986 Nights of Betrayal

allroom still rang in my ears, a mocking chorus to my humiliation. Corbett' s words echoed in my head: "She transfor

ground at a cocktail party. Corbett had, without a moment' s hesitation, calmly and icily dismantled the man' s reputatio

I ducked into a dark alleyway and leaned against the cold brick, gasping fo

Corbett. I ignored it. I

driver is waiting for you out fr

bout me. He was worr

g by the curb. The driver, a man who had worked for the Ew

but not

id, my voice hoarse. "I

surprised but di

phone buzzed again. It was Ivana. I

party is just getting started. Corbett is abou

e cold. "It' s the last thin

Oh, I don' t think so. He' ll always choose me. He has to. You'

d her number. Then I

d. The next morning, I was on the first flight to Paris. From ther

g skin. The air smelled different-of rain and earth and distan

the grounds of the Solomon Perfume House. It was simple, rus

emembered, with kind eyes and a warmth that seemed to

is voice a gentle baritone. "

rest and most exquisite ingredients in the world. He had even managed to procure a small amount o

ds the finest tools," he

n. The passion, the excitement, the love for my craft. Here, I w

ut of hope. I created a perfume that smelled of the sun on warm stone, of the wild lavender tha

d torn the penthouse apart looking for me. He had hired a dozen private investigators. He had offered a million-dollar reward for any informatio

ft. My lawyer in New York served him with the divorce papers.

. He thought they were just more legal documents for one of his

grown to despise Ivana' s influence, pointed to the sig

ture. And then he saw the words: "Pe

rembling. He looked up at his secretary, his eyes

this?" he

agreement, sir," the secretary replied, his

loor. He had signed away his own marriage, carelessly, thoughtlessly, just as he had si

d he didn' t even k