Maso

l over the courtyard. Every eye was on my partner, then on me. Dallas and her croni

arling, what are you talking about? That's... that's not Grace. That's a deranged tresp

ontrollably. His hands, which had so roughly grabbed my shoulders, now softened, his touch feath

a raw, desperate apology. "My God, Grace. What have

oid of humor. "Sorry?" I rasped, my voice barely a whisper. "You're sorry? For what, Eli

eeing, as if he'd just been struck by lightning. The name

ension. She lunged forward, grabbing his arm. "What is she talking about, da

ss the face. The crack echoed through the silent courtyard, sharp and brutal. Dallas

was you! She told me you were just some jealous ex-colleague, a crazy woman trying to sabotage her career! She said you were a fraud, a liar!" He fell to his knees beside me, ignoring the growing pool of de

our wife?" I repeated, my voice flat, hollow. "You just stood there, Elias. You let these thugs assaul

, a threat to everything she built! I swear, I never knew the extent of her deception!" He pointed a trembling finger at Dallas, who was still reeling from the slap, her comp

ng!" she screamed, her voice hoarse. "He's just trying to save face! He knows everything! He was in on it from the start!" She

as Thorne," he announced, his voice ringing with authority. "And I am not Dallas Mueller's 'darling' or her 'fiancé.' I am an attorney with the Interna

Dallas, now contorted with horror and dawning realization. The carefully constructed image of Dallas Mueller shattered into a million pieces befo

's trying to frame me! She put him up to this!" She pointed a wild finger at me, then at El

opened, and a figure emerged, tall and imposing, radiating an aura of quiet power that silenced the remaining murmurs. He was olde

on Kr

king a rare public appearance. My heart clenched, a mi

on me. His eyes, usually so sharp and intelligent, widened inch by painful inch. His jaw tightened, his face

towards him, feigning tears. "Thank goodness you're here! This woman, Grace Mason, she's completely lost her mind! She attacked me, destroyed property,