quieter than that.
His knees seemed to lose their strength.
His mouth opened, but no words came out.
His face collapsed as the people nearest him slowly began stepping away.
One after another.
Investors.
Colleagues.
Friends.
Business partners.
Nobody wanted to stand beside him anymore.
Vanessa looked around the ballroom and seemed to realize for the first time that the celebration she had imagined as her victory had become evidence.
She pulled the wedding ring from her finger.
Then she threw it against Daniel’s chest.
“You ruined everything!”
She turned
