Shattered Perfection: A CEO's Downfall

of it familiar now. "Thank you," I said into the microphone, my voice s

a proud husband. We were New York's power couple. Ava Sharm

d crafted that story carefully. "Ava's delicate health," he'd say,

I wondered. But Liam was

sketching at the large table in our livi

He just stood there, hi

ve done something.

il down. "Wha

"Two of them. A boy, Leo, he's five. And a girl, Lil

e Harrington legacy, the pressure from his family, e

strange excitement in his eyes. "T

ldren. Suddenly, our va

tilted. "Aren't you happy,

. Maybe this was it. Maybe Liam was f

Liam," I said, my voice softer than I

ing smile that always disarmed me. "I kne

e this. These children would b

nt with my sister, Emily. Dr. Emily C

e, I want to be sure I'm perfectly healthy. And, well..." I hesitated. "Maybe

mly. "Of course,

tests. An hour later, she sat ac

thing you need to know. Your fallopian tubes... t

. "What? No. Tha

for me. "It was done several years ago. It's irreversible w

octor had supposedly found. He'd insisted on a specialist, a private clinic he'd found. "Just a minor

orried. He said it was to manage my "delicate health," to regulate my hormones.

numb. The city

s study, the door slightly ajar. I

ldren. That was taken care of years ago, remember? Her 'delicate health' provided the perfect cover. She won't interfere with th

n the other end. My

rrogate. He al

. Liam looked up, star

n't hear yo

I asked, my voi

walked around his d

ve me steri

ly looked... relieved. "Yes

ord tore fro

ildbirth... it would have been too much for your delicate system. I c

for me. I

ful family. Leo and Lila. They need a mother. You. And soon, another baby. Isn't thi

ess competition with Julian for control of Harringt

My beautiful life, my successful career, my lovi

ructed world Liam had built for me, for us, shattered into a million pieces. He ha

yed me," I

the closet, perfectly arranged. My side, a mirror image. Our

l my knuckles were white. With a cry, I threw it against the wall

," he'd said. A delicate music box that played "our song." I smashed them. I destroyed e

m brought her home.

iably beautiful, and very pregnant. Her ha

a. A distant cousin of a friend. She's going through a difficult time, needs

ry smile. He looked at me, expect

ed a small,

to his betrayal. The rage inside me was a living thing,

voice even. "We should always

ved. Sophia loo

my eyes. They didn't see

t. The wind woul