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Anneliese Claude's friend had claimed she saw Zacharias Shaw walking into a hotel with the other woman, the two of them acting far too close. Anneliese had simply laughed it off. "That's got to be a mistake." Zacharias? Cheat on her? They had grown up side by side. Thirteen years of history, loyalty, and a bond so deep it felt unshakable. Just last month, he had rented out the biggest digital screen in Oceaton for her birthday. His love declaration played on a loop for the entire city. That kind of devotion didn't just vanish. Besides, they were trying to have a baby now. She had just gotten her pre-pregnancy test results. Everything looked good. The second she saw the report, she headed straight to his office to share the good news. She stepped out of the elevator that led straight to the top floor. But someone was already standing there, blocking her path. "You can't be up here without an appointment!" the girl snapped, her chin slightly lifted. She wore a bright yellow dress. She looked young, sharp, and a little too confident. Her face seemed vaguely familiar. She stood with both hands out, clearly trying to keep Anneliese from getting past. "Coral, this is Ms. Claude. She's also Mr. Shaw's wife." Jackie rushed over, his tone tight. "Apologize." Coral looked stunned for a moment, then straightened her spine and said with a sugary tone, "Good afternoon, Ms. Claude. I'm Coral Slenderidge. Mr. Shaw is sponsoring my studies. "I'm lucky he let me intern here. I didn't get any message about a guest, so I followed procedure. I hope you understand." She sounded polite, but there was an edge in her voice. A quiet kind of challenge. Anneliese didn't respond. Her eyes dropped to Coral's hands. "Nice polish," she replied, flat and calm. That dusty blue shimmer was the same shade she'd seen on Zacharias' pinky last night while they were cooking. She had asked about it. He said it was ink. She hadn't thought much of it then. Now, Coral quickly tucked her hands behind her back. She turned her head slightly, but not fast enough. Anneliese saw it. A dark, deep mark was pressed into the skin behind her ear. A hickey. With faint bite marks around it. She knew that spot. Zacharias always kissed her there. He buried his face behind her ear when he couldn't hold back. His voice would get low, thick with want. "Honey… when will you finally be ready? I want you so bad it hurts…" Her body had been through so much. She had suffered serious damage years ago, and doctors told her getting pregnant would be nearly impossible. Zacharias said he was allergic to condoms. They were always too busy, too tired. They had been married for two years, and still had never gone all the way. Each time he went to cool off in the shower, she had felt torn—guilty, touched, and thankful. So, when he asked for a baby, when he gently told her to quit her job and focus on her health, she agreed without hesitation. For six months, she endured the endless checkups. But deep down, she had looked forward to it. Tonight was supposed to be their real wedding night. She had even gone out and bought lingerie—something she would never normally wear. But now she knew the truth. Zacharias hadn't been cherishing her. He had already gone to someone else for what she couldn't give. Her friend's warning, her blind trust, everything hit her all at once like a brick to the chest. She stood still as stone. "Ms. Claude, Mr. Shaw is with Mr. White. You can go in," Jackie said softly as he pulled Coral aside. Anneliese walked forward, her heels tapping steadily against the polished floor. She reached the office door and pushed it open just enough to hear. A man was speaking inside. "Having a lookalike is fine, but keeping her so close is just asking for trouble. What if Anneliese finds out?" It was Christopher White's voice. Anneliese froze. Her fingers turned ice-cold against the doorknob. Zacharias' betrayal was real. And Christopher—her own brother—already knew. Zacharias replied. His voice was low and calm, steady as always. "Don't worry. Anne trusts me. She loves me. She's obedient. She won't leave. She's focused on getting pregnant. She won't notice a thing." Each word cut deeper than the last. Christopher's voice returned. "Let's not forget, Selina paid someone to hurt her. Anneliese got stabbed twice. Her uterus was nearly destroyed. Everyone in Oceaton knows she can't have kids. "If you hadn't proposed, whisked her out of the country, and kept her happy, we wouldn't have had time to clean up after Selina. "If Selina had gone to prison because of her, her life would've been over. You really went the extra mile for her. "Selina's proud. She doesn't like competition. She's nothing like Anneliese. If she finds out you found a stand-in who looks just like her, she'll lose her mind." "It's just a fling. Selina's coming back soon. I'll get rid of the stand-in before then." "Alright. Just handle it right." Anneliese's hand trembled. Her legs felt weak. Her vision blurred as the pain crushed her chest. It felt like her heart was being torn apart, like fingers were digging in, squeezing, ripping it into pieces. Her back curled from