David's POV

"Promise me, David. Promise me you will protect her," Richard’s voice was barely a whisper, thick with a desperation that made the air in the small restaurant feel heavy.

I looked at him, my heart hammering against my ribs. This was a secret that could level mountains. Richard had forced Mara’s friend to lie about a molar pregnancy; he had effectively tricked his own daughter into ending her child’s life just to sever her tie to the Lawson family. It was a huge, ugly secret. I knew that if Mara ever found out, she would be destroyed. She would hate Richard, and she would certainly hate me for...