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rvous habit she'd never been able to shake. Across the massive mahogany dini
ted against E
ndfather clock in the corner of the dining room. It was 9:15 PM. Their thi
c pregnancy test. Two pink lines. She had spent three days trying to figure out how to tell Damian. She had convinced
her wine glass. The dull *clink,
at the head of the table, wearing a dress that probably cost more than Elena'
d her back, forci
oria said, her voice carrying a sharp, nasal pitch. "He is filin
mpletely numb. Her fork slipped from her fingers, clat
the table. Vivian. Damian's childhood friend, the one who had always hovered on the pe
Elena saw the way her lips curved into a tiny smi
in polite, well-d
husband. Damian didn't look at her. He was starin
s a rasp. She cleared her throat.
pulled out a thick stack of papers. He slid them across the polished wood. They
d the bold text at the t
worse. It was completely indifferent. "Don't make a scene. I've had
" Elena w
med in, taking a sip of her champagne. "A girl from nowhere
block of lead. She looked at Vivian's smug face. She looked at Victoria's sneer. And then
air scraped loudly aga
warned, his eyes flashing.
wine glass. It was a heavy crystal goblet
ked at
ing what was about to happen.
hrew th
are in the chest, soaking her pale blue silk dress, splattering up into her hair and across he
s flying to her mouth. The other relatives were s
grabbed the heavy silver pen resting on the divorce papers. She
the pen onto
surprisingly steady. "I hope you
ne from his cheek. He did
ning room, past the staring kitchen staff, and ou
The wind cut right through her thin dress. She walked down
against the brick pillar of the gate, her chest heaving. She reached into her
the darkness, followed by t
the taxi Damian had menti
her. The back door opened, and an older man in a crisp,
block the rain. He looked at her tear-streaked face, then dow
respectful. "The Chairman has been waiting for three
toward the o
led and ready at the ta
grand windows, she could see the golden light of the din
n her chest was still there, heavy and suffocating, but u
iver. "Tell the Chai
*
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