Reclaiming the Empire

ts anniversary gala, and the venue sat o

ally requeste

hall carrying a tray of drinks,

pricked at me

ard and tried to mi

sed to let me

champagne and deliber

y soaked the white

She apologized with her words, but her

ghtly and took a deep

on an occasion like this. It

locked me again. "Dear sister, don't rush off. W

e poolside where fe

reeze carri

miled triumphantly. "Let me tell you, this is just the begi

amusing. "Brenna, what makes you thi

logical daughter of the Walsh family! And

ack and slapped he

ang out sharply i

d stared at me in disbeli

Say that again, and I'll throw you

ified her, for she inst

eyes turning venomous. "Good. Very

uddenly screamed

backward and plunged straig

ozen, my m

r to frame me with

vier rushed over wit

the water, jumped in without

. "Javier, it was her... she p

at me, his gaze cold enough to flay me alive.

t realized explanati

it h

e belie

man I once thought wou

man and judged me

ases her without my permission." He scoope

en spare me a

rabbed my arms and dr

room, I curled up in the

ime until the doo

ay, backlit so I could no

looked down at m

and stared at his

ly fell unc

any years, this proved th

tterly ri

tears, stood up,