the leather chair be

no tears. Crying was a biological response to pain, and right

phone and connected

bank transfer receipts, and the DNA repor

ent, she unplugged the USB, wiped the syst

er legs felt co

dropped to her knees and reached under the bottom shelf, pre

a dusty m

id. Resting on a bed of faded velv

hen she walked away from the Montgomery family f

dead phone into

Memories of her grandfather's furious face flashed behind her eyes. He h

ckered to life

internal secure line. A nu

time before a v

aking." The elderly lawyer's v

m," she

through the speaker. "Miss Harlo

ut the window at the darkening sk

voice trembling with suppressed excitemen

if I come back, the board will demand I fulfill the

confirmed. "The fam

rrent candidat

his aggressive overseas expansion plans. They are demanding a strategic marriage with the historically grounded Mon

re Clay

a ghost, a ruthless predator in the financial world. And

ered. "I want an informal m

edule is locked down months in

's leverage. Get me an invitation to w

ng back to the ruthless efficiency of a Mon

hung

in the tin and shoved it i

and straight into the maste

rts. Cheap, unassuming dresses she had bought to make Barrett feel li

nse disgust wa

c snapped. She threw them onto the floor. She tore down the skirts, the blous

to the very bac

a thick, blac

haute couture gown. It was a piece f

nthouse chimed. The elec

echoed through the hallw

tepped into the black velvet. The fabric

of the closet, holding a brown p

dead in h

his eyes dragged up her body, taking in the black

are you doing

dn't yell. She just looked at him like he was a

olute zero temperature in her e

oardroom arrogance. He set the food down and took a step toward

him. His fingers

er, right where he had almost touched

e Tom Ford," s

dropped to his side. "It's... someone in t

n blink at the

om the vanity and walked past h

ic turning into anger. He grabbed her elbow. "I

at his hand gr

" she wh

r as if her sk

aid, repeating his

ront door and let it