The Bride He Cast Away on Their Wedding Night

p you last night-it's the same group! Listen to me. Right now, all clue

, Claire Thompson's bre

bright and warm. But all she felt

murmured, ec

"I'm telling you, don't even think of gi

force the words, "I get it. I just think

kill you, Claire. Twice! Don't tell

e've got nothing solid-just vague leads. Plus, Nelson and I are techni

pped. "Cut ties clean, then we

ment. "That's why I came back. But Adrian, until it

hung for

y from the Fields family... things could get messy fast. I

re family, Claire. It's our job t

ce gentler, almost pleading. "Let me handle it first. I j

But promise me, sta

"Once I'm divorced

hung up when

k, k

des the housekeeper. And he wouldn't

owned, di

knock came again, sha

called through the door. C

doorknob, and then-deliberately slow-twis

rp charcoal-gray suit, not a wrinkle

somehow he looked

or a moment. A barely-there f

ing? You've been

was fla

ghtly to the side, but didn't fully ope

hair loosely tied, neck pale and exposed. Thinner than three years ago, the youth in her

w night," Nelson said, skipping any

ss, a routine obligation. She'd been prepared for

a faint, eyeless smile. "Sure.

y tighter. He'd expected hu

tiffly. "Just show

odded, tone steady

. "No," he muttered, turn

she slowly closed the door and leaned back against i

irthday wa

never mention

d memories started playing

Serena Thompson

ily, missing for twenty years, draggi

instantly fell into an a

erena, caring, comforting

same man who was s

ld Mr. Cooper, made years ago, intended

gone, that title

e back, everything

everyone before he passed-he insi

ld Nelson, "Claire's a go

hood. They grew up together, and Claire had once i

d to eat or drink. The mere mention of Claire's name would send her into a frantic, self-destruc

never expected her joy to b

've arranged everything. We'll talk once Serena is better."

had reached the stairs. B

and glan

feeling was creeping up on hi

he turned sharpl