the weight of it. Her breath came short. Her knees nearly buckled under her. She was the true daughter of the Whites, yet they didn't bring her home until she turned seventeen. No matter how polite or thoughtful she was, no matter how hard she tried to please them, her parents and her older brothers always favored the fake—Selina White. The only person who truly cared for her was Grandma. When Anneliese turned eighteen, Grandma gave her the family's heirloom bracelet. Selina couldn't stand it. She cried and screamed nonstop until their parents gave her a fifty-million-dollar mansion just to calm her down. Not long after that, Anneliese was heading home one night when a group of thugs cornered her. They yanked her into a dark alley. She fought back with everything she had, but they stabbed her twice. She lay there bleeding, her clothes soaked. When the attackers ran off, she crawled toward the street alone, dragging herself out of that alley for help. She was rushed to the hospital, barely hanging on. The doctors almost had to take her uterus. The story exploded online and on every news outlet. "Did you hear? The real White daughter got gangbanged and lost her uterus!" "She's useless now. Can’t have kids. She was already crude—now she's totally ruined. Who'd want her?" "How many guys went at her? If I were her, I'd have jumped in a river by now." The mockery spread like wildfire. The shame never let up. And through it all, Zacharias was the only one who stood by her side. While the whole city tore her apart, he stepped forward and said he loved her. Right after her eighteenth birthday, he got down on one knee and proposed in front of everyone. He took her on a trip. He stayed close and helped her heal. She had almost drowned as a child, and it was Zacharias who had jumped in to save her. After that, she stuck to him like a shadow. She already had feelings for him, and after that, she gave him her heart completely. Even when her family disapproved, she stayed by his side. He had nothing, but she didn't care. She worked with him through the hardest years—through the tiny basement they lived in, through all the sleepless nights. She didn't complain once. Two years later, they finally got married. Even after that, he stayed gentle. Their love stayed strong. They began planning for a baby. Everything felt like a dream. Anneliese thought Zacharias was her light, her miracle, the beautiful answer to all the pain life had thrown her. But then she saw the truth—Zacharias had always loved Selina. That was why Coral's face had felt so familiar. She had that soft, fragile look Selina wore so well. So, the love confession, the public proposal, the marriage—none of it was for Anneliese. It was all to shield Selina. To serve her. To protect her. How noble of him. And what did that make Anneliese? A sacrifice for their love story? A stand-in for the girl they worshipped? Should she thank them for wrapping her up in this pretty little lie? A voice broke through from behind the door. "Who's there?" Zacharias spoke, his voice low and cold. He pushed back from the desk and walked to the door, his eyes dark and sharp. He flung the heavy doors open and looked around with a tense glare, but the hallway outside was empty. His brow furrowed. Jackie came jogging down the corridor. "Who just passed through here?" Zacharias' voice was tight. Jackie froze under his stare, unsure what had happened. He didn't dare lie. "Mr. Shaw, the madam came by. She bumped into Coral. Looked like she got upset. You didn't see her?" "Anneliese was here?" Christopher stepped forward, his expression tightening. Zacharias' jaw locked. A sudden unease shot through his chest. His tone turned cold. "Check the security footage. Now." Chapter 2 Divorce And Goodbye "What are you all standing around for?" Her voice rang out from the terrace. Soft. Clear. Familiar. Anneliese stepped through the glass doors with her phone in her hand. Her eyes were calm. Her face gave nothing away. Zacharias and Christopher exchanged a quick glance. Their shoulders relaxed. They knew how much Anneliese valued her family. If she had heard what they said, she wouldn't be this quiet. She would have been sobbing, shouting, falling apart. Zacharias smiled faintly and walked over to take her bag. "It's nothing. Why didn't you come in right away?" He looked sharp and effortlessly put-together, dressed in a dark gray bespoke suit that hugged his tall frame just right. His presence commanded attention, not because he tried, but because success had settled into his every move. Clauderias Tech had skyrocketed in just a few years. Its value had passed ten billion, and Zacharias, not even twenty-seven, had already made a name for himself as one of the rising stars in Oceaton's tech scene. There was something magnetic about him. That quiet confidence. That polished charm. He didn't need to chase anyone. A little warmth, a soft smile, and most women folded easily. Anneliese's hands were trembling. Her skin felt cold to the touch, but Zacharias didn't seem to notice at all when his hand brushed past hers. What are you doing here, Anneliese? Why keep chasing something that's fake? Anneliese thought. She forced