Chapter 182 Before Everything
The photograph sat between us on the kitchen table.
Margaux made coffee… decaf, the afternoon version, the one she had switched to two years ago without announcement and which she now made as automatically as she had made everything else before it.
She came back to the table.
Sat.
We both looked...
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Chapters
1. Chapter 1 The Girl With Everything to Lose
2. Chapter 2 The Last Straw
3. Chapter 3 The Grandmother
4. Chapter 4 The Wedding
5. Chapter 5 My Boss is a Stranger
6. Chapter 6 The First Misunderstanding 
7. Chapter 7 The Stepsister’s Game
8. Chapter 8 Trapped
9. Chapter 9 Almost
10. Chapter 10 The Betrayal
11. Chapter 11 She Won't Break
12. Chapter 12 He Knows
13. Chapter 13 Gerald’s Move
14. Chapter 14 Unlikely Truce
15. Chapter 15 Damien’s Suspicion
16. Chapter 16 The Friend Confrontation
17. Chapter 17 Vivienne Strike
18. Chapter 18 Margaux’s Secret
19. Chapter 19 Odette’s Confession
20. Chapter 20 Walls Coming Down
21. Chapter 21 What Are They Looking For?
22. Chapter 22 Her Father’s Trail
23. Chapter 23 The Full Truth About Odette
24. Chapter 24 The Locket
25. Chapter 25 Vivienne Has The Key
26. Chapter 26 Zael’s Doubt
27. Chapter 27 Damien’s Discovery
28. Chapter 28 The Apology
29. Chapter 29 Exposed
30. Chapter 30 United Front
31. Chapter 31 Margaux Goes Missing
32. Chapter 32 Gerald’s True Face
33. Chapter 33 The Recording
34. Chapter 34 The Attack
35. Chapter 35 David Was Murdered
36. Chapter 36 Zael’s Feelings
37. Chapter 37 She Heard Everything
38. Chapter 38 Vivienne Moves In
39. Chapter 39 Race For The Safety Deposit Box
40. Chapter 40 Too Late?
41. Chapter 41 David’s Letter
42. Chapter 42 Inside The Enemy’s Territory
43. Chapter 43 After The Kiss
44. Chapter 44 Legal War
45. Chapter 45 Pretending It’s Real
46. Chapter 46 Vivienne’s Public Lie
47. Chapter 47 Damien and The Best Friend
48. Chapter 48 New Alliance
49. Chapter 49 Margaux’s Impossible Choice
50. Chapter 50 The Darkest Night
51. Chapter 51 The Truth About Zael
52. Chapter 52 Gerald’s Biggest Mistake
53. Chapter 53 The Tide Turns
54. Chapter 54 Vivienne’s Deal
55. Chapter 55 Unlikely Alliance
56. Chapter 56 Gerald Is Gone
57. Chapter 57 Margaux’s Confession
58. Chapter 58 The Weight of Forgiveness
59. Chapter 59 Zael Tells Damien
60. Chapter 60 Damien and Lena
61. Chapter 61 Lena’s Redemption
62. Chapter 62 Reclaiming Callum Corporation
63. Chapter 63 The Forged Signature
64. Chapter 64 Why Did You Do That?
65. Chapter 65 Almost Said It
66. Chapter 66 Odette’s Health
67. Chapter 67 No More Wasting Time
68. Chapter 68 Justice Threatened
69. Chapter 69 Vivienne’s Surprise
70. Chapter 70 Pennick Captured
71. Chapter 71 Pennick’s Recordings
72. Chapter 72 The Backup Plan
73. Chapter 73 She Stops Pretending
74. Chapter 74 He Already Knew
75. Chapter 75 She Stays
76. Chapter 76 Gerald Returns In Handcuffs
77. Chapter 77 The Trial Begins
78. Chapter 78 Taking The Stand
79. Chapter 79 David’s Letter Challenged
80. Chapter 80 Pennick Takes The Stand
81. Chapter 81 Gerald’s Surprise Move
82. Chapter 82 The Verdict Approaches
83. Chapter 83 Guilty
84. Chapter 84 What He Said
85. Chapter 85 The Sentence
86. Chapter 86 Vivienne’s Goodbye
87. Chapter 87 David’s Legacy Restored
88. Chapter 88 She Says Yes
89. Chapter 89 Two Companies
