Part 1
“I don’t want to marry her anymore.”
I froze the moment I heard Garrett’s voice drifting from behind the mahogany partition that shielded the entrance from the private dining area. I had just arrived fifteen minutes late to the bistro, still wrapped in my trench coat with my phone gripped in my hand, my mind buried in a conference call that had ended only seconds ago.
Being late had become a relentless pattern in my life since I had been promoted to senior partner at the law firm. It wasn’t a matter of poor planning, but rather a result of surviving amidst high-stakes clients and collapsing corporations while everyone else pretended the foundations were still solid.
The restaurant was located in the heart of Scottsdale, one of those upscale spots Garrett favored for group events because of its amber lighting and waiters trained to remain invisible. Outside, the Arizona evening felt surprisingly crisp for late autumn, but inside, the air was thick with the scent of seared steak and vintage Cabernet.
