mentarily eclipsing her despair. Then a harsh,

tup, but a far more ambitious shakedown. He wanted to marr

ushing herself to her feet. Her legs fe

ck up the scattered contents, and walked t

ce. For years, women had thrown themselves at him, and he'd felt nothing. The one woman he

she was in her car in the parking garage, the engine rumbling to life.

ges and sprawling mansions. Each mile brought her closer to the gilded cage she

hoping to make it to her room unnoticed. But as she passed the formal l

elf into the shadows beh

ith smug satisfaction. "She's probably still passed out in some gutter. There'

is bleeding money, and Mr. Knight has promised an infusion of capital. Your father ha

"And once she's married to that old creep, everyth

aid, her tone dripping with affec

o Hailey's bones, extinguishing the l

d years ago, expression serene and kind. Her mother had built the company fro

irst marriage was an afterthought. Now that it was failing,

k of ice, and slipped out of the house to her

d through the pa

orgot about her and fell in love with Isabelle. It was ridiculous that she had taken care of him for half a

way to make him remembe

e loved her. Maybe some part of him still existed beneath the blank slate o

she really had no other choice. No matter

If he still couldn't remember her, the

hospital, her heart pounding

about to go in, she noticed that Isa

abelle perched on the edge of his bed, peeling an apple for

napped up, her eyes widening in feigned surpri

ey, his face hardened. His eyes were cold, u

, his voice flat-the voice of someo

y struggled to breathe. "Carter, I... I need yo

instantly produced tears. "She's doing it again. She's jus

sabelle had painted her masterpiece. He wrapped

ce laced with protective anger. "Stop bo

her as if she were dirt on his shoe. He thought she was a stalker, a liar, a pathet

ope died in that

let the tears fall until she was back in the solitude of her car, si

er father's secretary. "The car

ho

no matter how insane. She opened a social media app, navigating to an anonymous classif

registration, generous payment.

mmering against her ribs.