ris

ially when the person you're betraying is sta

arriage was the start of something real. Every tender look, every soft touch-it all made it

o set the first real cra

et words, all in the name of winning me back. If only he knew. I caught my reflection in the mirror-poised,

aron was on the phone, his voice low and se

've got everything under control. The d

d. *Not

giving me that soft, familiar smile. The smile that once had

he phone, hanging up as I approached. "

my arms as I looked down at him. "Couldn't sle

e been overwhelming since the wedding, but I'm do

cial reports, contracts, documents that represented everything he had worked for-everything I planned to destroy. I lift

I asked, keepin

me documents for an acquisition we'r

to be impressed. "Seems like y

at's the nature of the business. Everything is fast-pace

ng my lips curve into a slight s

are that the woman standing before him was t

g to my own space upstairs. It was time to

ad already made contact with some of Aaron's competitors-men who were eager for the opportunity to exploit his

omputer the night before. It was the blueprint of a major acquisition deal Aaron was wo

anym

hing over me. This was only the beginning. Aaron had taken everything from me-my fam

y seat, feeling the cool steel of v

pressed to his ear as I watched from the doorway. He hadn't no

nto the phone, his voice tense. "The deal was

ile. The cracks were al

ion evident in every movement. "No, I don't

end of the call. "I'll look into it," he finall

or a moment, I saw the exhaustion in his eyes-an exhaustion that, n

epping into the room as if I had

not right. I was working on a deal, a big one, and

ned wife, even though inside, I was relishing his con

led. "I don't know. It's possible.

ed looked like a supportive smile

is eyes. I watched as he picked up his phone again, dialing another

down the hall, the satisfaction of knowing I was the one orchestrating his downfall gr

were falling apart, more meetings canceled. The stress was starting to show on his face-dark circles

ed to Robert today," he said, his voice low. "He thinks something

fusion. "Your past? What does tha

glancing away. "I

carefully. "You can tell me, A

up. But before he could say anything, his phone buzzed with a me

was burning with curio

this time with Robert. I pressed myself against the wall

s voice crackled through the spe

chest. What secret was Aaron hidi