cing autumn sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ce
the king-size bed. The sheets on Ju
ension. She pulled a cashmere shawl tightly around
ral staircase, the murmur of voic
et stopped dead on
housekeeper looked up, her expression strained and deeply apologetic. "Ma'am, I am so sorry. I told her to wait
vet sofa was a woman wea
e stairs. Her shoulders were
ad, the delicate curve of the shoulders-it was the same posture from the video.
was
er fingernails dug so hard into the woode
necklace. The tuberose perfume. It all slammed togeth
n turned
ister, who had supposedly just returned f
sickeningly sweet smile spread a
na chirped. Her voice was soft, c
th. She forced the raging fire in
uietly against the floor. She gave Seraphina a curt, dismiss
ion. She reached into her Hermès Birkin bag a
ox across the gl
snap, the box
the white satin. The morning sun hit the jewels, send
e visual confirmation felt li
bought it last night, but I just wanted to try it on for th
leamed with a hidd
e stared at the necklace as if it
d, her voice dripping with ice, "why would
like a terrified, cornered animal. She opened her mouth to speak, but befor
He was wearing a dark grey dress shirt
ely and locked onto Seraphina. A d
e long strides and stopped
oice thick with panic and anger. "You haven't rec
f of Julian's shirt. She tilted her head
stand about the necklace," Seraphina whimp
over, checking her pulse, inspecting her skin. The movement wa
s pregnant wife sitting
e wrist felt like a knife twisting in Eleonora's gut. The last
out a short
hrough the room
urned. He turned to look at Eleonora, a flash of raw panic crossi
ossed her arms over her chest. She stare
told me you were bidding on this necklace for Jax Merce
tood out tight and rigid. His lie had been dragg
uth, but Seraphi
od," she whispered, looking at Julian with wide, innocent ey
strike. She had just nailed Julian
an roared. The volume of h
able! Get the driver. Take Seraph
Julian a tearful nod, then shot Eleonora a look of pure, unadu
. The living room fell into
ollar. He walked toward Eleonora, reac
e took a massive step backward, put
," she hissed.
gged breath. He ran a
g register. "Her mother was crippled in that car accident saving my life. Seraphina just went
on the table. The absurdity of h
d, her voice rising. "So you buy her a two-milli
His guilt quickly morp
"You are the wife of the Sinclair family heir. Yo
words ignited a blinding
avy velvet jewelry box off the table a
avy thud. The necklace flew out, hitting t
t, her chest heaving. "Don't use my marria
stairs. She didn't look back at the pale, fu
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