Chapter 2

I turned slowly, meeting Graham's deep, wintry gaze.

A familiar, gentle smile bloomed on my face.

"The donation papers for tonight's medical fund. The foundation's attorney was supposed to send me the final copy before the party ended."

His hawk-like eyes swept over my face, missing not a single expression.

When he found no crack in my facade, the taut line of his jaw relaxed slightly.

"I thought something was wrong."

"It's only paperwork."

Graham studied me for another moment before his hand settled at my waist.

"You've done enough for the foundation tonight. Let someone else worry about the paperwork."

Before I could answer, Miles stepped onto the terrace.

"Mr. Whitmore, everything is ready."

Graham nodded. A smile touched his lips as he turned back to me.

"Come with me."

He took my hand and led me into the ballroom.

The lights dimmed as soon as we crossed the doors. Conversations faded, and the guests moved aside to create a path through the center of the room.

Graham stopped behind me and covered my eyes.

"Ten years deserves more than another party," he whispered.

Music began somewhere ahead of us.

It was the same processional that had played at our wedding.

My breath caught.

Graham removed his hand.

The far end of the ballroom had been transformed into the chapel where we had married ten years ago. The stone arches, the stained-glass windows, even the carved wooden altar had been recreated beneath the hotel chandeliers. White roses lined both sides of the aisle, arranged exactly as they had been on our wedding day.

The priest who had married us stood waiting at the altar.

The sight before me was enough to make any woman's heart flutter.

Every detail had come from a day I still remembered too clearly. The scent of the roses. The music. The way Graham had held my hands in front of the altar as if letting go had never been an option.

I looked at him.

His eyes were fixed on me.

"Do you like it?" he asked.

My throat tightened.

"You remembered everything."

"Of course I did."

Graham lifted my hand and pressed his lips to my knuckles.

"I remember every second of the day you became my wife."

The guests applauded as he led me down the recreated aisle.

Ten years ago, I had walked toward him believing there would never be another woman standing between us.

Tonight, he had described how Vanessa tasted right in front of me.

At the altar, the priest smiled at us.

"Ten years ago, you stood before me and promised to choose each other for the rest of your lives. Tonight, Graham has asked to make those promises again."

Graham turned to face me.

Miles handed him a small velvet case. Graham opened it, revealing a diamond anniversary ring.

He took my left hand.

"Claire, these ten years with you have been the best years of my life."

His thumb moved over my wedding ring.

"I would choose you again. In this life and every life after it."

The affection in his eyes was the same affection I had trusted for ten years. My heart ached because I still knew it. I still knew him.

The ballroom doors opened.

A murmur passed through the guests.

Vanessa stood at the entrance in a pale ivory dress.

Graham's fingers tightened around mine.

Only for a second.

Then he released my hand.

Vanessa walked toward the altar with a champagne glass between her fingers. Her eyes moved from the anniversary ring to the white roses surrounding us.

"Congratulations," she said. "I hope I'm not interrupting."

Miles stepped forward.

"Miss Reed is here on behalf of the Strategic Development team."

Graham's expression remained controlled, but his attention followed Vanessa as she approached.

She raised her glass.

"To ten happy years."

The champagne slipped from her hand.

The glass shattered against the floor.

Vanessa's face lost its color. She pressed one hand against her abdomen and turned away from the altar.

"Excuse me."

She hurried toward the side corridor.

Graham took a step after her.

He stopped and looked back at me.

"Vanessa has a serious food allergy. She may have eaten something she shouldn't have."

Before I could respond, he followed her out of the ballroom.

The priest still held the vow book between his hands. The anniversary ring remained inside its open case.

Around me, the guests whispered.

I waited several seconds before leaving the altar.

The side corridor was almost empty. At the far end, a door to one of the hotel's private lounges stood partly open.

Graham's voice came through the gap.

"I told you not to come tonight."

"You stopped answering my calls."

"This is Claire's anniversary."

"And what am I supposed to do? Sit alone upstairs while you marry her all over again?"

"Lower your voice."

I moved closer.

Through the narrow opening, I saw Vanessa sitting on the edge of a sofa. Graham was crouched in front of her, one hand resting over hers on her abdomen.

I had already decided our marriage was over. That did nothing to soften the sight of him kneeling in front of my sister, touching her with the same tenderness he had shown me only minutes ago.

Pain moved slowly through my chest, deep and raw. Tears blurred my vision before I could stop them.

"Are you in pain?" Graham asked.

"I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

Vanessa caught his tie and pulled him closer.

"Then stop treating me like something you have to hide."

"Vanessa."

"Are you going to tell her tonight, or am I supposed to keep hiding our baby?"