hone a few days after

raight to

ally answered, or a

ain later.

space. She was with her parents.

moved into a small, chic apartment he was paying for. She

n work, on a new ho

silence gn

all from his father. Art

d to talk. In m

a chill down E

her Eleanor was there to

wrong?" E

legal document across th

r said, his voice heavy. "

the document,

about it. That relic from a past mistak

red. "But... why? I told her

an, she sent proof. A video. Of you and that... t

is face. The video. He' d hoped..

affair before the ac

shares are already in motion. Your trust fund is frozen, effective imm

into a chai

of his shares. His tr

All

rely remembered, and a manipulat

ing for someone to blame. "She manipulated me. She sent

, Ethan. You made the choices that led to this. This C

perate edge to his voice. "She loves me. We can

eyes filled with a mixture of pity and disappointment. "T

ey will ensure it' s enforced. They have co

trapped.

ost a significant part o

uldn' t keep his

e desire for a thrill, an escap

t strength as she' d packed her bags,

for a visit. She' d bee

arrogance, hadn

al and personal crisis spread quick

oration stock dip

facade of control, but i

rying to salvage what he coul

Alex was a const

t him, to play the role o

fingers through his hair. "You still have me.

etty, calculating face, and

te, a symptom of

estrated Alex' s discovery of the video. She' d wanted

' d suc

destroyed any lingering appea

aced by a bitter taste of

Alone. Pushing Cassandra away

n and Will, tri

unshaven and reeking of alcohol in his sparsely furnished bachelor pa

han slurred. "Alex is g

y. "But wallowing in self-pity

an said, his voice hollow. "She inv

me her?" Ben

coul

an who loved him deeply. A

away for a cheap thrill,

e of ash

ing it now

ex slowly be

ck, providing quiet s

ng the Seine, filled with books and art and t

ask for details about Etha

he river, visiting museums, losing

her parents, intellectuals and artis

Her talent as a historical preservation architect found new expr

Ethan. The restraini

would have hit him hard. She didn' t allow hersel

in the Jardin du Luxembourg,

ing there, a camera in his han

d a slightly rugged look, as i

accented. "Forgive me for disturbing you.

That' s quite good. You have

lightly. "Thank you. I'

face for a moment. "You have a very expressive

' t used to this kind of

n' t know,"

"Just one. For my collec

wer, he' d raised hi

, lowering the cam

e image on the c

nt of quiet contemplation, a soft light on he

e hadn' t seen on her o

s very good,"

d. "May I treat you to a coffee? To th

back. "Alright, Julian Van

she had felt a flicker of someth

of hope. A