the crowd like a king, Hailie clinging to his arm, a wide-eyed ingénue. He spent money like it was water, buying up pieces from Hailie' s collection-vibrant, raw, undeniably y

c and, I realized with a fresh wave of nausea, for Hailie. He was molding her

little too loud, drawing attention. She clutched a painting o

lied her sweet smile. "Dr. Franklin, you're so lucky to have such a

ned to me, his smile tight. "Blake, why don't you gift this piece to Hailie? It wo

ing Keon' s name as a weapon, a manipulative tool to further his new obsession. The pain was a sharp

ice flat, almost robotic.

e with a flourish. His eyes were only for her as he gently placed it into her arms. "The

and batted her eyelashes at him. "You're t

d out," he promised, his

I slipped away from the dazzling crowd, seeking refuge in a quiet corridor away from the main hall

teps behind me. Hailie. Her p

charine sweetness, was a venomous hiss. Her eyes, usually

n the ornate wallpaper. "I have

er me. How pathetic. He told you, didn't he? He'll always choose me. I'm young, I'm fresh, I'm what he truly desires. You're just... old news

gaze was steady, cold. "You are a child, H

. His love, his money, his attention. Every single thing." She stepped closer, her face contorted with malice. "And you know

mbling with a controlled rage. "You're feeding off his nar

e promised me forever!" She lunged, s

into my back. Then, I was falling. Tumbling down the marble steps, a sickening lurch in my stomach. T

t her expensive dress, ruffled her hair, and then began to scream, a high-pitched, piercing

oice, laced with fury. "Bl