Chapter 10

As the slapping sound faded, Joseph looked hard at Tiana. She lifted her chin and stared at him without fear. She said through gritted teeth, "Lay a finger on my fawn, and you'll regret it." He shut his eyes for a moment. Instead of saying anything else, he walked to the desk and tore a page from the calendar. "It's past midnight, Ana. There are 23 days until our wedding." He walked out of the bedroom. Tiana had a maid bring her a bottle of wine. She downed more than half of it and only managed to sleep when the sky began to lighten. She woke when the sun hung high in the sky. A maid knocked on the door. "Ms. Jensen, Mr. Quill asked you to join him for a meal." Tiana was genuinely hungry. She washed up, changed, and headed downstairs. Irene was there, too. Tiana thought about leaving, then decided there was no point in punishing her own stomach. She kept her face cool, sat, and got herself a bowl of soup. As Irene watched, Joseph handed Tiana a plate of pasta. "Even if you're wa