d toward her. He was in his forties, with salt-and-pepper hair and an expensive but ill-fitting suit.

must

g a polite, professional hand. "Excu

tic smile touched his lips. "I'm sorry, miss. I think you have me m

ve of anxiety. She felt foolish. Of course it wasn't him. She didn't even know who "h

e world seemed t

ing f

ind her. It was the same low, re

spun

caught in

at, with a presence that seemed to command the space around him. Gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose, and beh

ld she not? She had been starin

the profile from the business articles. Th

Blanke

ienting crash. She could not reconcile the man in front of her, the most powerful scion in

words came out as a choked whi

ptible smile. "Julian is... an old friend of the family

ween him and Julian, confirming the entire arrangement. It was

Julian never did anything without a reason. This was why Julian had been so certain. This was why everything was

irty minutes," he said, his voice calm and steady, pulling her back to the present. He said he

a mental box to be dealt with later. Her objective hadn't changed. And if her partner in this trans

e regaining its usual com

oval? Or something else? He gave a sl

silent pair. A sleek, understated black Bentley pulled

in his thirties, handed Geneva a leather-bound

avor. It protected all of her assets, present and future, and stipulated that Caden would make no

name on the dotted line, her si

't even read it. Either he trusted Julian completely, or he didn't care about the terms.

as a blur of legal jargon and official stamps, overseen by their

certificate across the counter, the fresh ink gleaming und

oreign, like it belonged to someone else's life. In the span of a few hours, she had gone f

ht herself touching her ring finger. Empty. The diamond w

catch." He didn't apologize for leaving. He di

im, black business card. "My private number and the address to my pentho

ions, Mrs. B

that didn't quite fit. Too heavy. Too f

ng if she would ever see him again

the Bentley. The door cl

one hand and a business card in the other. She had what she w