liant light over the long dining table i

lace Eleanor had given her rested against her collarbone. She calmly sliced her filet migno

r, said loudly, her voice dripping with venom. "I suppose tak

ite smile. "Grandmother felt it was a fitting heirloom for the f

pped her mouth shut, unable to argu

one had been blowing up all afternoon with declined card notifications, a

s mouth, rea

massive double doors of t

red suit that emphasized his massive frame. The low murmur of conversation around the table died instantl

of the table, right next to Eleanor. Before si

n Joanna for a fra

The invisible weight of his stare felt like a physical tou

g the silence. "How is the Silic

t reach for his napkin. He

flat, devoid of any emotion, but it echoed t

ed deeply. "D

lton replied. He gestured to his assistant, Leo, who stepped out from the shadows an

nfortunately, one of our heirs decided to turn a Hampton pool party into a tabl

age. "That's a lie! The media blew it out of proportion! A

se his voice, but the lethal warning i

iancée," Carlton said slowly, "you have absol

e Hudson Project was Freddie's only

. "Grandma, you can't let him do this

d to stone. "Carlton is right. You are a liability right now. You are suspended f

like he had been physically struck. He had lo

ith vicious satisfactio

round the table. she placed a gentle,

enough for the entire room to hear. "It's just tem

d burned him. "Get your hands off me!" he snar

ft gasp. She brought a hand to her chest,

and on the table. "Control yours

back. It crashed to the floor. He stormed out of

a napkin to the corner of he

d, she shifted her gaze to

yes locked directly onto hers. Beneath the cold, ruthless exterior, she saw a dar