The Blackwood legacy

ed her back to the ballroom, she found herself going through the

ally accepting the polite nods and murmured greetings, her heart p

e guests began to filter out, Olivia gently tou

ould retire for the evening. Y

toward the grand foyer. As they stepped out into the crisp night air, Hope couldn't help

found, and the pit in her

window, her mind racing, her heart threatening to beat out of her chest. What had happened

Olivia ushered her inside,

to get some rest. I'm sure Mr. Blackwood will be back

man a thin, unconvincing smile. "Thank yo

ssing in around her. She wandered aimlessly through the lavish rooms, her fingers trailing along the p

ightforward transaction, a mutually beneficial partnership. But now, with Evan's ominous threat

r phone, desperate to reach out to Derrick, to demand answers. But even as she hovered ove

him? What if her interfere

tering to the floor. She felt utterly powerless, adrift in a sea of uncertainty, and th

oor opening finally caught her attention. Lifting her head, Hope held her b

them spoke. Derrick's expression was unreadable, the haunte

he silence, his voi

ed to

ers gripping the edge of the

r. Up close, she could see the exhaustion etched into his fea

tightening. "Evan knows th

r face, her heart threatening to

got evidence, documents, recordings, God knows what else. He's been

mind racing. "Then what does h

ooperation. If I don't give him what he wants, he'll expose the truth – abo

... but that's blackmail. Surely there's

e of sheer frustration. "Don't you think I've tried? Evan's got me backed into a c

dn't be happening, not when they were so close to securing the

" she asked, her voice barely ab

in a gesture that felt oddly comforting. "It means we have to be more careful

er meant for you to get caught up in this. But I promise,

s errand, that Evan's blackmail could unravel everything they had worked for in an instant. But in that moment, the sin

her fingers interlacing wit

st of smiles, and he gave her hand