90. Chapter 90 Margaux’s Healing
91. Chapter 91 Odette’s Recovery
92. Chapter 92 Zael Decides
93. Chapter 93 The Question
94. Chapter 94 She Says Yes Again
95. Chapter 95 Planning The Real Wedding
96. Chapter 96 David’s Final Gift
97. Chapter 97 What David Knew
98. Chapter 98 The Eve of the Wedding
99. Chapter 99 Damien and Lena
100. Chapter 100 The Wedding Day
101. Chapter 101 The Vows
102. Chapter 102 The Reception
103. Chapter 103 The Warning
104. Chapter 104 Inside Job
105. Chapter 105 Harrow’s Truth
106. Chapter 106 The Name
107. Chapter 107 Who Is Marcus Venn
108. Chapter 108 The Letter
109. Chapter 109 Venn’s Angle
110. Chapter 110 The Call
111. Chapter 111 The Offer
112. Chapter 112 The Counter
113. Chapter 113 What Damien Found
114. Chapter 114 The Previous Target
115. Chapter 115 Nadia’s Files
116. Chapter 116 How Long
117. Chapter 117 Gerald Knew
118. Chapter 118 Strategic Patience
119. Chapter 119 Claire’s Move
120. Chapter 120 The Transparency Play
121. Chapter 121 Venn Drops The Mask
122. Chapter 122 The Injunction
123. Chapter 123 Overplayed
124. Chapter 124 What The Record Shows
125. Chapter 125 The Injunction Fails
126. Chapter 126 He’s Running
127. Chapter 127 The Buyer
128. Chapter 128 Nadia’s Investment
129. Chapter 129 After Venn
130. Chapter 130 One More Move
131. Chapter 131 Nadia Takes Over
132. Chapter 132 Finished
133. Chapter 133 The News
134. Chapter 134 Zael’s Reaction
135. Chapter 135 Telling Everyone
136. Chapter 136 What David Said
137. Chapter 137 Odette Meets The News
138. Chapter 138 Arthur’s Gift
139. Chapter 139 Two Families
140. Chapter 140 Building Something New
141. Chapter 141 Zael’s Letter
142. Chapter 142 Letters Back
143. Chapter 143 Singapore
144. Chapter 144 Lena and Damien’s Engagement
145. Chapter 145 Maid of Honor
146. Chapter 146 The Scholarship
147. Chapter 147 The Foundation Grows
148. Chapter 148 The Baby Arrives
149. Chapter 149 Zael Holds His Child
150. Chapter 150 Everyone Comes
151. Chapter 151 Naming
152. Chapter 152 One Year Later
153. Chapter 153 When Gerald Dies
154. Chapter 154 At David’s Grave
155. Chapter 155 Margaux’s Peace
156. Chapter 156 Gerald’s Estate
157. Chapter 157 Gerald’s Letter
158. Chapter 158 Nadia Returns
159. Chapter 159 David’s Vision
160. Chapter 160 Harrow’s Vote
161. Chapter 161 What Lasts
162. Chapter 162 Odette’s Announcement
163. Chapter 163 Odette’s Story
164. Chapter 164 What Odette Knew
165. Chapter 165 The Second Child
166. Chapter 166 Growing
167. Chapter 167 Vivienne’s Question
168. Chapter 168 The Honest Answer
169. Chapter 169 Damien and Lena — Year Two
170. Chapter 170 Odette’s Health
171. Chapter 171 What Zael Hears
172. Chapter 172 Odette Rallies
173. Chapter 173 The Memoir Chapter
174. Chapter 174 David’s Notebook
175. Chapter 175 Sharing The Notebook
176. Chapter 176 The Foundation Ceremony
177. Chapter 177 Something That Lasts
178. Chapter 178 Callum and Morrow
179. Chapter 179 Ten Years From Now
180. Chapter 180 The Joke
181. Chapter 181 Margaux’s Full Healing
182. Chapter 182 Before Everything
183. Chapter 183 Odette’s Book
184. Chapter 184 Reading Odette
185. Chapter 185 The Children
186. Chapter 186 The Original Marriage Certificate
187. Chapter 187 Looking Back
188. Chapter 188 His Unwitting Bride
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