e private terminal. The jet that was supposed to ta

ountertop of the penthouse she once called ho

Ethan Carter, her husband,

. It was her bes

you d

rt," Olivia said,

elief on the other end. "Don't

ed the phone off, dropping it into her purse. It felt lik

terly report was a sea of black ink, record profits

ded, not looking at his

is scheduled to depart in thirty minutes,"

chair. He grabbed his

afternoon.

board me

he board. He didn't care about the company he had built from nothing. He only c

inute before she picked up a sleek, leather-bound folder from her own desk. She walked ca

ate garage, about to get

called out, her

of impatience. "What is it,

older. "It was delivered by Mrs. Carter's l

hand. He didn't want to see lawyers

words swam before his ey

a divorce. He felt a sharp, cold jab of panic, but his p

he was just trying

k and waiting. Without a second thought, he pulled a pen from his jacket

into his wallet, pulled out his primary credit card, and pushed

quickly masked by a look of concern. He didn't see th

the garage, the screech of his tires echoing in the concrete e

across her face. She looked down at the signed papers, then at

ssage to Olivia's lawyer

she had turned back on out of a moment's weak

hesitation. No

She had not expected this. This cold, swift dismissal. He hadn't even read it

even know she was holding onto died

r. It wasn't happiness, not yet. But it was th

through the lounge. Olivia stood up, smoothed down he

ours later, defeated. The plane was g

empty. He went to their bedroom. Her side of the closet was bare. H

d real

shared for five years. The enormity of her absence hi

sound from the guest win

erate, foolish hope. She was still here. S

m she never used. The door was slightly ajar. He

." Olivia's voice was calm, detached. "He threw a cre

fury. "That bastard. That

verything. I don't think I've loved him for a very long time, you k

his hand on

ve loved him for

per than any legal document. He felt the floor drop out

was t

off on it withou