na's

s passed

ything-anger, threats, guilt-but I refused to change my decision. My stepmother called

e of it

ime in my life,

ed they couldn't force me t

olved, hanging in the air li

ther things

night was

impor

lack dress I had chosen for the evening. It wasn't as extravagant

eg

fid

timid girl everyone

the Kingsley

ey's company every year. In my past life, I

rst time I

et

sed on the zip

n Kin

his name made somethin

ause of

nge connection between

n engaged

never truly

at's what I us

rings from the dresser an

always kept my distance

it was

er part w

y had liked

that's what

that Adrian deserved s

e more

cha

e like

mile cross

lish I

m, she wouldn't have p

ame from

my fathe

e lea

ing," I

evening bag and hea

e to the ga

hile Lily sat beside me in the back. She kept glancing at me occ

nore

the car windows as we drove t

he building looked just as

lined the street. Photographers stood behind velvet ropes,

topped, Lily's postu

ders stra

e became

ect soci

ut of the ca

as

as

as

xploded w

businessmen while my stepmother wav

paid at

ere already searc

ng fo

was even more daz

across the room. Waiters moved gracefully through the crowd carrying

illed every corne

tici

E

est

one person everyone

im almost i

room, surrounded by several bu

caught for

tly the same a

a

-shou

ck suit that made him stand out eve

ade him look even more attractive. His sharp jawline and

eyes that alway

grey

evealed alm

ever been able to unders

n't seem an

aze, Adrian sudden

across the cr

t stretched s

ything around us s

mu

nversa

g lights from th

uld see

xpression that ap

gnit

art s

o

sn't po

et yet in t

eyes remained

ar

cu

dying something e

yself to r

as imagin

happened that mad

from the businessmen

lking direct

as slow and

lmost automaticall

as he moved thr

gsley rarely appro

someone insigni

oticed

ddenly grip

s he coming here

mixture of excite

n't a

didn't k

pped in fr

sence felt even m

over my face, as if

he

s Va

sent a strange

ed in s

kno

le appeared

't quite re

forget you?"

skipped

ut the way he said it

fami

errifying though

t i

o

ldn't be

ld

ooking at me as if he

time since wakin

t the only person who