lias Vance Sr.'s study c

ide was thi

old paper, and the sharp, bitte

sive leather armchair

des of ruthless business, hi

as she walked acro

grace. She took the seat opposite h

morning," Elias Sr. said bluntly. Hi

. She smoothed the fabr

to the barking of stray

touched the corners

her lack of s

n the desk. "Because the Vance family is entering a turbulent per

index finger lightly tappi

s Sr. continued. "I have arranged a ma

apping fin

information with the s

s Th

eet. A financial oligarch who

needed

any, SZ Pharmaceuticals, was e

er to keep her enemies-and her own fa

s the ultimate

t," Evel

hesitation. N

ng breath, the tension

pulled out a thick st

ross the polish

uptial agreement,

up the heavy s

pages, her eyes scanning

ms were

s designed to protect the

ld walk away with nothing bu

ly nothing lookin

s Thorne's money. Sh

yer's office at two o'clock to

. She picked up

be t

at the end of a long, cold glass ta

le, smelling of oz

. She didn't need a handler, nor did she want anyon

of the conference

e room seemed to drop

horne w

l suit that molded perfec

cked the oxygen

s eyes were the color o

n them. Only a cold,

d across the len

in the center of her chest, but

stepped forward and placed the final

the clauses, my lawyers can d

smooth, and entire

even look at

up the heavy Montblanc foun

ned her name with elegant, swe

document back

stared

second, a muscle f

g to adjust his left cufflink

dy socialite trying to

masked hi

and signed the papers with

t. "The documents are executed. Y

ediately. He butto

tion meeting," Silas sai

his hand. He did

you back to my apar

oom, leaving the scent of cold ce