New Beginnings, Old Scars

y. Mark' s face went pale. He tried to pull

like," he started, the classic,

e what it looks like when my partner, the man I' ve spent ten years of my life with, is in our offi

ugly, settled in the room. The carefully constructe

hand as if it were something filthy. The simple silver band she had given

, unadulterated panic. He saw his empire, his reputation,

oice taking on a harsh, dismissive edge. "Yo

ncern. "Ava, I think you' re misunderstanding. Mark and I were just stra

such pure contempt that Chloe actually flinche

the hysterical, jealous woman, moved to stand slightly in front

his voice rising. "You' re being irrational. Chloe i

ed to laugh, a harsh, broken sound. "A colleague? You funneled millions of our company'

hing unforgivable. He grabbed her arm, his fingers diggin

ch her arm away.

to make her stumble backward. Her heel caught on the edge of the

. For a moment, she was just stunned. Then, a sh

er on the floor, then his eyes darted to Chloe, who was looking pale and frightened. He took a step toward Chloe first. "Ar

n to," he stammered, rea

ep, sickening cramp that stole her breath. A wave of dizziness washed o

' t need to look. She knew. The metallic scent o

ispered, the words ca

h, her face pale with alarm. She had clearly heard the shouting. Her eyes took

arah asked, her

. A dark red stain was blooming on the

The secret she had been holding close, a fragile seed of hope that maybe, just maybe, they could fix

out of her, pooling on th

e saw the blood. The color draine

forgotten. "Ma' am, are you alr

in. "No press." She looked at Sarah, her eyes pleadi

de, helping her to her feet. Ava leaned heavily on the youn

was Mark, standing frozen in place, his face a mask of horror a