WHAT THE VOWS DIDN'T SAY

I walked into Hale & Wolfe headquaters at precisely 7:55 am, just as i did every morning. the towering glass doors parted, swallowing me into a world of polished marblefloors, crisp suits and clipped conversations. My head remained bent as i mioved like a shadow, quiet, efficient and graceful.

As i passed, people slighltly nodded their heads as they greeted me. i smilled back as i made my way through. To everyone i was the calm, perfect assistant.

But behind my composed skin, i held in a lot. I smoothed my blouse as i entered the executive wing, my heels clicking against the the tiled floors. My phone buzzed in my purse and my heart skipped a beat. I didn't need to look to know who it was. My fingers hovered aabove the screen, then slowly, they dropped to my side.

The message can wait, if i read it now, i might not make it through the morning without breaking. Instead, i took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

''Come in''

I pushed open the door. Sebastian Hale sat behind a sleek desk, dark suit, his expression hardened and his gaze sharp as a blade against his system. He didn't look up.

''Schedule?''

i handed over the itinerary, already annotated.

''You've got the investor briefing at ten, the gala tonight at seven.I moved the conference call with Zurich to tomorrow morning.''

He flipped through the pages, then paused.

''You rescheduled something without asking?''

''Yes,'' i replied, unfazed. ''They double-booked you. I took the liberty.''

His eyes finally lifted to mine. HIs sharp, scruntinizing stare shook me up a bit. Something unreadabale flickered across his face. He returned his gaze back to his system.

''Fine.''

I didnt know when i let out a sigh of relief.

Our interaction never passed that, blunt, fast-paced with no room for fluff. He was nutorious for chewing through people that worked for him. I had lasted over a year working for him. I didn't flinch a muscle when he barked, didn't bat an eyelash when he starts throwing tantrums about incompetence, didn't crumble when deadlines loomed. What kept me going was if i could endure whatever i go through back at home, this is just a piece of cake.

-----

At 11:23 a.m, i stepped into the restroom and locked the door to the cubicle.Only then did i check my phone.

'Where the hell are you? I called three times. Don't forget whose money pulled your family out of the gutter. Smile tonight sweetheart. I'll be watching.'

My stomach twisted. I locked my phone and pressed my head against the cold, yet warm feel of the door.

This is my miserable life. Married to a man i didn't love. Trapped by a transaction made years ago. My parents had been drowning in debt and Marcus Langford offered a lifeline, with strings she hadn't seen until it was too late.

He'd never raised a fist in public, not like he needed to anyways. Behind