, I've already reported him to the police. You're coming

ears, fear flickered across her lifeless eyes a

leaving only the faintest whisper. "Noreen, Rick has powerful conn

ess was that she feared Rick would eventual

g hunger in the eyes of both Rick and

l. As the wife of the Owen family heir, Noreen would finally be beyond Rick's reach, becaus

mother's words and offered a steady smile. "

d. Don't throw away your future because of me. You're still far too young to challenge someone like Rick. If

ther's habit of retreating from confli

Noreen withdrew a portion of her savings and

oreen had gathered more than enough proof against him. Yet the moment the l

red several side cases to him over the years, and

ction, the lawyer adopted a troubled look and

without restraint. "These photographs, at most, show a few ordinary marital disputes. They don't establish

son took every cent back afterwar

evidence aside before continuing his lecture. "All these years, you and your mother have relied on him financially, and now

believe what she was hearing. "My mother a

et hit without a reason. Why don't you go a

d inside Nor

tion she was in, she swa

d the case, she would s

to be a lawyer wi

eave. But the moment she rose from her seat, her patience finally snapped. She seized

he lawyer erupted with fury an

ation. What's wrong with splashing a cup of coffee on you? Surely you aren't so fragile that you

venomous hatred. "What a vicious woman! No wonder your mother got beaten

ing her head, Nor

.

é in a fury, he nearly collided with

eral times before. Noticing his soaked clothes and disord

lawyer recounted the entire en

me, a thought flashed throu

to help her mother

confusion. "You know t

g smile touched

reen went far beyond

uffer, and now fate had practically deliver

bring you a fresh set of clothes. Change before you leave

.

kly as possible, Noreen spared neither effo

y had a way of

ssive résumé contacted Noreen and requested a

over the locati

rs throughout the day. The public setting seemed harmless enough,

.

and waited patiently for

r influence nor powerful allies. The only asset

intention of cleani

with several attorneys, fully intending to break Noreen'