THE EMPTY CHAIR AT HER SISTER’S WEDDING WAS SUPPOSED TO PROVE HER FIANCÉ HAD LEFT HER—BUT WHEN A QUIET STRANGER SAT BESIDE HER, KORA NEVER IMAGINED HE OWNED THE HOTEL, OR THAT HIS FAMILY WAS ALREADY PLANNING THE MARRIAGE THAT COULD DESTROY THEM BOTH

but because he had crossed the floor and had chosen to stay.

“My sister got married twenty minutes ago,” Kora said into the silence.

The moment the words left her mouth, she could not believe she had said them.

“I noticed,” he said. “I was at the door.”

“You were not invited.”

“I was not.”

He turned the wine glass in front of him half an inch, as if the continue reading …