Beyond Betrayal: Her Unbreakable Spirit

an," I said, my voice even. I refused

ily, a human shield. It was a gesture so prot

onversation," he said, his jaw ti

equest. The same tone he

nderstanding. She was looking at me, then at the bespoke suit Julian wore, and then

until I'm ready," I re

d have crumpled under that glare, would have retreated in shame an

his body radiating menace.

re you going to have me escort

sed to absolute control, and I wa

to Lily, who was still on th

ne softening slightly. It wasn't her fault. Sh

nother word to Julian. I didn't look back, but I

d my lawyer, a man loyal to my family for decades, draw up the papers. The terms were simple: a clean break,

erlooking the city. He was on a conference call, his voice

his chair to face me, hi

ce," I said, placing

en back at me. A flicker of

yesterday, I'm not surprised,"

clean break. I don't want your

w furrowed. He was looking for the trap, the angle. He c

ge? Yesterday you were ready to burn my world

life trying to earn the love of a man who is incapable of giving it. I ran your homes, managed your life, suppor

lanning a surprise trip for his birthday, a trip to a remote cabin with no cell service, a place where we could just be together.

e force of a physical blow. "You're a black hole. You don't feel thing

lanced at it, and for a split second, the mask slipped. That same look of despera

ng his attention back to me. Bu

dn't she?" I asked.

swer. He did

that you can't love. It's tha

was also liberating. It severed the last,

to the window, looking

he said, his back to me. "

ession with Lily, wanted no complications. He wanted me gone. The day the d

rtment. On my side, my clothes were already gone, packed and sent to storage. O

was from our wedding day. We were both smiling, but looking at it now, I could see the

be, the naive girl who thought she could find warmth in a glacier. Then, with a

e jagged edges of the glass threatening to cut

half, letting the two pieces

he first part of my plan was complete. Now, all I h

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