ISTA

an

asually walked into my territory as though time had never changed what had happened

my memory, yet the sight of her sparked nothing. No

ed the nights when rage had kept me awake, when ambition was all I had to dull the sting she left behind. But standing there, watchi

me with that gleam of pretense. The day she left me was

she uttere

ts power over me. Once, I would have bled f

, and empty of warmth. She had come expecting the ghost of the man she destroyed.

d slowly swiveled it, comple

a gentle smile. "It

came out ice-cold.

the crack in her composure. She may have expected anger fro

d tightened aroun

ered softly, her eyes fix

y back instantly. My expr

ears, she came back

ns billion-dollar projects. Your apol

way they always did whe

she whispered, h

eaned back again. "I've on

the warmth that used to be there. "You rea

ground, and I never wished to revisit that old memory. It would only flare my hatred-not toward her, but toward m

lked away. I don't reread discarded pages." My t

ined of colo

hand, sil

r presence is an inconvenience." M

I didn't spare her another glance. I simply lowered my

heard the click of her heels retreating, fo

ing at the papers witho

ld erase memory as easil

*

IS

ence. It was already past eight in the evening, and I was running on nothing bu

usekeeper Xia was

Madam," he bowe

forget for a day. It seemed like my workplace would be the

ed a qui

dma asleep already?" I asked out of

would you like for dinner? I wil

"It's alright. I had dinner at the cafeteria. I wa

he bowed again, and

when I neared the master bedroom, my steps s

wisted the doorknob. When the doo

the devil was

er I was done, my body collapsed onto the sofa I h

ess. I frowned and opened my eyes-only for my heart to nearly jump out of my chest. Alistair's face hovered

hard enough to send him off balance. He actually stu

hock. How could a man

when his eyes shot back to me. That's when I noticed the faint flush on his cheek

runk Alistair Montgom

ith that charismatic smirk.

. Throwing your husband to the grou

t the ruthless man who terrified all of New York. This version of

," I muttered

mooth. "Tiring day at the hospital, wasn't it

instantly. "Y–y

catching my wrist with surprising steadiness for

look more awa

iskey, and sandalwood clung to him-sharp and intoxicating. But his teasing tone was

ild beating of my heart. But he suddenly tensed. He pulle

nd the inevitable happened-h

e in h

eople, Alistair Montgomery's perfect

hat, wiping his mouth with dis

e run a