vator cut through the quiet hum

of the living room. She turned her he

tsteps thudded again

strode in, bringing the bitter chi

lacing Hartwell's leather briefcase on the console table b

dn't even l

knot of his navy silk tie. He walked straight past her, h

for his absence. He didn

hem to move. She walked toward the bar, stopp

downing the water. His Adam's a

e. They dropped to the collar of hi

the room. Her stomach violently rolled over. Beneath the crisp scent of the winter air and his expensive cologne, there was a heavy, cloying note of synthetic rose perfume. E

ass. He caught the dire

strils, the way her body instinct

ffness crossed his sharp features. But it vanished ins

ictim expression, Faith," Hartwell sna

ers inward, her nails biting so hard into her palms tha

ith asked. Her voice was terrifyin

ed. His eyes darkened

wn onto the marble. Water sloshed ove

r, his massive frame ca

d again?" he demanded, his

The humiliation of six years ago-when he accused her of hiring the pa

worshipped for six years. He l

e needed to get away from the suffo

er tone devoid of any inflection. "The New

out a harsh

n't that exactly how you forced me to ma

, plunging directly into the la

would fill with frantic tears, where she would step forward and beg

er eyes rema

ng, heavy moment. Then, very

desperate pleading unsettled him. A strange, pric

ollar again, turni

ower," he mutter

A minute later, the sound of rushing water echoed through

od alone

er that had kept her tied to this man for six agon

ery. She needed to see the one person in this h

Leo, was still fast asleep, his dark hair-so m

trembling fingers gently tucking the duvet under his chi

he thought. And I will never let

ertain: that man had never once looked at their son with genuine warmth. Leo was an

the bed and walked ov

k. Not just for school-but for whatever came next. The storm was comi