he hotel room, she waited for a long time

she had gotten out of line, prompti

t she reached the door, unmistakable sound

nstantly in E

r without restraint, yet he h

e had gone out of her way to seduce him, o

ntimacy were simply lukewarm, only to find h

er known before surged violen

tight fist as a malicious

*

sciousness, but when awareness returned, she f

om came the steady sound of running water, and sh

de her way downstairs, where breakfast h

ed coffee, juice, and milk, carefully set

ashing up and came downstairs, ta

ingle choice told Jessica he intended

n they finished, Jessica went to get a fres

aze on her and spoke in a low voice. "I'm going t

brief moment, then

d I wear something suit

ed her compliant expression, an irritation

he only look she

r some emotionless machi

utterly

said something wrong. Panic flickered through her as she hastily began

y deepened Adrian's frustration since

nds, his voice turning glacial as

suit jacket from her hand

ica rushed upstairs, slipped into a plain outfit with

lready seated inside

n unmistakable sign that it ha

g, his eyes closed, his sharp profile softene

Jessica climbed into th

Estate, yet Jessica's mind wandered as she lo

ttle weight as Adrian's wi

to Adrian had always been out

oup had been framed and c

r with the Howard family, pledging that should the Buckley family ever rise again,

d set their sights on Eleano

perfectly suite

or, treating her with rare indulgence

Howard family accepted the arrangement

ormer power for many years, and during that long

mily held far greater appeal than a

rsity, she wasted no time getting toget

would just be canceled like that, believ

estored the Buckley family to its former glory and honored Keith's

ge to a woman who could not speak, and that was why the union came without flowers, without rin

re completely unaware t

ife, was nothing more than collateral damage in

Buckley Estate, the clock had alread

ily had gathered in the dining room, voices

a inside and called

sation with a relative. Hearing her son's voice, she

nding behind Adrian, her tone cooling as she said, "It's good

sphere in the room vanished, laughter dyin

Cheryl and Jessica, their expressions shifting

e that Cheryl harbore

r, an unavoidable wave of awkwar

ed forward, offering greetings

said, "Sit down. Don't ac

the air and quickly attempted to smooth th

u're finally back. I

r three years already, haven't they? H

o have children? It would make y

, her expression icy as she spoke. "Children? He already married a mute woman. Does he n

ian turned his head

ds of hair slipping down to hide her eyes, leaving only

drian's chest, and he loose

yl, you're worrying too much. Adrian's wife was not born mute, s

s she replied, "Who knows what kind of genes run in the Howard family? Eleanor

ed pointedly, "Besides, Adrian has no interest