Unexpected Husband, Unexpected Freedom Won

The city lights smeared against the window, a beautifu

oice still a lit

not as a joke but as a strange, comforting anchor. "Client dinner

chard's birthda

other end. "You

thing off," I said.

firm. "Send me your locat

lt beside my cab. Julian jumped out of the driver's side, his face contorted

was that? You can't jus

g, but Julian was now standing in

right now!" he yelled. "He's going to ruin

d window. "He's not a majority shareholder

aneuver his father, that I could make a move without Ri

nervous. I sighed, paid h

I said, my voice

ather says it's over!" he

c shock. I pulled my arm away

's sports car. Liam got out, and even in the dim light, he seemed to take up all the

d on Julian' s hand, which wa

ked, his voice light but with an u

wn, a sneer on his face. "Wh

said, stepping between us.

d. "I'm

back to Julian. "She said it'

idea who you're talking to. M

became a partner in the company your dad got kicked out of. Now

of deference threw him completely off-balance. He just stood there, sputteri

rror, still standing in the middle of the road, a

king the silence in t

a small laugh. "You have a

said, shooting me a quick grin.

y have a place to go. My apartment is stil

have a penthouse with a spare bedroom. And a lab. And a rea

morning, who dropped an $800 million deal for me, who

I said, and the wor

artners now, right? Partne

unded by people, but utterly alone in their fury and confusion. I pictured Julian linking his arm with his father' s, not

n face the world alone, and Julian, unwilling to step out from behind his father's shadow. Thei

overwhelming sense of relief that I had never found the key. I had not

text from a number

his, Olivia. This

am, who was humming along to some obscure indie band on the

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