a smile. "I got a call. Thought I'd take it outside so I wouldn't interrupt you." Zacharias relaxed instantly. Christopher, still stiff with impatience, didn't hold back "If you're going to be a stay-at-home wife, then stay at home. Don't just show up here without notice. If you really have to come, book ahead. You're always careless. Your sister never acts like this." If it had been Selina, they would've welcomed her with open arms. No matter what she did, it was seen as thoughtful, graceful, perfect. Anneliese kept her voice even. "You're right." Christopher frowned. She used to talk back. She used to get defensive or do something dramatic just to prove she wasn't any less than Selina. But now she didn't argue. She didn't say much at all. That silence stung more than anything else. It made him feel like she didn't even see him. He decided she was just being her usual pitiful self—dull and forgettable. "You two haven't been home in a while," he added. "Come back for dinner tomorrow. Mom and Dad need to talk to you both." Zacharias nodded. "Alright. I'll bring Anne." Christopher turned and left without another glance. Zacharias guided her into his office and closed the door behind them. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "What's the occasion? Did my sweet wife miss me?" he said with a soft laugh. That familiar cedar scent clung to his skin. Anneliese pressed her hand lightly to his chest, her eyes falling on the bag he held. Inside was the test result she'd picked up that morning. It showed she was finally healthy enough to try for a baby. But now, there was no point in bringing it up. She leaned away without meaning to. Her body didn't lie. Zacharias frowned slightly. "What's going on with you?" She lifted her head. Part of her wanted to slap him. She wanted to rip away the lies, to break the pretty mask he wore. But violence wouldn't fix anything. She needed to walk away, to leave the Whites behind, the truth about what Selina had done to her, and most of all, justice. "Will I always be less than Selina?" she asked. Zacharias paused. So that was what she'd been holding in. He reached out and tapped her forehead. "You don't need to compare yourself to her." The words sounded gentle, but they split down the middle. He might have meant that she was incomparable or that she didn't even come close. Anneliese used to believe the first. Now, she knew better. She saw clearly now. Zacharias was an expert at making emptiness sound sweet. A knock echoed at the door. Coral stepped inside with two cups of coffee. Anneliese moved away from Zacharias and sat on the couch. Coral placed a cup on the table in front of her, then walked across the room and handed the second one to Zacharias. "Here's your coffee, Mr. Shaw," she said softly. As he reached for the cup, her fingers skimmed his palm. The gesture looked casual, but it wasn't. Her nails grazed lightly across his skin. "Ms. Slenderidge, right?" Anneliese said suddenly. Coral froze. The room felt like it dropped in temperature. Zacharias' jaw tightened. His fingers gripped the coffee cup harder than before. He looked at Anneliese, who gave him a slow, relaxed smile. "I just want juice. The medicine I'm taking isn't great with caffeine. That's all. Why do you both look so nervous?" Zacharias didn't hesitate. "Go get her some juice." His voice was calm, but the warning behind it was clear. He didn't even need to raise his tone. The look in his eyes said enough. Coral's face turned pale. She bit down on her lip and spoke quickly. "I'm sorry, Madam. I'll bring you juice right away." She grabbed the coffee and rushed out, heels tapping across the marble floor as she disappeared through the door. Anneliese watched her go, her eyes steady and unreadable. She didn't look away until Zacharias stepped into her line of sight and blocked it with his broad frame. She gave a small smile. "She can't even handle a simple drink order. Since when did you become so patient with interns?" Zacharias' face relaxed. A moment ago, he thought something was off. Now, hearing her talk like this, he decided she was just being petty. Just jealousy, nothing more. He leaned over, one hand pressed against the couch's backrest. His voice turned playful. "Getting jealous? She's a sponsored poor girl. She's still young and doesn't know any better. Why are you even bothered?" Young? Anneliese thought. Zacharias must have forgotten—Anneliese was only twenty-two herself. At eighteen, she was already standing beside him, helping him build everything from the ground up. Back then, Clauderias Tech was nothing more than a tiny team of fewer than ten people. She started as his assistant, worked long hours, solved endless problems, and by the time she resigned, she was heading the PR department on her own. She remembered one time when a client humiliated her during a pitch. She had run off to cry alone in a stairwell. Zacharias had found her and told her something without a flicker of sympathy. "Anneliese, you chose to step into the real world early. That means you better get used to being hit hard. No one's going to coddle your mistakes or moods." She used to think he was pushing her to grow. She