Novels by Sylvia Miller

Elena's POVThe doctor finally releases us with care instructions and a prescription for children's pain medication. Julian is asleep in my arms, his sprained wrist wrapped in a blue bandage that makes him look so vulnerable.Alexander insists on driving us home, the silence in the car is suffocating.. I stare out the window watching the city lights blur past while holding Julian close.Julian wakes up halfway home, groggy and confused"Mama? Is Daddy mad?""No baby," I soothe, stroking his curls."Daddy's not mad.""Why doesn't Daddy live with us?" Julian asks with a child's brutal honesty."He's always gone."Alexander's hands tighten on the steering wheel, his knuckles going white."Daddy lives with us sweetheart," I say carefully. "He just works a lot, very important work.""Uncle Marcus doesn't work all the time.Julian says innocently, "He plays with me, he's funny, can Daddy play too?"I freeze, my blood running cold "When did you meet Marcus sweetheart?""Yesterday at the

Alexander's POVI watch Elena walk upstairs, her spine rigid with defiance, something dark and cold settles in my chest, not jealousy, just anger that my control is slipping.That she thinks she can defy me without consequences.In my office I pull out my phone, dial Thomas Grayson, my family lawyer picks up on the third ring."Alexander, it's late, what can I do for you?""I need to review the marriage contract, specifically the clauses about Elena's access to her foundation funds."Thomas is quiet for a moment, "What are you thinking?""I'm thinking my wife needs to remember who controls the money that runs her little charity project." I say it coldly, precisely, with no room for argument."I'll send over the documents now, give me ten minutes."I pour myself a scotch while I wait, the PDF arrives and I open it on my laptop, scroll through pages of legal language until I find what I'm looking for.The foundation is funded through a trust that I control.Elena has discretionary spen

Elena's POVThe restaurant in SoHo is beautiful, all exposed brick and soft lighting. I spot Marcus at a corner table and my stomach does a nervous flip…. he stands when he sees me, pulls out my chair before I can even reach for it."Thank you for meeting me." I say, sliding into the seat."Thank you for trusting me enough to come." Marcus replies, his smile warm and genuine.We order lunch and Marcus leans forward."Tell me about your foundation, I want to hear everything, what programs are you running, what's your vision."I blink, surprised, "You actually want to know about the work?""Of course, why wouldn't I?""Alexander never asks," the words slip out. "He funds it because it makes him look charitable but he's never once asked about the actual programs or the children we help."Marcus's face darkens…"Then he's a fool."Something in my chest loosens and I find myself really talking, about the mobile libraries we run in underserved neighborhoods, about the reading mentorship p

Alexander's POVThe surveillance footage plays on repeat on my laptop screen… Elena pacing her room at two in the morning, back and forth like a caged animal.She can't sleep and honestly I don't care, What irritates me is that she's making everything more complicated than it needs to be.I pour another scotch, my third tonight, lean back in my leather chair and watch her finally sit on the edge of her bed.Her head in her hands, she looks small on that screen, defeated, good, maybe she'll finally learn her place.My phone buzzes…..I check the calendar notification, back to back meetings tomorrow starting at seven, conference call with London at noon.Then the charity gala next week with Elena.We'll smile for cameras, play the perfect couple, pretend we don't hate each other.I dial my assistant James, he answers on the second ring."Mr. Harrington?""Clear my schedule for tomorrow night, I'm having dinner with Simone, make a reservation somewhere upscale, somewhere the photograph

Elena's POVThe photograph burns into my vision even after Alexander lowers his phone…. me and Marcus sitting across from each other at that café, our hands touching on the table."Care to explain this?" Alexander's voice is cold, businesslike, like he's addressing an employee who missed a deadline rather than confronting his wife.My mouth goes dry….I try to find words that will make this better but I know nothing will "It was just lunch, we talked about my literacy foundation, about potential partnerships for the children's programs.”"I don't care what excuse you've prepared," he cuts me off. "You lied about where you were going, you met with a man behind my back, that violates our arrangement."Something inside me snaps, four years of biting my tongue, four years of swallowing my anger. "Our arrangement? You mean this prison sentence you call a marriage? At least Marcus treats me like a human being, at least he looks at me when I'm talking."Alexander's face hardens, his jaw

Elena pov I stare at Marcus Rivera's business card for the tenth time this morning, my phone sitting on the bed beside me. I know I shouldn't call, I know it will make everything worse, but I can't breathe in this house anymore. I need to remember what it feels like to be treated like a person.It's been three days since the gala, three days since Alexander threatened me, three days since he's come home at all.I've seen the photos on every gossip site, Alexander with Victoria at some upscale restaurant, Alexander with Simone leaving a nightclub, the tabloids are calling it "Harrington's Hot Week" and I'm supposed to sit here and take it.Julian asks me every morning at breakfast. "Where's Daddy?" and I don't know what to tell him anymore. "Daddy's working baby" sounds hollow even to my own ears, my son is three years old and already learning that his father doesn't come home.I pick up my phone, stare at the card again, Marcus's number printed in elegant script, his words from t