Diamonds in The Dark

Diamonds in the DarkMelissa Tilley HallThis book contains sexual content and adult situationsRecommended for 18+ Copyright © 2023 Melissa Tilley Hall. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below. Library of Congress Control Number: 2022923988 Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Names, characters, and places are products of the author’s imagination. www.melissa-tilley-hall.com This book has been a long time coming. I allowed fear to eat me alive and take over my mind, and that fear kept me from finishing this novel for years. This book is dedicated to those who believed in me and pushed me to finally face my fears head on. My Family! Also, a special dedication to my husband for being my personal cheerleader and being by my side every step of the process, even when I wanted to quit. I love you. Dark TearsAs dark as the darkest night.Completely out of his sightSilently falls the tears,Held in through the years.Hiding in my heart.But is this smart?Silently I cry,Wishing I would die.Concealing all my fears.Never letting him see my tears.Letting him pretend to be blind,To the pain and scars he has left behind.Will this hurt ever go away?Not until my dying day.With all my heart I feel so much love but keep it silent like the gentle wings of a soaring dove.Written by: Melissa Tilley Hall Chapter 1Gwen Michael Henderson walks into my office as I am finishing my phone call with the seamstress, who is working on my wedding dress. I hold up a finger, letting him know I will be off the phone in just a second. I jot down a few notes as the woman on the line gives me instructions and the time of six o’clock this evening to be there for my final fitting. Hanging up, I slip the notes into my purse under my desk and look up at Michael. “How can I help you, Michael?”“Gwendolyn, do you have a moment so we can talk in private?” This is an odd request coming from Michael, but I agree. He looks like a nervous wreck and as if he is going to be sick right here in my office. “Michael, please just call me Gwen.” He nods and I motion for him to have a seat as I get up and shut the door. I am just an assistant here at Mason and Clark Law Firm, but I am one of the few lucky enough to have a small office to myself. I return to my desk trying to brace myself for whatever Michael is here to talk about. I have a feeling that whatever it is, it isn't going to be good. It’s not like him coming into my office and requesting a private meeting. Michael and my fiancé́, Edward, are both partners at Mason and Clark; they always work together on major cases. My boss, George, is one of the older attorneys who could retire, but loves his work. He doesn't do much more than estates and such, nowadays. He also stays on here at the firm because he knows he is invaluable to the younger partners. They always come to him for advice. He acts like it's a hardship, but secretly, he loves it. “Michael what's going on?” I ask.His face pales further, which I wouldn't have thought was possible. Now, I know what he must tell me isn't good. He starts to explain, between nervous stutters, that he felt he had to come to me with this, even though Edward had begged him to keep his mouth shut. If Michael had stopped right there, I would have been able to guess the rest of the story without him saying another word…or at least most of it. I could feel it in my heart and soul, and it’s written all over Michael's face. Not only is he nervous and pale, but he also looks like he didn't sleep at all last night. Not to mention, he is normally impeccably dressed and today he looks half put together. I am just now studying him enough to notice how horrible he looks. I start to dread what is about to come out of his mouth. When he is finally able to calm down enough to form in his mind what he wants to say, he starts letting it all out. He gives me the lowdown on what he saw the night before. “Gwen, I was here late last night working on a case that I am partnered with Edward on. Earlier yesterday, I borrowed all the files and notes from Edward so I could go over them myself and make sure we had everything we needed before we moved forward with the case. Before I left for the night, I wanted to return them to Edward’s office,” he stops and looks down. I wait patiently for him to continue. “When I got close to Edward’s office, I noticed all the lights were off inside. I assumed that he had already left for the day. I let myself in to put the papers on his desk, so he could have them to go over today.” Again, he pauses and blows out a breath before he continues.“When I opened the door, I was surprised with an eye full of everything. Gwen, I just stood there like a freaking idiot. I walked in, flipped on the light, and there was Edward and his assistant, Celia, sprawled out all over his desk, butt naked, having sex. I thought about just turning around and walking right back out, but it was too late. They