thought maybe he cared in his own way. Now she knew the truth. He had always known how to be kind—he just never chose to be kind to her. ... When Anneliese stepped outside the building, the strength drained from her all at once. Her knees buckled, and she sank onto a bench near the curb. She dropped her head into her hands, breath caught in her throat. Her calm began to fall apart. Bit by bit, the hurt and anger took over, sinking into her chest like cold steel. Her heart, already cracked, felt like it was caving in. The sun slipped lower. Faded light scattered through the gray sky. A chill breeze swept through the street, carrying fine raindrops that clung to her skin. Dry leaves drifted down and scattered across the road. Cars rolled over them, grinding them into the wet pavement. They looked like everything she had clung to—love, family, pride—all crushed and dirty. She didn't know how long she sat there, shaking. Her body trembled until it began to still. She lifted her head and pulled out her phone. She didn't hesitate as she tapped a number and held the phone to her ear. The call connected after one ring, but no words came out of her mouth. A calm voice came through the line. "Anneliese? I'm here." That sound hit something deep in her. Familiar, but distant. Her chest tightened. "George, I'm sorry to bother you this late. I just wanted to ask... can I still join the Project eVTOL research lab?" Her voice was barely more than a whisper. Her cheeks flushed with shame. She had no idea if she even deserved to ask. She had entered Astoria University at fifteen as a gifted aeronautical student. By junior year, she had already made breakthroughs in sensor-fusion algorithms. Her designs helped drones avoid obstacles with higher accuracy and stability. She used that research for wildfire detection. The drone she designed became one of the most advanced search-and-rescue models of its time. Even the professors had been blown away. They filed a patent for her. They offered her a fast track into grad school. The department head took her on as his final disciple. Her future had been bright, solid, and already unfolding. She even launched Superbflight Aviation with her senior classmates, a startup focused on lightweight aerial cameras. But four years ago, she gave all of that up for Zacharias. She walked away from school, from the lab, from everything. Her professor hadn't forgotten her. Two years ago, he flew to Oceaton himself and personally invited her to join the eVTOL project. She said no again. Now, she regretted it. All of it. She bit her lip until she tasted blood, but George's voice remained just as warm. "Of course. I told you, if you ever wanted to come back, we'd be ready. When can you come? I'll book your flight. Would tomorrow be too soon?" Anneliese felt a strange warmth bloom in her chest. "What about Professor..." "Oh, come on. You know how he is. Just show up. Give him a surprise. Once he sees you, he'll forget whatever grudge he's holding. And if he doesn't, cook him dinner. If that doesn't work, cook him two." She laughed through her tears. "I'll cook every day if I have to. I just need one month to sort out some things here. Is that okay?" "Of course it is. We'll wait." "Thank you. Really." She ended the call and sat in silence. The weight pressing down on her chest finally lifted. One month. She would get a divorce. She would leave this city. She would return to the life that was hers all along. She looked up, her vision clear. At that moment, a black Bentley passed by on the road. The back window was cracked open. Inside, a young girl was straddling a man's lap. Her arms wrapped around him, and their kiss burned through the cold, as if autumn had nothing to do with them at all. Chapter 3 Don't Even Think About It If he had just turned his head, even for a second, he would've seen her—his wife, sitting alone at the edge of the sidewalk, drenched in the rain, shaking from the cold, her eyes completely empty. However, he didn't. He was too lost in the thrill. That young girl in his arms lit him up with something new. In that moment, he forgot he had a home, a wife, or a past. Anneliese watched the car fade into the city's neon blur. Then, she stood. She reached into her purse, pulled out the fertility report, and tore it apart piece by piece. Her fingers moved slow and steady. When she was done, she walked to a nearby trash bin and dropped the shreds in. Then, she turned and walked the other way. The night had deepened, and the misty rain still fell. Even the busy business district had gone quiet. At the corner, an old lady squatted on the curb. Her white hair clung to her skin under the streetlight, and rain misted across her thin coat. A few bunches of flowers rested by her feet. Life was hard. Love meant nothing. Anneliese slipped off her wedding ring. She stepped toward the old lady and gently took her hand. She placed the ring into her palm and folded her fingers over it. "It's raining. You should go home." The old lady said nothing. Anneliese didn't wait for a reply. She turned and walked away. … Two minutes later, a black Phantom pulled up to the curb. The driver's door opened, and a man stepped out. His