Three Years, One Cruel Lie

from the PTSD that shattered my life. When I was finally accepted into Juilliard,

receptionist handed me an official certifica

d been nothing but vitamin supplements. I had been perfectly hea

o overhear him laughing with his friends. He was married.

t. "A few tweaked reports, the right 'medication' to keep her fogg

worshipped, had orchestrated my imprisonmen

a check across the table. "Take

check in her face, declaring my love was

leave. After my father's death anniversary

pte

rile white of the Swiss clinic. 'Congratulations, Ms. Phillips

, the light at the end of a very long, dark tunnel. My

ok on his face when I walked through the doo

rvous energy buzzing under

had sent me here after the kidnapping, after my father' s

He was my protector, my guardian, the man my father t

rs. The receptionist smiled warmly. "We' re a

Thank you. It' s

year and show no signs of relapse, it' s wonderful. Here' s your official certificate of recovery

left m

mile frozen on my face

nd white. My name. The date. A full twelve months ago. Stamped with the signatur

tic, painful rhythm against my ribs. "The reports Mr. Francis sent me... t

over a year. Not since we issued the recovery certificate. And the medication... Ms. Phillips, your pres

, stolen. I thought about the letters Jaxon sent, filled with worry about my "slow progress." I remembere

' t. It had to be a system err

I said, my voice tight.

yx Club, his favorite haunt. A place where deals were made over whiskey and secrets were traded like currency. The hostess recogni

s and Gomez empires are one. Congratulations

t that made my blood run cold. "It was a long time co

voice teased. "Don' t tell me you' re not falling for Kryst

Krystal Gomez? The socialite whose

e dropping. "The marriage is a contract. It secu

tone more serious. "She' s supposed to be coming home

reports, the right 'medication' to keep her foggy. She thinks sh

erupted i

ing your fiancée locked away in Switz

"She was so obsessed with me after her dad died. Worshipped the ground I walked on. It was

ystal seems to have you w

his voice hard. "Alina is my responsibility. I

ed to me for three years. He was married. The man I loved, the man who promised to wait for me,

lood. The sharp, coppery tang wa

had wrapped his arm around me. He was my father' s young protégé, the brilliant tech prodigy my dad had mentored. He' d shi

ft anonymous gifts at his office. I learned his coffee order. I even went to a temple, kneelin

hat reached his eyes. He pulled me into his arms and

n top of my father' s death, broke something inside me. The doctors diagnosed me wi

my finger. "As soon as you' re better, we' ll get married. I' m sending

rd in therapy. I endured the treatments, the nightmares

was planning a lif

message from Mrs. Francis, Jaxon

St. Regis. King

d around me. His mother was already there, a picture of cold,

er voice like ice. "It was a necessary merger to

le. The number on it had so man

. Take it and disappear. Do

happened before, three years ago. She had tried to pay me to leave him then,

ken to fight. My love ha

voice was hollow, a stra

prised by my e

"After my father' s death anniversary. After

make sur