His Reckless Love, Her Shattered Life

fe wasn't my own. It be

other's cancer treatments, becoming the tech heir's

told me he was going to marry her and offered me a severanc

pte

ns' s life was not her own.

f bankruptcy, and her mother had just been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. The t

tragedy. He knew the Parks family, a dynasty built on a tech emp

t his own mother. He was acting out, and his family wanted someon

illness to emotionally blackmail Ellery, and she, a terrified sixteen-year-old, agreed. The Parks family paid

is personal secretary, managing his chaotic life and his role in the family company. Then, one ni

another part

lessly, becoming indispensable to him. To the outside world, she was t

were

e, possessive boy who was utterly dependent on her. He took her for grant

ssed with s

ay. For years, he spoke of her, of her purity, her sweetness, o

ie was co

ion email in Dawson' s inbox. Ken

strewn across the floor, and empty bottles littered the coffee table. Dawson was a

l, tuneless sound that gr

o a rough, possessive kiss. His hands were everywhere, tangling in her hair, sliding down her back. It was a kis

his breath hot a

ce vibrating with an excitement she hadn' t heard

t, final click in her mind. This

face and mistook it for acceptan

id, stroking her hair. "You' ve al

compliment. To Ellery, the

her, El. I' ve loved h

hat had been an unspoken truth

dn' t change. She met h

kn

e saw it as proof of her devotion, her wi

ng businesslike. "I' ll give you a house. A car. A few million

e. A golden parachute for

," sh

is eyes. He seemed to want a different reaction. T

he asked, his hand tightening on her arm. "I ne

face. She was about to tell him no, that their con

rang, shatteri

it up with a

he showed her melted away, replaced by a soft, eager

e caress. "Are you at the airport?... No,

is keys, not even giving

led over his shoulder as he rushed

leaving Ellery in the s

ed her life, she began to tidy the penthouse. She picked up his discarded clothes, collecte

ulled out a small duffel bag. It contained everything that was truly hers in this place: a fe

quiet, sorrowful affair, but for Ellery, it was also a rele

zzed. It was

ouse and five million dollars! My God, we' re set for

illed with a greed tha

was cold, devoid

as nothing to

her spluttered. "Of course it does! It

like ice. "The deal was for Mom' s medical bi

rning shrill. "You can' t leave him! I forbid it! Don'

. The final, pathetic stab of

eats died with her," Ellery

. Then she blocked her brother' s number. She pulled the SIM card fro

as o

false sorrow, telling her it was the only way. Her mother, already frail, wee

entally" meet Dawson at a charity event. She' d been coached on his li

He needed her for everything: to wake him up, to choose his clothes, to remind him of his appo

in the early years, after Kenzie' s family had moved acro

the right things. She saw his infatuation for what i

ed into Ellery' s room, his eyes wild with a pain that wasn' t for her. He' d crashed into her

a look of horror, not at what he' d

egged. "I don' t know w

s his rock, his secretary, his lover. Everyone

ner. A job. And it was the most gruelin

ed key. It was the final, quiet permission she needed. It was

to the Parks Corporation headquarters. She' d g

woman named Sarah

, you can' t. Dawson will

l learn," Ellery

approve it. He' ll

resignation, along with a stack of other routine documen

n. Surrounded by friends, laughing and drinking, he' d impatiently swiped th

s own ruin and had