All Chapters of Once Discarded, I Married His Dearest Daddy: Chapter 61 - Chapter 64

The diesel fumes from the massive straddle carriers were thick today, mixing with the heavy, greasy smell of low-tide salt water and wet concrete. The primary container terminal at Nice was a total labyrinth of rusted corrugated iron and massive steel boxes stacked four high against the blue sky. The heat was unforgiving by midday. It came down off the corrugated roofs in waves, cooking the pavement until the tar felt soft and sticky under a man's shoes.Diane walked along the edge of Section B with a slow, systematic stride that completely ignored the dust blowing off the gravel yard.She looked entirely untouched by the port, her eyes hidden behind those oversized sunglasses. A young terminal intern from the transit office walked half a step behind her, desperately trying to hold a massive white canvas sun umbrella over her head to shield her pale skin from the Mediterranean glare. She stayed entirely in the shade, looking cool, almost chillingly detached from the grit of the yar

The clock on the dashboard of his car was glowing a harsh blue. It said 3:42 AM. The heavy leather folder sitting on the passenger seat next to him felt like it weighed fifty pounds. Marcus dragged a shaking hand down his face. His eyes were burning like someone had poured sand directly under his eyelids. He had spent the last seven unbroken hours cross-referencing the new Vandermeer routing codes just like she demanded. Every single number was perfectly aligned. Every column checked twice. He had skipped dinner. He hadn't even had a glass of water since 2 o'clock.Damien wanted the finalized manifests on his desk before the early morning executive meetings. He didn't have a choice. He had to deliver them tonight.The security gates of the estate hummed open with a low mechanical whine. Marcus drove his car up the winding path. The gravel driveway crunched loudly under his tires. It sounded way too loud in the dead of the night. The massive villa was mostly dark. Just the low secu