e, rereading Mira's mes

. Please. I didn't kno

h

ust D

essing into her ears like a warning. She thought she had done the right thing-taking the b

ad all

Mira. Maybe

a shield. She

ng, their mother's cold voice demanding silence, her father pacing with clenched fists, muttering about

expec

me like a

yes and too many documents. Aria stood there in a cream-colored dress someone else had picked f

l dressed

yer said, sliding a prenuptia

It was more than just a

mission. No emotional claims or accusations. One chi

rriage. It was

e signed page after page. What was there to say? He

ven look at her

take Dorian Calderon to

she told herself

nutes. No kiss. N

gle nod from Dorian before

ity like a silent predator, it overlooked the skyline with towering glass windows

lik

ng ahead without waiting for her. "I don't want noi

her small suitcase in

r, eyes narrowi

d," she said quietly. "Am I

is composure cracked-just slightly.

r more than if he had

as a woman. He saw

olu

wasn't hers. Nothing in this place was. She sat on the edge of t

ever felt

She stood quickly and ope

here, eyes r

be here," Aria

," Mira whispered

her and crossed her arms.

s far. I thought... I thought once you took th

pregnant woman. You fled the scene. You cried and hid and let them co

ith tears. "I didn't mean to-I wasn't even

d to a man who hate

to do this. Mom and Dad... they made the deal. They said you

stomach

sold

d slowly.

too late

in the end, you're still free. You still get to ch

the ringless hand

who doesn't even

denly, desperate. "I'll talk t

d up sharply. "Y

ut

k he married me out of mercy? He wants revenge.

e. "Then what do

her dead i

ct little life. And never

h, then closed it. A

a let herself fall to h

this

ain had hardened i

ing sh

rything-her freedom,

d not give u

arn that his new wife was no

in the unfamiliar bed

up ins

oorway, watching her

g," he said col