er, and her muscles locked up in a split second. With his shadow drawing

an instant shield. Left with no other

then let out a low laugh, his voice curling with deliberate provocation. "You don't usually sound like tha

with amusement and

rattled she truly was-Kevin stood just a few steps away, while Wesley's murmured words slipped closer t

ight betray her with a single sound. Lowering her voice, she said into the

ered easily, his to

expression into something calm. "Abby already knows I'm back," she said casually. "She asked me to grab a b

a beat longer than usual, searching her face, yet he chose not to press her

driver take me," Roselyn remarked, her

wn. Getting too close to Kevin was no longer an option she allowed herself

, a driver from the Warren family was

see her off. Their absence spoke volumes-any pretense of courtesy had been abandoned

curb, his voice steady. "Make time to come by and

, Roselyn dipped her chi

d, the mansion slipped farther into the background, Kevin's

y at last, a quiet heavines

.

of the city, Beth's place sat far fr

d, the clock had just edged

as neither early nor intr

expansive living room-only to find it empt

he estate's housekeeper, Aubrey Sutton, rushed over, clasped Roselyn's h

immed with red as she struggled to steady her voice.

s only eight, and from that day on, this house had been wher

n Aubrey who quietly filled the r

tion and longing between Aubrey and Rosel

he wanted to ask more but then glanced around instinctively, concern

d Roselyn's hand gently and said with a

ds, Roselyn glanced toward the

icker of unease crossing her face. "She

Roselyn, and the faint curve of

y, they had stayed in touch-calls, FaceTime, long conversations that stretched late into the night. Beth's routine was etched into Rosel

. Beth simply didn't want to see her. Even Beth didn't w

e she uncovered the answers she'd come for, she would leave Radena behind-no li