His Paid Substitute: The Fallen Heiress

evator let out

the dead silence of

ands moved like a programmed machine, tucking the fab

stepped out o

it. His shoulders were stiff. His jaw was tight. He lo

He walked straight to the marble kitchen isl

stopped

folder. Her brain instantly calculated the pen

ied to sound strictly profession

cided to terminate your servi

Citibank out of the folder. He

ut for five m

he terms were brutal. It legally gagged her from ever speaking to

at his sides. He was ready for her to cry. He was

't even look

he signature line on the

ere was no pen

ed right into Leland's eyes.

er deadpan stare. The comforting spee

right hand. Her voice

your Montbla

He scrambled to pull the fountain

rs accidentally brushed agains

te. She signed her name in three differ

gainst the thick paper echoed in the ma

igned contract b

up the five-million-dollar check an

k on the paper. He couldn't

lle is moving in tom

pped her pl

etting what he wants," she smiled. She sounded as genu

walked toward

m the silver tray. They were the ultim

take the car as extra compensation. His br

apartment keycard. She used her index finger to align

case. The wheels pressed faint tra

unable to stop himself, "did you really not f

stopped

ssistant she had lived with for over two

w me to mix cheap personal emotions

watched her walk away, feeling a su

vator. She pressed the butto

oors slowly

d heavily, and she leaned her head back against the freezing metal wall. She closed her eyes for a long, silent moment, letting out a deep, shaky b

ed out h

red at her total debt amount, menta

ut another long, heavy breath,

she opened her notes app.

enpal. He was the only person in the world who knew her as Cara, the only genuine connection she allowed herself to keep. She typed a quick, cryptic reply: "One s