Melissa stood beside Alec, her posture rigid, her presence quiet and obedient—just as he expected. The meeting room buzzed with corporate chatter and the rustle of paper, yet none of it pierced the silence cocooned around her. Alec, seated like a king on his throne, discussed the project with surgical focus. His words were sharp, precise, and laced with power. Not once did he stumble or falter. It was as if the drama of the ballroom and his cruel declarations had never happened.
But Melissa’s eyes weren’t on the documents or the clients. Her gaze shifted toward the shelf behind his desk—toward the sleek digital frame quietly flipping through a series of photographs.
Her breath caught when she saw it.
A picture of Alec and Salena on their wedding day appeared. He was dressed in a sharp b
