Page 44 of The Rancher's Jilted Bride

"I'm here on behalf of Hale."

The younger woman flinched just as Micah expected, but what she didn't expect at all was how seeing this didn't give her any pleasure.

You're just imagining things,Micah told herself.

And besides, she had no choice.

She had to get rid of Heaven...before Hale found out the truth and got rid of Micah instead.

Heaven struggled between relying on pride and seeking God for comfort. The prospect of humiliation and more hurt loomed before her, and her weaker self just wanted to end it.

Just turn your back and walk away, Heaven!

You already know she's out to hurt you!

So just go!

But because she knew she would only be tormented by countless what-ifs if she didn't at least ask for the truth—-

"C-Could you..." Heaven had to swallow hard as pain stole her ability to speak steadily. "I j-just want to k-know," she ended up stammering. "How are you and Hale—-"

"Oh, dear." Micah gave her a pitying look. "You don't even know I'm his best friend, do you?"

Liar.

It was what Heaven instinctively wanted to scream.

But she didn't.

Because even though Micahhadlied before—-

Her heart was somehow convinced that Micah was telling the truth.

And when she tried to recall the other people in Hale's life that she occasionally heard about from Devon and Harry—-

One was Rush, and the other one was...

"Mikey," Heaven heard herself whisper. "You're her. M-Mikey. Aren't you?"

Micah ignored the way guilt lashed her conscience. "The one and only, darling." Survival wasn't possible without getting one's hands dirty, and Heavenneededto learn this. Hale would also realize that Heaven wasn't really the girl for him, so she was just saving him from an expensive divorce settlement.

I'm only doing everyone a favor here,Micah reminded herself, and that was why she had to see this to the end.

"Save yourself additional embarrassment and just leave," Micah advised the other woman coolly. "Hale doesn't want to have anything to do with you anymore." She stalked to the door while speaking and threw it open.

Perfect.

Dozens of employees were caught standing outside the office, obviously in hopes of finding out something new to gossip.

"I know you're all worried about your boss," Micah said sweetly, "but everything's under control now. I've come just in time to protect your boss from the gold digger, and needless to say, there will benowedding."

RUSH KENSINGTON FELTas if he had walked into a funeral upon returning to the suite of penthouse offices owned by his friend.

It had been a lot noisier earlier. Merrier even. But this time, it was the opposite. The silence was oppressive, and the tension evident in the way everyone watched his every move.

Rush entered his friend's office just in time to see Hale jerk to his feet.

"What's wrong?" he demanded.

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