essly stirring a bowl of oatmeal. The sharp click-clack of

e Hermès scarf, her face a mask of aristocratic disdain. She didn

ken glass. "Five years, and still nothing. My friends are al

past, she would have mumbled an apology.

Eleanor's cold gaze. "W

ur background should know how to secure her position. Or did y

soned dart. "My background?" Ale

ucky Damien chose you. Your only duty is to provide th

had been burning inside her for week

know that Damie

r a second-before the mask of disdain

man he parades around. If she's so important to him, why

. She is delicate. Damien treasures her too much

. "But it's fine to make me go through it year after year? To make me take hormones that make me sick, to

" Eleanor cut in.

e the heir? Why does it have to be a son? Is whether it's a boy or a girl

tiless eyes. "The trust is clear. O

ive him another girl, will that be enough? Or will you k

dramatic," El

almost died on that operating table. And not one person-not Damien, not you, not a single person

ke that?" Eleanor slammed her hand o

. She was already pregnant, but she had no intention of telling her. She could not let thi

ice. He saw the confrontation and his brow furrowed-not in con

would have. She looked at him as if he were

began, her voice

over Alex coldly, without a trace of concern. "I don't hav

r's cheek. "I'm off to the office, M

strode toward the door without

chair, ran out of the dining room, and caught up with hi

" she ca

of pure irritation. "What no

at looked at Seraphina with such warmth-and spoke e

redulous amusement spread across his face. He ste

his voice low and mocki

y a piece of lint. "You're being emotional. Go buy a new

sider it a possibility. To him, her pain,

, slid into the backseat

the long drive, leaving Alex stan

it that a shopping trip could cure. But the truth was far from it. She would pro