Aurora stood before the mirror in Adrian’s private office, dressed not in glittering silk or evening gowns, but in a tailored suit of midnight blue. Her hair was pulled back into a sleek chignon, her makeup sharp, commanding.

She didn’t look like a fallen bride. She looked like a CEO.

Adrian watched from across the room, his jacket draped casually over the arm of his chair. His gaze lingered on her not with admiration, but with assessment, as though he were watching a weapon being ...