ore her bedroom mirror,
hair fell in soft waves over her shoulders. She looked b
dead. She had trusted her fiancé, Adrian Cole, and considered her stepsis
he would be
is ready," Grace sa
. "Has Ethan
lier and said he would
call me whe
u sure you want to attend the gala
e woman who had al
drian's strange behavior. Dayla had dismissed thos
filled her
I need to see certain p
about Mr.
rtl
e be c
And Grace, thank you for staying besi
ou don't have to thank
r hand before pic
life. She refused to lose the people
the Grand Imperial Hotel, one of th
, photographers waited behind velvet ropes, and guest
ce visited her father's office and socialites who praised her
he saw
ilored black suit. His handsome fa
ay
d with his f
m standing outside the burning
ightened arou
ed. "Is some
uld anythin
cheek, but she turned slight
ile st
autiful toni
nk y
u wouldn't come. You haven't
been
with
eyes. "My fa
fraction of a second before
re going through a difficult
thoug
o handle everythi
ove to take control of
Vanessa approached in a
! You
Dayla enthu
again. You know how much I hate a
early l
r Dayla attracted too much attention. She had accuse
ending to be the
py I'm here, the
cour
d her arm thr
d their closeness. She had never wondered why Vanessa knew Adrian's schedul
tten detail fel
o inside?"
tain
en them, smiling as though she k
would obser
most frequently mentione
hris is attending toni
acquired another co
ating with him is like
hed. "At least the
ost rolle
wealthy, powerful, and intimidating, with a habit of look
eading the entire document. He had told her that her
sliked him
ng for someone
N
king toward t
ing the de
all
er that I admir
but Adrian's sm
rent lately,"
le ch
this
rhaps you never knew me
, the conversations aro
s dark hair was neatly styled, and his expression was calm and indifferent
hris had
anizers. Then his gaze moved ac
t, neither
oking at you," V
king at t
efinitely loo
recognizes
ike Luthur Chris doesn't
aying attention t
uthur's assistant, Dan
waiting for you to s
a mo
wed his gaze
A
to him. "What
ing,
ing so pleased
ightened. "
ed his attent
ut seeing her in person affected
s that hadn't been there before. She seemed to be measur
happened to make he
previous evening, when she had describe
dly argue wi
e woman who had once told her anonymous friend that he was th
ea they were
d to keep it t
nounced short
is considering a partnership with several famili
tnership, he knows
ng unusuall
t allowe
s smile
has been reviewing her father's estate lately. Pe
would I discuss my inherit
fluential b
nd
n hes
iness, he can contact Mr. Bennett.
ed a quick glan
a no
as no longer willing to let
tupidity. They had believed she would sign what
would cost th
er, Luthur approa
ing," he g
one s
said, extending his
briefly before g
turned t
Stan
Chr
re enjoying
beautifu
t quite wha
perhaps you should as
sement appeare
always th
hen nec
it neces
nning to tell me how I sho
refer honest answers, even
ess, nor did he try to impress her with his wealth. Inst
more difficult
ening, Mr. Chr
e, but he glanced at the
ay
f hesitation
t, making Adrian vi
minutes before Luthur asked, "How is
swered im
y forward. She has a lot on her shoulders, so
toward Dayla
wing everything with
laugh. "Of course. I only mea
ot managing,"
"An important
ression hard
sman," Luthur said. "I imagine he
And I intend to respect the
oo
simple, yet str
g Dayla wondering why she felt both
a quiet balcony overlo
ed her face as she
anonymous online
How is t
ere she was going, only that s
e most irritatin
ounds serious.
ons as if he alread
he's trying to
thinks everyone owe
pause
ne. Only the peopl
d the mes
you defen
e possibility that he isn'
haven't
ou'd be s
she could ask what he mean
he make you
ession s
n to and whether she had offended anyone importa
ference
akes me feel like he can se
one your secrets before y
swal
by smoke, hearing Adrian's voice outside. She remembered be
gers tr
Day? Are
fine. J
n't have to pr
r eyes, and she quic
nted to believe that at least o
ong people had cost
e would prote
odnight
t, Day. Be caref
ked her
the balcony
g some p
urned s
s stood in
eart
e you do
k you the s
out for
di
"Isn't there an entire room full
rtuna
elf, Dayla a
e balcony, maintaining
appy tonight,
m n
a terrib
d you're remarkably rude for
rha
r the garden befo
ve you so
ask f
N
why of
someone who's trying to
closer to home
nything about me,
d toward her. "Which is
fell s
pt to force her to reveal her secrets. He s
t unsettled her more
ou care?"
pression gr
t always as strong as
nsing something perso
steppe
side before someone c
dering me a
uggesting that you shouldn't let
lroom, leaving Dayla a
iliar, much like the advice her
e wondered whether there coul
y dismisse
re she disliked. Her online friend was
possibly be
ld
hur found Daniel waiting
ready whenever
e ten m
. "Did you speak w
es
nd
e him a wa
. "You've spent most of t
serving t
cour
nie
s,
ke to keep yo
y mu
stop t
lips together, hi
hone. A new message f
ght, L
e before puttin
spoken to on the balcony was the sa
to reveal the
o once trusted so easily now looked at e
, Dayla returned to
peaking in hushed voices. When they
tended no
had seen
d ask Mr. Bennett to investigate every transaction connected
eady begun moving against her
till the trusting woman
were
a second chance, and
be the one deciding
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