rey

leg was in agony. I reached for my phone, my fingers fumblin

ers massive losses due to junior

N RUINS! CEO suffers

e stared back at me from a headline. Ethan Blake dow

Tears, hot and fresh, streamed down my face. My poor mother. She' d led such a sheltered life, always so happy, so tru

button, my hand sh

ey... it's all gone. The company is bankrupt. We have nothing left. Your f

ed, heartbroken, about the mountain of debt

thick with unshed tears. "I'll fix it. I

lve settling in my soul. I was

eavier cast, forcing me into a wheelchair. I arrived at th

ma'am," Maria, the nanny, told me softly

e truly didn' t care. Not a

con of hope in my desolate world. I scooped him up, holding him close, buryi

family is ruined. My father is in the ICU. Please,

I'm busy. Kendall needs me. And besides, busi

peacefully in my arms. "Please," I begged,

a pawn, Audrey. And I already told Kendall I

drop, rolled down my cheek. It was the last one I would ever shed

se. I dialed a number I hadn't called in three years. Ja

ystematically went through the house, collecting every gift Ethan had ever given me. The diamond necklace, the designe

t a small bonfire in the backyard, watching as the flames consumed our shared past. The s

stripped bare of my presence. No

ed. He looked surprised to see me, standing by the open fron

ou doing?" His voic

voice calm, emotionless. "They need me. You know,

morrow. And don't worry about the money. I won't press your father for repayment. Not yet, anyway." He grabbed a fe

nster, incapable of seeing beyond himself, still trying

nger. No pain. Just a chilling indifference. The ghost o

documents. My divorce certificate, finalized quietly and legally thanks to Jackson. And another document. A confident

d my lips. He had no idea what

e days, waited silently at the curb. The door opened. Jackson Shepherd, charismatic,

he asked, his v

ening on my son. "Ready