and the pain sank strai

hard on her lower lip until blood seeped out a

already lost. The defeat had been sealed

ever, she finally turned to face Shawn, and t

mouth, dry and hollow, followed by a

, a black Bentley came to a stop

sist, Shawn pulled her inside, an

white grand piano stood beside the wide window, and

onto the piano. She wa

aid to the struggling Shawn, "When we finally have a home, we

he hadn't taken her words to heart, yet the piano n

spread through Vanessa's c

er line of sight and released a short, cold scoff. "What

ck several piano keys at random, and t

this place exists only to remind me of how st

nd it dragged her back into the merciless truth. Once again, she had forgotte

t of the bathroom when powerful arms wrapped ar

vision, and his presence carri

tenderness. What followed

intended to carve five years of buried hatr

she clamped her teeth down and

a sound and dampened the

cking remark. "We have been through this before, so why pretend

r lip again, but before she could escape, his hand seized her chi

Shawn said with cold finality. "I wi

reading through Vanessa's body, and

r side of the bed ha

bed while adjusting his tie, and nothing about

eyes held the same indiffere

cut deeper than anything else. "I will name your price. Two hundred thou

t, and the ache in her chest made ev

his suit jacket and turned away. "Clean yourself up. I

Vanessa remained in a daze for a while be

legs buckled, and she alm

managed to wash up and steady herself,

in neat rows of brand-new clothes, handbags, and shoes. Every item w

er said, "Miss Owen, Mr. Madiso

nto it, but after remembering Shawn's warning from the night before

her with lavish possessions. Thinking of that, Vanessa lowered her gaze

cation sounded

ssage sent from a coll

Vanessa felt her fin

proudest memories and her deepest humil

yped a quiet "yes" and confirme

d from a design competition she was supposed to enter, and with that, she los

ning hope on the reunion and thought it might

the butler said politely. "Would yo

tler, Vanessa stepped outside and flagged dow

Bruce Ford, his longtime friend and business partner, lounge

fied today. What happened? You spent five years talking about re

Shawn's expression, and a sharp

oing on," he replied flatly. "This