sing echoed in the tomb-l

e fixed on the damning spreadsheet. He looke

tched the folder from the table and began ripping the pages to shred

flying around her like confetti at a fun

creaming, calmly walked in and placed a hand on Carlee's arm, stopping the destruction. "Miss

ath coming in ragged gasps. Her wil

, with all her strength, s

, a crack of thunde

right red handprint bloomed instantly

! You couldn't even handle your own ex-wife! I brought the money, the connections, the future-and y

to hit her back, to scream at her, but he didn't dare. He had no power here. His only

the floor. It was the summary page, the final inv

old, underlined font, was

and fifty-seven thousan

of the room. It was a monolithic figure,

Roman, it wasn't an impossible sum, but it was far from insignificant. It was the pri

perate croak. "I don't have it. My savings... everyt

rubby past? For the privilege of marrying a man who can't even keep his ex-wife in

se. This is for us. For our future. If that story gets out

lford is correct, Miss Roman. Paying this amount is the most

t, but as an acquisition fee. You are buying out his past, ensuri

ature, slightly soothing her wounded pride. But the thought o

"My trust fund distributions are quarterly. My liquid assets are tied up in the engagement pa

u are going to owe me for this. Every last

the Patek Philippe watch on her wrist, the Cartier love bracelet, the diamon

te and pride, began

expression hardened into

The watch. The bracelet. The earrings. And fi

anded with a series of sharp, expensive clinks and

. Kowalski wat

tle. "Take these. Take everything from the safe in my apar

er eyes burning with a

," she snarled, "than use one cent of my tr

but it was pure Carlee. She was solving the problem while s

freedom. The shame was a physical weight in his gut. His

as a messy solution, but it was fast, and it

. "I'll see to it immediately. You will have the c

the two of them al

"You remember this, Jaycob. You remember what this cos

me far more than you ever owed her. And