The Pain In My Marriage

it,

voice was flat, stripped of emotion. He stood on the other side of the mahogany desk, a marbl

a whispered, barely able to hol

t." He leaned forward, his breath brushing her

, empathy, anything. But Ethan Ashford was built of stone. No

ten pages of legally binding coldness.

surgery? All of it

ange, you become Mrs. Ashford for the next eighteen months. You'll

hesi

rt. Nova's lungs aren't g

h a strangled br

-

g was a me

Empty. M

ped the ring onto her finger like he was sealing a business deal. When the

were done, he di

-

ford estate was like steppin

A butler offered to take her bag, but

ng," he said without looking

lth and indifference. The art on the walls mocked her masterpieces she wo

edge of the unfamiliar bed,

ive, she thou

-

idn't start

n with

r in private. He took her phone. Canceled her

its?" he said one morning, sipping espresso

my c

, Layla. And

iting into her palm. "You promi

sister's surgery. And I di

but even the slamming of the do

-

er, her gall

explanation.

the phone slipping from her hand. Tears streamed d

er her like she

-

came during a

d dared

ern art had come up. She

her voice bright for onc

Ethan cut in with a tight smile. His gri

ulled her into his study, shut the door, an

keep your

her face, and with it, so

-

't stop

clothes could hide. The wor

e path

r your fa

alive because of me.

nching when he

irrors for damage befo

pped la

-

-still-sh

sponding. Because Damien, Nova's

left, everythin

-

d showed up a

ed. "Congratulations, darling! I alw

mile, even as he

in Katherine's eye

t, she ca

t. Ethan's mouth on her neck. The sound of h

ze in the

smirked. "You were nev

ce shook. "

ed his pants slowly and turn

his wasn't

e disg

n. Your sister's lungs a

sion b

ing. Still hoping for affec

la

-

bag. But before she could rea

Nova's treat

at him. "

tch

into her arm.

e a mo

ed. "And you

-

idn't

thing in

-

me at the hospital, volunteering to h

rm, funny

ot what sunlight feels like," h

ually l

ifferently than Et

ises, too. But

A walk. A conversation tha

-

ng for those h

, Damien pull

ell you something a

or bur

ha

k. Jaw c

d to ta

ed away. "

wrist. Ryder

her

with Ryder's face befor

scre

lled for

he nurse's voice ro

m 306. Nova Mon