The Gaunt Man

Derek Mason had departed, weighed down by a somber mood today. Grace Anderson confided that Ethan Montgomery had been on the verge of proposing to her, suggesting that they would soon become husband and wife.

She had urged him to hasten their divorce proceedings, a matter they must keep clandestine to avoid his awareness. Despite his virtues, his overwhelming focus on her was both his strength and his flaw.

She had been aware of his marital status, having investigated Ethan ever since her return. It was only after he dashed out to answer a call at her apartment that she learned Ethan had married a woman named Avery Miller.

Grace had encountered this woman before and was shocked at how adeptly Ethan had concealed their marriage, especially since he had previously denied knowing Avery.