The CEO's Final Gift

arissa began to

he cloying, sweet smell a physical assault. She dumped them into the tr

de already f

droom, she opened the closet. His suits hung on one side, hers on the other. She ran her hand ove

rs, dresses, shoes. Each item a ghost of a hope. She sealed the boxes with packin

niversary. It was cold and heavy in her palm. She had worn it once, desperate to believe it was a symbol of somethin

ledge of her father's company, the Simon Group, to help him navigate its treacherous internal politics. She had leaked information, guided his strategies, all

f them. It was of Hettie, smiling brightly.

n who had won. The woman who would now have

r a moment, she wanted to smash it. To see

e old Karissa. The one who

the photo back down, exac

nt door open. Bra

udy, stopping short w

is

out, she said. "I'll

expression unre

empty space on the wall where a painting she loved used to hang. He didn't s

what was there

thumb gently brushi

said, his back to her. "She's allergic

as a custom blend, a gift from her late mothe

ed her to erase

Her voice was a

vanity. She didn't put it in a box. She walked into the bathroo

oom, rich and floral. A fina

it wa