The Assistant Who Claimed Her Heart

n fr

in Liam's eyes, even th

was a

ate, mali

of anger and caution

Liam," Ethan said, hi

pointless with Liam,

t into the usually quiet

Liam, who was now moaning on

y god, what

r hand instantly on his forehead, ch

face was absolute

a bitter tast

even glan

me was

at Ethan, her eyes col

d, replaced by an icy disapproval t

tion in her gaze,

h Services," she announced, her voic

et, supporting his weight

er, wincing dramatically

ay another w

Ethan standing amidst the scatter

atched

y, that trying to explain, trying to

r reality, and in that re

alize the separation, to cut th

Caldwell's office, but the

withdrawal re

Ethan walked out of Archw

felt alie

s trembling slightly as he dialed a

velyn

w a Dean at Pacifica State U

e in t

ast r

ked up on th

s pleasure?" Her voice was as cris

loe, Liam, the fellowship, the staged incident in th

fear that his academic career at

ly, interjecting only wit

er, intimately familiar with the

ed, there was

said? Undergraduat

a hummi

or, Ethan. And your fiancée... w

ympathetic but

emester. It's not the Founders Fellowship, but it's solid. And Pacifica State's hi

almost buckled his kn

ague at Archwood. Urge them to look very closely at any complaint filed by this Li

on his ch

ife

fusely, his voice

a moot point. He would formally withdraw

Reed's offer wit

Coast. A

t all ties

the o

g arrangements, a sense of g

all studio across town, far from t

trieve his esse

ble confrontation but

, he let himself i

in the living room

sofa, his supposedly injured

dge, attentively refreshin

so sickeningly intimate,

e entered, her eyes

?" she snapped, her voic

s," he said, his voi

towards t

d up, block

you apologi

was sharp,

use of you! The doctor said it's a s

in with a pained groan, clut

old university sweatshirts, a det

ppropriation of Ethan

on Liam, her expression a m

k to Ethan, he

ze, Etha

er, at the strang

ary calm set

aited. He would n

ng to apologi

contorted

nced by Liam's deception, s

nt, so entitled, just because your father is who he i

cess as a novelist, a fact she'd once admired

llusionment was

ling clarity, that he ha

hought he loved, was a f

er face twisted in irrational anger, defending a man

surfaced,

o, during her m

ed, vulnerable, brea

r, managed everything so sh

t mutual support, had been the

e had t

that past seemed like a

ction was

," he said, his vo

p, us, everyth

flicker of surp

, a

use you can't face the consequ

s was about Liam's an

thoroughly she had d

bled dramatically from the s

ds Ethan, his ar

e! She loves you! I... I forgive you

s almost comical i

's side, her arm pro

careful! Y

ared a

e done? You're

e sofa, cooing over him, adjustin

a strange detachme

om and began to pack, ef

s books, his re

at was jointly owned, everyt

doorway, watching h

didn't b

a dramatic gesture to get her a

ome crawling back in a few day

ad no