The Contracted Marriage Five-Years Lie

d Isabella to

Palm Springs, with Maya,

ation, a final scene in a pl

aste, but suppressed it.

it through, t

as differe

nters were perfuncto

esperation in her touc

ensity that surprised him,

moving out of habit, ou

emained detach

her skin, heard he

im, as if he w

nt pity for her. She was

, by her family,

the other side of

d through the ga

ce from the living are

eady up, tending

cou

brief, unexpected intensity of t

nged n

en, haranguing the housekeep

lute swill! Izzy, ho

him. "I' ll order your usual

a cup of the "swill."

aid, his voice dev

rrowed. "Well, well, look who deci

over Ethan, a sneer

Julian said, his voice

d him, sippi

utched his chest, h

I don' t feel well." H

to his side. "Ju

s "illnesses" were legendary,

aned heavily on Isabella, his ey

in them. Only pure,

somehow knew a

ointing a shaking finger

"Did what, Julian? Ethan,

ice low and venomous. "He touched you, didn' t

a' s fa

s coffee cup

nd me, Julian," Ethan said,

zzy is my business

han, but towards the

Now!" he yelled into it.

o often loitered discreetly when Julian was in re

amed, pointing at Ethan

ith blank faces, hesitated

n was the mast

, and Isabella, their employer' s d

fired! And I' ll tell Daddy you let t

however illo

rds moved t

t would be pointless. T

d, his express

down the private elevator, and into the

his face a mask o

an hissed, his face close to Ethan' s.

k. "Do it," he orde

d on Ethan' s jaw, sn

ded behind

to his stomach, driving

sted

a wave of blackness th

high-pitched and cruel, as th

, no

back to consci

g pain enveloped

n something so

t recognize was pa

rby, her face pale

ent damage, it seems. But he took a severe beating. Multi

han almos

n the aching empt