FROM THE ROCK BOTTOM TO THE HIGH SOCIETY

Valerie shot back, but the quiver i

feel thin. "Don't play coy. You've been inching your way into my life for months. And now, of

Clara's affectionate words, the stories about her s

voice rising as panic crept in. "I

tests. "Do I look stupid to you? You think you can play this game, get her

chest tightening as she struggled to find the

one turning as cold as his gaze. "She doesn't have much time left. She wants us married. So, we'll do it-two months, tops. Then, we'll

o months. That was all Clara had left. She swallowed hard, her mind flic

voice steadier than she felt

expression unreadable. "

aze without flinching. "I need

se. Then his lips curled into a smirk, sharp and humorless. "Bold of y

in his eyes-something too quick to catch. "You've got some guts," he said, his voice a

o a sneer, and he pulled out his phone. Within minutes, his assistant appeared with an envelope, and Victor swiftly counted out $

ity in his voice left no room for argument. She took the money, knowing it was better

to. She forced a smile as they entered the room. "Aunt Clara, we've decided to go ahead

elight. "Oh, that's wonder

ough the motions of a marriage that felt more like a formality than a reality. The

t shake the feeling that she was stepping into something far more complicated than she'd

. "Mr. Regal, the doctors don't allow afternoon visits, so I won't b

ining a distance when Clara wasn't around. There was no way

glance, his voice cold and

f the day heavy on her shoulders. She needed space to b

they drove away. "Aren't you worried she might run off?" he as

e wouldn't have taken a job at a restaurant I frequent, and she sure as hell wouldn't have

thoughtfully. "T

urned sharp. "E

ised past Valerie, Victor didn't even look her

e day pulling at her. But just as she reached her door, a voice rang o

ze. "Be

into the grasp of a predatory older man, whose intentions were anything but innocent. When the man became distr