lynn

ng me into the congratulatory circle around Gabriella. My face was a mask, my smile

, his voice laced with a hint of suspicion. H

n to my own ears. "Just overwhelmed, darling.

for a moment longer. "Perhaps we should leave soon," he suggeste

n myself. "I' d love to take the yacht out tonight.

preferred quiet evenings at home. But then his practiced smile returned.

Stone Corporation. He spoke of our future, too, painting a picture of domestic bliss, of eventual marriage. Empty words. So

quiet hum of the car. Alden snatched it up, his brow furrowing as

knew it was her. My stomach churned, but my expression remained ne

e' s... had a bit of a scare. Nothing serious, but the doc

frozen block. This was it.

said, my voice flat

"Are you sure, Kate? I

ll be fine. I actually really want to take the yacht out. Clear

n. "Thank you, my love," he said, relief flooding his face. "You' re so understanding.

ady knew. He wouldn't

ng alone on the cold concrete of the marina. The air w

mpathetic eyes. They knew the unspoken rules of his world. "Ms. Walls, would you

a fragile smile. "I need to be alone tonight.

trust was a flimsy thing, easily given where i

ilded cage. I went straight to the navigation system. Tonight

ckup of a backup. Now, I uploaded the data, along with irrefutable proof of Alden' s complicity and Gabriella' s theft, to a timer-based rel

a video message.

romises, his affection. I believed in our future." My voice cracked for a moment, but I forced it back into line. "But his love was a performance. A calculated deception to

ancer treatment formula. He orchestrated its theft and gave it to Gabriella, allowing her to claim it as he

with nothing. But you underestimated me. You burned my wo

scape. A declaration of war. I will not be a victim. I wil

ecasted storm front. The wind howled, whipping my hair around my face. The waves gre

trong and clear. The world would believe Katelynn Walls was d

last vestiges of my old life, swallowed by the darkness. Alden' s roses. I took the single stem and tore it, petal

out the small, inflatable life raft. It was

pulling myself aboard. The wind screamed, the rain lashed down, but I felt nothing but a fier