LOGINThe striking, facial structure. Sydney is an absolute, undeniable replica of the woman in the vintage photograph—Tobias’s mother. The almost psychotic protectiveness Tobias has shown toward Sydney from the very first moment he met her. The massive financial safety nets he threw under her, the fact
Before I can even open my mouth to apologize for breaking into his house, Tobias speaks. His voice is incredibly quiet, completely devoid of its usual sharp authority, yet it carries a heavy, haunting weight that pins me right to the carpet. "For years..." he murmurs, his finger continuing its slow
I stand frozen on the gravel path, the engine of Sydney’s departing car roaring in my ears. I watch the taillights of her vehicle bounce over the cemetery threshold, disappearing completely from sight, and with every inch of distance she puts between us, my heart shatters into a million jagged, irre
My throat locks up. I’ve seen Owen angry, I’ve seen him arrogant, and I’ve seen him lethal in a courtroom. But I have never seen him cry like this. "I am so sorry for leaving you in that jail cell, Sydney," he whispers again, his voice cracking completely now as he stares down at my lips. "I know n
The second Owen’s fingers touch the chrome handle of his sleek black sedan, I violently twist out of his reach. I yank myself away from his side, clutching the lapels of his oversized designer suit jacket against my chest like a shield. He freezes, his hand dropping from the door as he whips his he
My stomach completely drops. The press. The paparazzi who were banned from the main service have already spotted the commotion from the outer gates. Long, heavy camera lenses are already poking through the iron bars, the rapid, machine-gun clicking of shutters filling the air as they capture every
"Tell me, Mrs. Newton," Henderson, Deckard's lawyer, begins. "Did you ever actually see my client and his stepmother, Georgia, in bed together? With your own eyes?" This is our first court proceeding, and honestly, it's a more intimidating experience than I thought it would be. I swallow hard, my
"I said take them inside," he repeats. He doesn't let me touch them; instead, he snaps his fingers, signaling for one of the groundskeepers. "When I say 'take them inside,' I mean call someone to do it for you. You’ve barely recovered from a fever, and you’re out here hauling luggage in the sun? Use
"Oh my...oh my God..." I’m standing on the sidewalk outside Owen’s law firm, my chest heaving as I gasp for air that feels far too thin. My ears are ringing with the echo of Georgia’s cooing voice, and all I can see is the image of her draped over Owen’s lap like she belonged there. Was he playi
I can't help it, I actually chuckle. The sheer audacity of this woman is breathtaking. "Let me get this straight," I say, leaning back. "You’re sleeping with her husband. You’ve been outed as the 'other woman.' And yet, you’re unhappy that she wants to leave? I would have thought you’d be thrilled







