ing service's lemon polish. Hope sat at her kitchen island, black coffee in hand, watchin

inst the cold marble countert

a Sp

at. She hadn't spoken to her former best friend in

sage wa

I heard Arley's back tomorro

instantly-a cascade of sapphires and diamonds Arley had boasted about winning in a remote Sotheby's auction six months ag

minder of who held Arley's affect

ds would have shaken. She would have swallowed the p

old Hope

old, bypassed the reply

panicking, Hope knew. She hadn't e

p. "Hope?" Her voice

ries. Her tone was like ice water.

n, a sharp intake of b

er voice dropping to a silky, venomous whispe

loves me!" Kenia's voice r

h the Simmons name attached to mine. I'm the one the world sees as his future w

ess, making small

an who has to hide in the shadows, who proves her existence wit

that s

at and commanding. "In front of the cameras, I

Kenia's ragge

busy when he gets back. The families are so eager for an heir. So do try to control you

or a response, sh

cked th

he'd been holding for a year finally escaped her lungs.

gain. This time, an

ding Mr. Simmo

airport. She was to smile for the cameras. She was to attend the Simmons family

ang again.

e boomed, devoid of any fatherly warmth. "Don't cause any trouble

ation, h

e gray Manhattan sky. They all s

e lawyer's email

eiv

le pinks she used to wear. Her fingers closed around the hanger of a

r of blood. The

ing to the

going to bur

l Park, an assistant placed a s

complete. We also flagged a 37-second call made

er chair, his ice-blue eyes fixed on the f

ng," he sa