wrapped around her body, putting distance between herself and th

second word. She hated that it crack

anic was something he'd already account

come out of his mouth. "Don't talk to me like this is normal. Like we're having a

ace, there and gone too fast to

volume. "I married Adrian yesterday. I said vows to Adrian. I assumed the man in my bed was my husb

the shirt draped over the chair, unbothered by her starin

t correct

they were discussing the weather instead of the fact that she

ressed them flat against her stomac

e answered, like he was deciding how much o

ce mentioned having a brother. Not once. Not during the engagement, not d

unds lik

not an

one you're gett

understood the size of what had happened, what he had done. There wasn't one. He looked a

and, fingers closing around it like a lifeline. "I'm telling him

ly over hers, stopping her before she could unlock the screen. It wasn't r

telling hi

tch

less than a day, too steady for the chaos currently living in her chest. "If you t

aught. "Is t

this family for love. We both know that. You married Adrian because your father owes this family more money than he'll ever be able

tightened. "How d

ppens to people who embarrass them in public. Your father's company gets buried so fast he won't see it coming. His medical bil

ere between fury and panic. "It was yours. Yo

ruelty, which somehow made it worse. Just truth, flat and unbothered, laid out like a fact

of a man she didn't understand and apparently couldn't trust. "Why were you even here? You disappeared. Nobody talks about you.

ing I'm explaining

n wh

stion was already closed and locked. "What matters today is

ust decide t

easily as he'd walked into her bed. "I'm telling you what happens if you choose wrong. You tell Adrian, your father loses everything, and you lose the only r

choice. That

e frame, looking back at her one last time, and for half a second something almost soft crossed h

mming against her ribs, staring at the closed door like it might

on the nightstand. A te

from

can't wait to

g over the reply box, no idea what version of the truth she was about t