My vision swam as tears spilled over, dripping onto the glowing screen and distorting the cruel words, but never enough to erase them.
"Elise…" …" My voice cracked, a desperate whisper. I showed her the article anyway, like proof of the nightmare clawing at me.
She read fast—eyes skimming, narrowing, then finally glassing over with tears. Her face crumpled. She reached for me, pulled me against her with a fierceness that undid me completely.
"No, no, my daughter," she whispered into my hair, the words shaking with fury. "Not one word of this will be tolerated. Do you hear me? Not one."
Her arms locked around me, warm and trembling, while she barked orders over my head. "Call Adrien. Or Cameron. Now."
Her assistant, pale and fumbling, nodded and dialed from the passenger seat. Elise rocked me gently as I fought to breathe. My husband cheated on me.. my life is ruined. I ruined my family's life too.
