catingly opulent. Crystal chandeliers cast a har

d of the table sat her father, Leland McCarthy. His face was a mask of rig

e was heav

and said. His voice cut through the quiet like a serrated knife. He didn't ev

y bleeding from Fletcher's rejection that morning.

lodie snapped. Her voice echoed off the high c

to his porcelain plate. The loud

rasite!" Le

gnaling the butler standing in the shadows

ng staff, all dressed in crisp black-and-white uniforms, marche

right side. The server held

tle, the heavy glass neck collided hard with the rim o

urned her head to sco

throat. All the air va

as D

wearing a cheap catering uniform, h

terror. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry, ma'am!" she squ

od up. Her heart hammered wildly against her ribs. Her hand flew to her wrist, her thumb grind

e demanded. She pointed a shaking finger

"I... I work for the catering agency on weekends.

s, Elodie saw it. A microscopic twitch

Elodie's g

gainst her collarbone was a necklace. A heavy, antique

ood ran fre

t ten years ago. And right there, on the silver clasp resting against Da

exploded behin

and shot out and clamped

med. Her voice tore through her throat

wisted her arm. The heavy bottle

wine exploded outward. It splashed violently across the front

s er

look at his daughter's ruined dress. He

His face was purple with rage

i, using her other hand to yank the sapphire necklace out from und

lace!" Elodie screame

ce. He grabbed Elodie's forearm and squeezed the

fingers. He shoved it into his pocket. His

sed. "I gave it to the staff as a

s sweating forehead. She looked at his

ymore. She was looking right at Elodie, and she

her in Elodie's brain. The phys

her voice silenced the room. She looked at her father.

h with both hands. The butler quickly wa

onstrous. The exposure of his deepest,

his hand

nded like a

kward, her hip crashing into the edge of the table. A sharp, metallic t

e pointed a trembling finger at the grand double doo

looked at the man who had raised her. She loo

ened her spine. She lifted her chin, her ru

und and walked