bags. Not like it's an entirely different ballgame from what Ivan has turned me into anyway. So when I was getting donned in a smoky dinner gown, beauti

e taken aback. It feels like I've just been shipped to my date for tonight but I r

l, looking outside at the floating lights on different bu

ranged in a heart shape lie on it amid a romant

gniting the words with sarcasm as I pick up

akes three steps forward, and while pulling out my chai

n his hazel orbs clinch mine. "Where are the spy cams?" I ask, hurling the particles of unease behind the fearless font my voice carries. "There has to be at least one watching us and wa

before sloping to meet mine again. "Well, there are CCTV cam

ged bedroom and here he is, yapping insensitively about something that co

n't wait to get it done with and leave. "Everything's finally comin

tion breezily, not quite foreseeing the "

ht how daft I could be if I didn't know that much. "What else would I be doing this for, your sake? Is that how desperately

, Laurel. I can't g

f on its own without

readed ending up in the kind of marriage like my mom's, being a bride starved of her husband's l

"Why did you marry me, Ivan? Why did you drag me into this mess?" I hate the w

you into it." His protruding finger changes directions

cepted it,"

mutual benefit in i

ip and let the truth leak into the open. "What do you want from me? What mutual benefit was there? W

fusion. "Your spot had to be taken to protect the Briggs group and me," he confesses, not a mote

disbelief. "It's still about you. It's always

anding before them, they look scornful, like he's silently mocking me. I feel like the many words left unspoken i

on us think it's an actual apology. But not only do I know better, but have learne

bvious truth in it adding stre

to?' is exactly what he's implying. And trust m

eyes away,

lly gets lost in the bouquet and admiration shrouds my senses on closing it on my gaze. Up close, it sure is a lovely work of art. Even my body members concur, and a tiny portion of my brain briefly hosts the thought that it wouldn't be so bad rec

in a spiritless

lm. Then I push the bouquet into his bosom violently, shoving him away from my path before pressing forward to sit on the seat behind him. This tim

the seat across from mine. To perhaps alert the servers, h

nd skirts emerge, both rolling out trays containing food and wine respectively. The red scarfs around their neck match their pe

ble on both sides as

ic plates before us. Simultaneously, our glasses are getting filled with a silver-colored beverage by the other lady. The glasses stand tall gracefully, their stem

. Before he throws a bullet that'll crumple all your resolve an

nows how to tread whe

ooking, I try to pick up my glass to drink from it and distract myself as I can still feel the heat from his gaze searing my side profile. The

rk my face forward to find the food server holding on to the base of the glass firm enough with

with both hands crossed in fr

he says, tipping

falls intrude our space as Aspe

nages to keep his cool, at least by not panting into Ivan's ears and making him

een a prob

is arrival, busy swirling his glass and watching its

completes, stretching fo

as he swiftly grabs the phone from

ering a word and just contorting his brows. In no time, his visage gets consumed by a livid expression.

ogether with it. Then his hand drops, and he extends

good

he floor. My hands jerk instinctively to grab the cup but it's too late now. All left are clinks,

ucing it to not