Broken Promises, A Vengeful Heart Returns

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e clinical white of the medical report crumpled in his fist. "You had no righ

d on my tongue. "A child who would have been a stain on your perfect political marria

hasm between our worlds, the one thing that might make him choose me. But then came the engagement announcement, the brutal dismissal, and K

voice colder now, armored by my pain. "

my flesh like talons. "You don' t get to decide when we' re done," he hissed, yanking me back

efore I could react, he was on top of me, his weight pinning me down.

warning echoed in my ears-no strenuous activity, rest, recovery. My

brutal, calculated act of vengeance, designed to hurt and humiliate me

The room began to spin, the edges of my vision blurring into darkness. The la

, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air. On the floor, scattered like cruel c

e a constant, throbbing reminder of his cruelty. As I walked through the d

e have a

ank. "Wha

d raiding our businesses. Port operations, warehouses,

routine check. This was a coordinated attack

spered, more to myself than to

entional," Marco agreed,

elentless. He choked our supply lines, froze our assets, and turned our partners against

leeding. I worked around the clock, calling in favors, moving assets, trying to stay o

er' s payroll for years. The air in the private dining room was thick with cigar smoke and the stench of corrupti

red, patting my hand with his sweaty palm. "You play

kes, and drink their cheap whiskey. I raised my glass, the amber liquid burning a path down my throat and hitting my stomach

the air out of the room. He looked at me, his eyes sweeping over my flushed face and the

men and walked directly to me. He leaned dow

have to do." He gestured to the captains, who were watching us with greedy eyes. "Drink wit

and instead of helping, he was using it. He was forcing me to degrade myself, to perfo

g for a trace of the man I thought I knew. There

a pain that went far beyond the physical.

on unyielding. "One glass, one