Truth and Temptation

Chloe's words left Declan exposed and floundering.

At the start, he hid the marriage only because he did not want Valerie to learn of it. He had confessed, been turned down, and then, almost at once, wed another woman; admitting that would have made him look frivolous.

As the company expanded and success numbed his conscience, the secrecy became second nature. He fooled himself into thinking that