y
simmering tomato sauce, a simple, grounding act in the midst of the chaos I was orchest
e screen displayed a Chicago area code, but it was an
ish towel and pressed t
el
have yo
lec. Ethan called me back, but I refused to talk to him
y voice calm. I gave the sa
ded. There was no preamble, no negotiation. "Breanne
pot, the rich red a stark contrast to
oup, Alec," I said, my tone flat and informati
on the other end of the line. T
you really have the cleaning staff throw it out just to get my at
it. He'd thrown it away like trash. The confirmation didn't bring pain, on
oice as cold as the grave. "I have severed all professio
"You're jealous. You think your little strategies are irreplaceable, but
ords washing over me. It was like listening to a stranger
expected tears, pleading. When none came, his
ix the proposal tonight. Get it done. And as a reward, you can be my d
trained sound of pure derision. I couldn't help it. The s
ps from his table, expe
My mother isn't well. I need to be available for her." I used the one excuse he c
u don't
or your problem anymore, Alec," I
nto a low, threatening growl, the Alpha command bleeding thro
ave once shattered my w
ish," I s
nded th
his contact number and presse
at followed wa
denly returning. I was draining the spaghe
uldn't be him.
rp suit stood in the hallway, holding a large, elegant white box fr
crack, the security
I hel
"Ms. Kay Silva? I'm Mason Sterling, from the Vertex
chain before unlatching it. Hamilton? H
vening," Mason explained, as if reading my mind. He held out the box. "He felt you sh
ns before I had even mentioned them to him. The level of his a
ou," I m
ful evening," Mason said with anothe
e box into my bedroom. I placed
, silver-white silk. The cut was minimalist, severe, but incredibly elegant. It wasn
small, thick card. I picked it up. The
ard to seein
H
my face, the first genuine smile in days. I placed the card
wouldn't just be
e making
-
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