ssa's

a. I raise my chin high, my expression calm, my hands delicately hold the front

hall, though the spotlight has already turned dim,

me, I'm burn

d left jus

no apologies for

ront of the media, shareholders, sponso

stments, has become a public disaster. And Celeste had driven off like the prince

uppress a cough. In truth... I'm t

hell just

ters beside me his voice cracking like o

nify that as

a hawk hunting for prey. Reporters whis

ting headlines, gossip columns... more like they

early with murmuring excuses, others

not yet. Not while my ey

d is still half-lifted from where he'd held the ring box. The box lay

ilitary precision as

ight voice. "Stand up straight.

toward me. "She

n, me... I didn't say it aloud

. We can still control the narrative, an emotional misunderstanding, stage fright, and

ou said she loves me

edient, too." my voice cracks li

lightly but I

andby. Tell the press there's been a sudden illness... No, better, an emot

, ma

ress a hand to my temple, prete

ecalculating every

t deviated, she'd torched it. That wasn't a sp

tion of s

d been compliant, submissive, in fact, everything I had molded her to be. The perfect pawn!

he s

dig int

k out? Celeste of ye

hat stage was cold and composed. Not a tear in sight. No

huds once

rby guard. "Track her. I want her b

s professional... we couldn't get a

ce lowered to a blade this time. "Then find the damn car. G

pales and

d scanning for Sophia. The girl stands by the dessert

, I --- I don't know what happened. I tried to talk to her before the ev

"You said she su

ls, her messages, before this evening w

gging in. "Then tell me, why did she

maybe someone told her somethin

turn away from

s wrong. Te

ooked at me w

That's no

sly, quietly, in a hospital no one had access to but the Lancasters. Celeste had been to

d at me like a hu

e...? No.

ntly. A flicker of fe

dism

ngry; perhaps she discovered a secret or two about Noah's f

not unless someone told her. But who? William? N

mbling, still staring at t

ed by pride and fail

t the thought and take

ng as a young girl s

reeze her accounts," I say, sipping my champagne wi

that look, her eyes, too

nty years, I wonder if I've j