th a thousand champagne-colored lights. It was a scene of opulent perfect

as Isabell's t

skey in his hand. He was in a bespoke Tom Ford suit, his expression as cool a

ticed grace. A breathtaking diamond necklace, a recent gift from Jeremey, rested against

a frilly princess gown, her dark hair done up in perfect ringlets. She accepted the polite coo

icker of something complex-unease, perhaps-c

he linked her arm through his, her touch light an

r lips. He pushed down the sliver of doubt. He had made the right

oors at the end of th

over the cha

gown of scarlet silk, the color of blood and fire. It was a

houlders. A pair of oversized sunglasses hid her eyes, and her lips, pai

ing, his presence radiating a quiet,

through the ballr

the crystal groaning under the pressure

arried herself with an entirely new, unbreachab

ne Ga

ngers dug into his arm, her manicured na

vealed a pair of eyes that were no longer soft and filled wi

his across th

ied through the silent ballroom with perfect, chilling clarity.

room. Jaws dropped. So this w

eping up his neck. He had never imagined she wou

you in?"

ving past him to the small

r, or confusion. But with a look of intense,

d of manufactured vulnerability. Her voice trembled as

you insist on hurting us? All we wa

m flawlessly, tears

ss" fueled Jeremey's rage. He

it out, his voi

mained fixed on Isabell, and the corner of

!" Jereme

n to move towar

rward, placing himself between her and the approachin

ere you," he said, his ton

ing on the man. A surge of possessive,

tion of a second, was a mask of pure, venomous hatred. The sorrowful act

blink, an ugly secret rev

pression didn't change. She

. It was a declaration of wa