Her Sacrifice, Their Scorn

mily had a rule,

tgomery III, had to marry

powerful, someone who

e of thos

l Pennsylvania. My hands smelled of ci

oved me

bright with a fire I'd n

ay of my grandmother's apple pies, then came ba

aking tasted

and Eleanor Montgome

t meetings, our stolen weekends, the city apa

ugh the grand living room of their New York mansion. I stood beside E

ed at me as if I were something she'd scraped off

id, his voice shaking but firm

ill do no such thing. You will end this vulgar affair imm

Etha

d. "You will be disinherited. Every penny, e

g. I saw the fear in Ethan's eyes, the flicker o

rd, her voice a silken trap. "Perh

s turne

her son. "A primary duty. To secure the Montgome

The name was a cold

her eyes flicking to me with disdain, "perhaps..

"compromise" in plainer terms, after Charles had stormed

Victoria. He was to

ace unreadable, "Mr. Montgomery

ale, his hands trembling as he held mine later i

ng mine. "A necessary evil. We have to play their gam

per, a ceremony, a child with anothe

w. "It's the only way. I swear to you, it's the

eved it. He truly believed he could outs

, loved him enough to

ack, the word tasting

first crack in the foundation

s a small sacrifi

me was the only rea

every moment he was for

ur future, free from his

to tho

was announced a week later. A small,

me it mea

show, Sarah.

ooked triumphant in the accompanyin

their world, a world I didn't

d for me, a tiny place in a less fashionable p

n to feel l

eyes shadowed, his t

was counting the seconds u

arah. Just a

ecame a bit