leather shoes tapped the pavement, polished and narrow, catching the streetlight as he moved. His suit pants lifted slightly as he stepped forward, revealing dark socks and sharp, lean ankles. He stood tall. His frame filled the sidewalk as he opened a black umbrella and walked straight to the old lady. He reached down and steadied her as she tried to rise. Her voice wavered. "Don't be upset, Jonathan. I didn't expect the rain. I'm still healthy. A little water doesn't bother me." She explained that she had left a concert. On the way back, her driver had accidentally knocked down a flower seller. He took the girl to the hospital, so she waited here since the company building was nearby. She figured her grandson, the workaholic, could come get her. However, when she saw the chill in his eyes, her words slowed. Suddenly, she remembered the ring. She fumbled to push it into his hand. "A young woman gave this to me by mistake. She walked away before I could say anything. Quick, go after her! She went that way!" She pointed toward the street. Jonathan Fullbuster—the old lady's grandson—looked where she indicated and spotted a faint silhouette. A slim figure walked into the lights and fog, her form fading with each step. "Get in the car." He helped his grandmother into the back seat. He turned up the heat, spread out a blanket, and waited until she was settled. Then he shut the door and took off after the girl. His stride was steady, long, and determined. The figure ahead became clearer. She walked at a calm pace, straight into the rain. Her mist-blue coat clung to her back, soaked clean through. Her waist looked small, almost fragile. She held herself upright. Her whole presence felt distant, as if nothing in this noisy world could touch her. She turned the corner and disappeared into the night. By the time Jonathan caught up, she was gone. The long street stretched ahead, still and empty. Light reflected in the puddles, casting blurred shapes across the sidewalk. It felt like she had never been there at all. … Back in the car, the old lady leaned toward him. "Well?" "I didn't catch her." She scowled. "You run an airline and pilot your own planes, and you couldn't catch one girl?" "Grandma, your logic is a little off." "Don't get smart with me. I'm disappointed. That girl was beautiful and kind! Why didn't you show up five minutes earlier? You might've met her! You have no idea how perfect you two would be together!" "She's married," he replied, holding up the ring. It looked like a wedding band. The old lady didn't take it. She shoved it back toward him. "So what? She took it off, didn't she? That means something. You'd better go find her and give it back." Jonathan turned the ring between his fingers. The soft pink diamond caught the dim light and glimmered like a secret. It feels weird… holding a stranger's wedding ring. His grandmother stared him down. He gave in and tossed the ring onto the center console and let out a quiet sigh. A faint smile tugged at the edge of his lips. His sharp profile looked softer in the dark. "Well, I appreciate your faith in me." "I don't care. That ring's worth at least a million. You're going to find that girl and return it. Got it?" "Got it, Your Majesty." He answered without conviction, but his eyes still flicked to the ring. What a headache, he thought. ... Anneliese didn't check her phone until she was in the back of the cab. Only then did she see the message Zacharias had sent two hours ago. "Honey, something came up. Not coming home tonight. Sleep early." She didn't reply. She swiped away the pinned chat. Then she deleted the contact name "Hubby" and changed it to something else. The bedroom looked like it had been staged for a photo shoot. Roses covered the floor, their petals trailing from the doorway to the bed in a winding path of red. Anneliese had dressed the bed in her favorite silk set, a soft shade of yellow that reminded her of buttercups in early spring. She had gone all in. Every corner felt warm and full of promise. But now, it felt like a cruel joke. She stormed in and ripped the sheets off in one hard pull. Petals scattered across the floor, tumbling in every direction like confetti after a failed celebration. … The next morning, the doorbell kept ringing. The sound clawed at her skull. Her head throbbed, her temples pounding in sync with every buzz. She forced herself downstairs and opened the door. Jessica Sweeting stood there with fury all over her face. Before Anneliese could say a word, Jessica pulled her into a tight hug and started shouting. "That j*rk! *sshole! He can forget about becoming the richest man now! "He's got another woman in his heart, treats you like a stand-in, and still manages to fool everyone into thinking he's such a good guy. D*mn. That's some next-level manipulation. "What storm drain did he crawl out of? Who let him loose to wreck people's lives? "I swear, I hope he lives long enough to regret everything. May he stay infertile forever, and still have grandkids he doesn't deserve!" Jessica's mouth didn't stop. Each curse came harder than the last. Anneliese pulled her inside, guided her to the couch, and poured her a glass of water. Jessica