na

rs of the estate, a cold and unsha

im and demand the truth t

the heavy front door clicking shut behind

ving room, wearily lo

e overpowering, cloying scent of Soph

unsettled from the

to the master bathroom, dropping to m

is heavy footsteps e

with his large, warm hand in a gestu

tonight?" he asked, his

ay and wiped my mout

akes me sick,"

rigid, the warmth drai

ped, replaced by

ing now?" he demanded,

away at the club and embarras

ng pressure buil

ftened slightly at th

tear from my cheek with a p

d his ha

on the day we were supposed to register at the Church?

ng for a fraction of a secon

moothly, withou

emergency for my Ca

rrosive acid in my chest, knowing Sophia had set th

riage in front of the crew today?" I pressed, stepping

, a dark flush cr

onship first, Lena!" he shouted, his vo

broad shoulders to loom over me, a physical t

" he added brutally, his

just a fake arrangement

y evaporated, leavin

lip so hard I tasted th

e past year fake too?" I asked,

tight, a muscle feath

lankly at the bathroom wa

amed at him, the pain fi

? Why did you play house w

into a tight, suffocating embrace,

silence, refusing to say

hetic shred of hope, de

iere to finalize the marriage?" I

st me, his entire bod

pause, he muttered his

e the way they

arms, the last ember of my ho

me with the force of a freight t

onvenient shield until the woman

ed straight to the walk-in closet

lothes, blindly shovi

co demanded, following me

to the guest wing," I sai

grabbed my arm to stop

ol of his jacket scraping my skin, my eyes bla

for a long moment

gh, turned around, and ret

heavy oak door

d the very last thread of my devotion to Marco