LOGINDown in the lobby, the moment Vivian heard that Cecily was pregnant, the color left her face entirely."That woman — what gives her the right to carry Vince's child?!" The champagne flute in her hand was close to cracking under the pressure of her grip.She had been watching Vince and Cecily together all evening, the intimacy between them a continuous source of fury — and if Victor hadn't kept his hand firmly on her shoulder, she might have walked straight up to Cecily and slapped her. She'd wanted to wipe the arrogance off that face all night."Vivian — you need to understand. The moment Cecily carries Vince's child, marrying into the Boucheron family becomes even further out of reach for you." Victor's expression had also sobered."You don't need to tell me that, I know!" Vivian set her glass down on the small table beside the pool with a sharp click. A cold, vicious gleam moved through her eyes. "What do you think the chances are that Cecily's baby just... disappears?"Before Victo
Hearing from the corridor what had just been announced inside, his expression was the worst of anyone's. He leaned toward the person beside him and said, sourly: "Who's to say the girl hasn't just bribed that doctor — I think a proper hospital examination would be more convincing. Wouldn't want to be taken in by some clever girl who's gotten a doctor on her side and walked her way into the Boucheron family on a lie."If Cecily was actually carrying a child, Vivian's chances of marrying Vince were gone — and the whole series of plans the Quinn family had set in motion would become considerably harder.Grandpa Quinn didn't know Jeffrey by sight. But most people in this city did. The moment his words were out, someone beside him said with undisguised contempt: "If Ms. Harrison can buy off Jeffrey, then she's certainly capable enough to marry into the Boucheron family."Grandpa Quinn turned, already composing a retort — and found himself looking at a middle-aged man studying him with narr
"Helped move things along?" Adam's voice rose, with a bitter contempt underneath it. "Using medication to cause a miscarriage is not the same as going to a hospital for a procedure. Jessica — I can see exactly what kind of woman you are now. And do you think an explanation from you is enough to make me forgive everything you've done?" Adam gripped both hands into fists. "If you were still who you used to be, maybe there would still be some possibility for us. But neither of us is who we used to be.""What do you mean I'm not who I used to be?!" Jessica's crying and laughter merged into something half-wild. "What makes you so sure who I used to be? Adam Garcia — when a man stops cherishing you, stops loving you, a woman can only rely on her own methods to get what she wants. Who I was then and who I am now are exactly the same — the only difference is that then I had your love, and I could be a simple princess. But now you love someone else!""You say you've seen through me — do you th
The word "divorce" had left his mouth before he knew it. Adam had never once imagined that one day he would say it to the woman he had loved to the point of madness.As the dream he'd once held had drawn steadily closer to the reality in front of him, Adam could no longer deny what he already knew: he had changed. He had fallen for Cecily. He didn't know exactly when it had happened — only that he suffered when he thought of Cecily belonging to someone else, that the smallest piece of evidence made something flare to life inside him, that the smallest thing about Cecily could occupy his mind for hours. Whereas the woman in front of him — he no longer knew when it had happened, but the feeling from before was simply gone."Divorce?!" Jessica's body went rigid in an instant. The single word drove into her chest like a thousand poisoned arrows. She stumbled back two steps and stared at him in disbelief. "Adam — what did you say?"She'd barely gotten the words out before she was shaking h
"Oh, my back, it's agony—" Mrs. Quinn glared furiously at Cecily in Vince's arms. "It's all this woman's fault!""If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have fallen! And look at her now — performing, are we? Just a little tumble and she's carrying on like she was hit by a car! Pretty face, terrible character. What is she trying to pull — pinning this on me?! Young people these days — making a scene over a fall. I've never seen anyone this dramatic!""Mrs. Quinn — didn't you hear what that woman just said? Cecily wouldn't have fallen if you hadn't grabbed her. So how exactly does that become her fault?" Frank had followed in Vince's wake, and was now looking at Mrs. Quinn with undisguised contempt."My mother didn't mean anything by it. Low lighting, crowded room — she misjudged the distance." Victor's brow creased as he looked at Frank.Frank was mid-response when Vince's voice cut across: "Frank — go find Jeffrey. Tell him to come to the second floor."His voice was quiet, but the express
"Mrs. Quinn did say 'stop' — but without addressing me by name, and not in the tone one uses toward someone younger. So forgive me — I wasn't sure it was directed at me." Cecily returned this with complete composure, neither backing down nor pressing forward.Mrs. Quinn was stopped short by the response. Her chest rose and fell sharply."Sharp tongue, I see. Well — I've heard your mother passed away early and you weren't properly raised. That's to be expected. But this is a Boucheron family event, Ms. Harrison. You'd do well to keep your temper in check and not embarrass yourself."The mention of her mother in that tone — that was what Cecily could tolerate least of all. Her expression went a shade colder. Her mood was already unsettled, and she'd run out of any desire to soften her words. "My mother may have passed early, but you are still very much alive — perhaps direct the lesson toward your own daughter. What I do or don't do has nothing to do with you.""You—!" In the circles Mr







