Lydia froze, her breath catching as the words struck her like a blow to the stomach. The air inside the sprawling penthouse thinned instantly, leaving her gasping, lungs burning as she stared at the man for whom she had sacrificed her conscience. Her vision blurred as hot, angry tears of humiliation welled in her eyes.
The massive diamond on her left hand suddenly felt like an anchor, dragging her into a dark ocean of realization. No matter how brightly it caught the neon city lights filtering through the glass, she remained trapped in Nina's shadow… a pale imitation of the woman Adrian had truly loved. The truth of it settled over her like a shroud, suffocating and inescapable.
