The Contracted Marriage Five-Years Lie

meras

e smile, his arm firmly aro

Hayes Industries and Vance Global merged

und them, a sea of expensiv

look stunning together,"

was perfect, pract

his eyes bet

the back of the town c

ed away, chec

window at the glitter

years of this pol

mausoleum of good tast

grandfather clock in

eir sched

droom. She was already in be

were ex

d under the cool,

practiced, efficient,

led with the same courtesy t

ng. He wonder

revolved around one pe

t to leave, Isabella

sent their new proposal. Julian thi

oor. "Julian has opin

e coordinate. He

ys, was Julian. Her a

. "I'll look at it

the salmon. He didn' t

uite, Ethan opene

eather-bound journal and a

His name, Ethan Hayes, wa

ce pa

father' s will stipulated the merger and the ma

upheld

er easy laugh, the way

tant, dull ache, eve

legacy, and for her memory, in a twisted way. He c

r prenuptial agre

arty could dissolve the marriage without

ther, the formidable Arthur Vance,

on, her entire w

for him, in a way. She made no em

vow after Clara died. No oth

ad been a quiet

the one only Julian used

gent tones of her voice, ev

her "crisis." It w

, claiming victimhood. A los

to his side, her world

ted a few

ite, the divorce papers in a s

the phone, her face

ay there. I' ll handle it

lling a silk robe

than said, hi

at him, still focused on t

documents. They need your sign

t the foli

rting towards her closet, already p

here he indicated, not e

asked, already ha

ll," Ethan

of her expensive perfume

urned to

phone, dialing a nu

friend, now a venture c

n his voice, but also a new, fain

igned

hrough, steady and supportiv

is a go," Et

worn journal, C

sked, his voice softer. "

an. For you. For Cla

aya Olsen. The girl who

an attempt to re

the first time in five years, a sli