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u one billion dollars as compensation for givi
ette against the floor-to-ceiling window that overlooked the
hur Foster slid a thick stack of pape
dbirth. Her vision swam, and she had to blink several times to bri
up and confirmed with Damien. Her voice w
didn't
o Damien, Eleanor has always
en months have passed, and this
a pair of adorab
g. Over a dozen bags of plasma were transfused into her body. There
, and had just come back to life.
cold-hearted ma
he Sterling family. Everyone told he
ling family, striving to become a perfect his
considered the "ugly daughter-in-law" of the Sterling family. To be worthy of Damien, she gave everything sh
return was a di
augh, but she could
ocuments. "After the contract is signed, one billion d
uy a small country. Enough to
a fist. Her nails dug into her palm, the sharp, g
t reach f
ce was a dry rasp, unfa
of annoyance crossed his deep-set eyes. It wasn't anger. It was the
er, forcing her to crane her neck to look up at him.
hilling rumble. "It was a contract. A transaction. You have fulfi
n the empty space where her
od flooding her mouth. The pain was a shield, something to h
er voice gaining a sliver of strength.
ren, but she o
shattering the cold, business-like atmosphere.
h. His eyes narrowed, turning from cold to dangerous. He looked
er side of her, trapping her in his shadow. The scent of his expensiv
ous whisper. "A Sterling heir will not be raised in obscur
gh escaped her lips. "M
e in his eyes, and it gave her
there was only me. I am the only woman on this planet whose body won't reject the Ste
th behind them. He took a half-step
right hand shot out, grabbing her chin, forcing her face u
n't de
said, his words more brutal than any physical
g behind her eyes, and tears pricked at their corners. She refused t
thud. He stood up straight, pulling a silk pocket square from his suit jacket.
he silk ont
ash the full legal and financial power of the Sterling Group upon you. I will bury you in lawsuits. I will ensure you c
reat; they were a state
ded and beautiful, but a cage nonetheless. She understood then. In his world, she didn't e
t like a weapon against her skin. The nib hovered over the signature line for tshe
nor
s of the pen twisted by a rage so
nts like a hawk snatching its prey. He checked the si
on unreadable. He didn't look at her again.
polished brass han
his back still to her. "There is now
room back into silence. The only sound was
dy screaming with exhaustion. Her hand drifted down to her sti
gly, receded. It was replaced by a cold, sh
as w
could hide. A place he w
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