The expression on Ss''s face in the video was foreign to her. It was undeniably clear he was deeply, desperately worried about the woman in his arms.


    So, this was the woman who truly held his heart. The one he still cared for.


    Aplicated tangle of emotions tightened in Calliope''s chest. After watching the video loop once, she handed the phone back to Nigel, forcing herself to remain outwardlyposed. "So, Mr. Howell, what''s your endgame here? Showing me this... are you hoping I''ll help you take down Ss?"


    Nigel studied her for a moment before shaking his head slowly. "Not at all. I wouldn''t stoop to using the person who saved my life to get back at a rival. Ss and I arepetitors, yes, but it''s not a matter of life and death. To be honest, I quite admire him. It takes someone exceptional to be my contemporary."


    "The only reason I showed you this is because you saved me, and I thought you deserved to know the ying field. That''s all. No ulterior motive."


    Nigel looked at her directly, a slight, calcting smile ying on his lips. "You have options, Calliope. A woman as capable and remarkable as you doesn''t need to settle for second best. You could leave him. Hell, you could even marry me. I happen to be in the market for a suitable wife right now."


    "Mr. Howell, that''s not funny." Calliope picked up her ss and took a long, slow drink, needing the burn of the alcohol.


    She turned to face him squarely. "So you''re really not trying to cause trouble between us?"


    "If I wanted to break you two up, I''ve had plenty of opportunities. I wouldn''t have waited until now," Nigel said with a casual shrug. "I''m just giving you a heads-up. Consider it a favor for saving my skin."


    Calliope hesitated, then said nothing more. Her mind was consumed by the images from the video. What was Ss really doing on this ''business trip? Who was that woman, and why did she look so much like her? He must love her a


    did


    great deal to look so frantic.


    What was he nning to do now that she was back in his life? And what should she do?


    If he loved someone else, what was she doing here? She had let herself believe he cared for her, too.


    Since their marriage, he had been nothing but kind, generous, even giving her full control over his finances.


    But now she wondered if it was all justpensation. His feelings for her were likely just a sense of duty.


    He had agreed to her proposal out of responsibility, and since then, he had been diligently ying the part of a husband. She remembered how he''d neatly sidestepped the topic of starting a family whenever her grandfather brought it up. He didn''t seem to want kids with ber Was.jp because he was holding out hope that the woman he truly loved would return?


    Her thoughts Spiraled downward as she drank, a heavy weight settling in her chest. She hadn''t realized when it happened, but she had grown to depend on Ss, perhaps even love him deeper than she intended. The thought of leaving him felt excruciating, like drowning-it made it hard to breathe.


    "If you do decide to leave Ss, I hope you''ll consider me," Nigel said from beside her, the amusement back in his voice.


    Calliope shot him a withering re. "Stop joking."


    "I''m not joking. I''m deadly serious," Nigel insisted, his expression suddenly earnest. "I''ve met countless women, and none of them are worthy of standing beside me. You are the only exception. I''m very interested in you, Calliope."