A Marriage of Convenience

ed Grace had

tablet, resuming the few hour

cocoon of comforting warmth, carrying the faint scent of

nst the screen, the muffled clicks

sudd

cation tone pi

t

itched to silent the mo

im, Grac

sleepy annoyance, her lips-a perfect shade of crimson-pur

resting on her lap, barely

l was messa

aking her squint. She quickly lowered i

a Ro

end. Her bus

nnoyingly fast a

usband'

know be

et out

have expe

ction, and Raphael's return

at interested

quick resp

ng, she sent anothe

re questions, restrained her curiosity for

ooch you mentio

an businessman in luxury cosmetics.

ainst the edge of her phone as

man family-it wasn't a stretch to assume

ave acquired

man-having to part wi

ingering silence an

? Don't tell

ace's lips. Her fingers

ppier. I got paid, AND

an

nd Clara had bu

G had built a reputation shrouded in mystery-no advertising, no i

crecy wasn'

ause of Gr

hoice but to keep her identity as

ned caught the eye of a philanthropist and went on to set the r

pulted Élan G in

al production, the brand's

wouldn't even n

ny would be ful

ucha

y her

t up in venting her lingering frustration toward Dana through

thmic tap-tap-tap of her nails aga

at her from the

essed into

he turned off his ta

bottle of water, he

lly register that she

on him just as his Adam's apple mo

aught for a

bottle down, she had alrea

two years ago-she found herself distr

gid seriousness, was undeni

c nose. Deep-set eyes, cold and

moving through the city's financial circles, th

Westminster-a living

mposing, Yet r

aightened

fo

de, certain her typing mus

ut to offer a po

l spok

told you I wa

e was lo

polog

efully-if she was upset, ther

e habit of reporting hi

s her husband, h

. Her normally unshakeable, compos

eally. She had long understo

stil

of silence, she

e you stayin

ther accusatory nor pa

neu

oth

sferred back to

pa

taying ind

nt to the ear, yet Grace's mind w

ing here-

y

een calculatin

ld be fully independent, free

longer, their lack of emotional connectio

use was

marriage that had spent mor

would b

t

m back

ntire year of p

er, making public appearances, navigat

alone was

temple, half-burying

't expected

't look

, she looke

rough the Seventh Arrondissement, stree

ked his phone, tapping

ce was still l

t listed all the

ruthf

being 'Mrs. Sterling'

powerful as his, Raphael had neve

on

ke D

ots, and they lived by those outdated rules a

be approved by the fa

media posts ha

d attention-seeking as

are occasions where she final

ed to some level of restriction growing up, but being contr

was the most importa

ch

three

ne was appr

rivalry, Grace couldn't help

sole heir. There were two other brothers, pl

how most powerful families wor

her, Grace a

ck

thers. No half-siblings

ready secured his position as

ood, she

r person

ds a

imagine a lif