downed it in one long gulp. When she looked at Anneliese again, she noticed the dark circles under her eyes and the tired slump in her shoulders. She stopped yelling and dug through her bag for a stack of photos. "Annie…" "I'm fine. Just show me what you've got." Anneliese gave her a weak smile and took the pictures. She had tried to prepare herself. But the moment her eyes landed on the photos, her chest went tight. Zacharias had Coral tucked away in a private villa just a few streets from his company. They walked around together like a couple on vacation, bold and casual, with their hands locked like they had nothing to hide. In one photo, taken just before dusk, Coral had her legs wrapped around his waist as he carried her into the villa. Her body pressed close. Her expression smug. On her private social account, Coral showed off designer bags—bags identical to the ones Zacharias had given Anneliese. In her latest post, Coral wore a diamond bracelet. Her fingers rested on a man's chest, her caption written like a claim—'His love is in the diamond. His heart is under my hand.' Anneliese clenched the photo. Her knuckles went pale, and her eyes burned. It wasn't about missing him. It wasn't even about heartbreak anymore. It was about everything she had poured into a man who gave her back nothing but lies. Jessica snatched the photos from her hand and hissed under her breath. "Thank God you never slept with him. Or you'd be at the doctor by now. And even if everything came back clean, you'd still be sick just thinking about it." Anneliese gave a tired laugh. "Yeah. Lucky me, right?" She stood up and headed upstairs. A few minutes later, she returned with two big bags and dropped them at Jessica's feet. "Help me sell all of it. And use the money to support some girls who actually need it. Someone who deserves a shot." The bags were full of expensive gifts—watches, perfumes, purses, and jewelry. Things Zacharias had given her over the years. But packing them made her realize something. None of it had ever meant anything. It was just money. Thoughtless, effortless spending. She used to treasure those things. Now she couldn't stand to look at them. Why keep them, just to risk running into Coral wearing the same purse? Jessica and Anneliese had grown up together in the same group home. Jessica now ran a small hustle with two friends—part-time detectives, fake girlfriends, side-job specialists. They did everything from catching cheaters to reselling luxury bags. Anything for a price. Jessica pulled the bags closer and gave a sharp whistle. "Don't worry. I'll flip this stuff and find a few broke, hot high school guys to mentor. Let Zacharias know women can do the same d*mn thing." Sponsoring wasn't just a man's game. Anneliese smiled and shook her head. "No need. Let the stuff go to someone who needs it. Not every girl down on her luck turns into Coral. And Zacharias? He's garbage. But I'm not crawling in after him." Jessica let out a deep sigh and cursed Zacharias again under her breath. A hundred silent ways. He didn't deserve a woman like Anneliese. And once she was gone, he'd never find another. "What's your plan now? That *sshole's company is blowing up. Guys like him, the ones who came from nothing, they care more about image than anything. He'll never let go of that 'perfect husband' mask. He's probably not gonna make divorce easy…" Jessica didn't trust him. Not really. She had a bad feeling. Zacharias seemed obsessed, and part of her believed he hadn't let Anneliese go at all. ... Anneliese stayed home that day. She boxed up everything she owned, labeling each item, organizing what she needed to take when the time came. Her grandmother had left her a small apartment before she passed. Once the divorce went through, Anneliese planned to move in and start over. By evening, Anneliese sat at her vanity, brushing her hair under the soft, warm lights. Her reflection looked steady, but her chest felt tight. Zacharias had come to pick her up for dinner at the Whites' estate. He stepped behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders. His gaze met hers in the mirror. "Someone looks beautiful," he said gently. Her lashes trembled. She turned to face him and tilted her chin up. "Zacharias, do you really love me?" He leaned closer and reached for her. "Why are you asking me that? Is it because I've been working too much? Not spending enough time with you?" His voice softened. "Once I get a break, we'll make up for it. We'll do the wedding, the honeymoon. You always wanted to see Bragg, right?" Anneliese leaned away just enough to keep out of his arms. Her voice stayed calm. "No thanks. If you don't love me, we can get a divorce. I don't need the title of Mrs. Shaw." They had known each other for thirteen years. Even without love, there should have been some sense of care between them. She wanted to give him a chance to be honest. She wanted to end things with dignity, but Zacharias' hand clamped around her jaw. His brow creased, and his voice dropped low and cold. "Divorce? Don't even think about it. Only death can break us apart!" That word hit her like a hammer. Her shoulders stiffened. Her face turned pale.