Too Late, Ex-Fiancé: The Secret Heiress Shines

ra Hayes shifted her weight from one foot to the other, the thin soles of her heels offering no insulation from the

rgiving. 10:15 PM. No new messages. Fifteen minu

orman, gave her another apologetic look. It was the third ti

t felt like cracking ice

had perfected over the years. The phone call an hour ago hadn't even been from him. It was his number, but the v

"You can go in now, Ms. Hayes. But ju

exclusive and suffocating. Laughter spilled from the suite at the end of the

h velvet sofa. A woman Clara recognized from the society pages, Brooke Bloom, w

inside. The laughter died down as heads turned.

e was quiet, barely a whispe

f she were a stranger who had wandered in by mistake. "Who

r. "You called," she said, the words catch

I thought he might get cold later." Her eyes, sharp and malicious, raked over Clara's simple dress, a silent judgment th

t stared at her, his express

slush. This wasn't just an oversight or a miscommunic

t. Instead of turning to leave, she took a step forward. Her gaze locked

ng time, based on my standard consultation fee, is two hundred dollars per hour. You'

ooke's smug smile froze on her face. Eve

mself from Brooke. A flicker of something dark and ugly passed through his eyes. He stared a

, his voice soft but bruta

He had personally directed her humiliation. Brooke, recovering, pr

he wind from outside seemed to have foll

red-dollar bill and a twenty, and tossed them onto th

ting, to reduce her to not

ng in her chest. She held his gaze for a second longer, then turned. She forced her spine to stra

ng her alone in the cold, silent hallway. The muffled sound of