The Ghost Wife's Billion Dollar Tech Comeback

tober wind. She shivered, pulling her trench coat tighter around her frame, her knuckles white against th

ck town cars in the VIP pickup zone. She looked for the familiar

th

d a gust of exhaust fumes that tast

. The screen lit up, the brightness

ot from the house manager. Not even from the automated

he opened the Uber app, her fingers hovering for a second before

ed about the weather, the traffic, the rising cost of bagels. Eulalie stared out the window, watching the gra

huh? Tariq asked, gestur

nd coming from the speakers. An entertainm

Pennington is hosting a massive celebration for her latest product launch

r palm. The pain was sharp, grounding. Adalynn. Her half-sister. The woman who had taken her fa

pered, her voice r

Avenue. The doorman, a young guy named Leo, did a double-take when

reaching for her luggage. "We... we di

to her lips. The lie tasted like ash on her tongu

eart hammered against her ribs, a frantic, uneven rhythm. She checked her reflection in the polished brass doo

her coding days flashed in

doors slid

s. A pair of Caden's Italian leather loafers were kicked off haphazar

r. A sound that usually filled Eulalie with warmth, but today, it chilled her. It was a hig

Persian rug. She moved behind the lacquered ebony screen that se

bathed in the warm, golde

the man who terrified boardrooms, was kneeling on the carpet, hold

ofa, her curls bouncing. "Auntie Addie is goi

alie hadn't seen directed at her in years. He smoothed the un

ed. Her hand went to h

r Elara. Caden had scoffed, calling it "clutter" and "garish

chirped, grabbing the toy and hugging

nd brushing lint from his trousers. "We better g

mbed fingers. The heavy gold clasp hi

ttered the do

The warmth evaporated from his face, replaced b

. Her eyes widened, and then, instinctively, s

t. "You're back. Why didn't yo

hroat was dry, closed up. She swall

distracted. "I know the date. Adalynn's l

He truly, honest

behind Caden's expensive suit pants, looking at her mother

Elara whispered loudly to her f

e force of a physical blow. Her knees felt weak. S

ing her presence as a logistical inconvenience. He scooped Elara up in

attention already shifting

od and the expensive scotch he liked. He didn't

husband and daughter, leaving Eulalie standing a

or. A card had fallen from

est Aunt

remble. A strange, cold calm was spreading through her veins, freezing the tears before they

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