When his phone buzzed, Marcus almost lunged for it.
"Mom."
His tone went cold.
"Marcus! Do you have any idea what you're doing? The Grant family is..."
"Did you tell Elena I was getting married?" he cut in.
The other end went silent.
"Of course not!" Diane's voice rose sharply. "You need to go apologize to the Grants right now!"
Marcus stared at the ring and let out a humorless laugh.
Then he hung up and drove his fist into the wall.
Blood seeped from his knuckles.
The throbbing in his knuckles barely registered beside the ache in his chest.
She knew.
She knew the marriage certificate was fake.
She knew he had been lying to her all along.
That was why she had abandoned even the last thing that tied them together.
Marcus turned to Owen.
"Keep looking. No matter what it takes
