yer. The office was on the 30th floor of a glass skyscraper, with a view of

ning her prenuptial agreement

e calm and even. "I want to prepare the papers now,

with professional sympathy. "Of course, Mrs. Santos. We

elease. She stopped at a small cafe and bought a container of chicken noodle soup and a thermos of hot tea, th

e door, she saw Ariana sitting by his bed. She was trying to feed him soup, but her movements wer

na cried, dabbing at the mess with

e but gentle. He reached up and wiped a

shaking. "The doctor said the smoke inhalation was severe. It

. "It was worth it. As

adoration. "You always wanted to be a neurosurgeon

didn' t give it up. I became

onfused. "What

our head. You were unconscious for almost a minute. I' ve never been so scared in my life. That was the day

lling to the floor with a soft thud. She didn' t not

s life' s ambition. I

flying to her mouth.

arms, burying her face in

r as if he sensed something. But then his arms wrapped around her,

ion blurred. She turned and walked away, her steps silent and

into one of Blake' s colleagues, Dr. Evans.

just coming to see

she said, he

s to him?" He thrust a manila folder into her hands. "It' s his r

d, confused. Blake loved his p

, right? Sacrificing his own research... but he said it' s for

the folder. Her hands trembled as she opened it. Inside was Blake' s official lett

ness facility. The primary beneficiary and direc

very part of his life was built around Ariana. He had become a doctor for her. No

marriage certificate. A placeh

rt swelling with love for this brilliant, dedicated man. Now she realized, with sickening clarity, that even that mo

ff that path. It was

ht, unforgiving sunlight. She pulled out her pho

school. The one who had always told her she was

the second ring. "Ca

rprisingly steady. "You know that archit

dget' s voice, full of exci

ing her lips for the first time in what felt like a

t looking for office space! Something in Boston,

ne, at the towering buildings s

and firm. "Not Boston. Somewhere