/1/114263/coverbig.jpg?v=a2eb475f06b1312fa94e416bf91c4ca8)
e, Ed
tense enough to leave a bruise. Edith forced the corners of her mouth upward
of Art, the pinnacle of New York's social calendar. To the world, they were the perfect couple. The formidable Giovanni Baldwin, the King
pitiful smile, her eyes gleaming with a mockery that only Edith could see. Kassandra, the younger sister of Giovanni's late
scinator approached, her champagne flute sloshing.
her, but Giovanni's voice cut
en, but the words landed like a physical blow to Edith's chest. He wasn't just talking about t
confusion. A heavy silence pressed down on the small group. Edith fe
g the eye of a consortium partner acro
wrist flicked. It was a sharp, deliberate movemen
ignon soaked into the pure white silk instantly, spreading like
e flashbulbs went crazy, capturing the mom
and dabbed uselessly at the spreading stain. His eyes met hers
his voice carrying to the linger
rip shifted from her arm to her wrist, his fi
to the room, his tone brooking no argume
s, the wet fabric clinging cold and heavy to her legs. The
the Rolls-Royce in a silence so thick it pressed against Edith's eardrums. She stared out the window
is eyes catching hers for a brief second. It
as silent. The doors opened into the sprawlin
shoved
aring sound was loud in the quiet room-the hem of her ruined gown ha
at him, her heart pounding a frantic rhythm against her ribs. This was the part of the night s
at her. He walked to the grand fireplace, above which hung a life-sized por
a long moment, his shoulders
th, and the cold mask of indifference w
r throat, not squeezing, just holding, a promise of violence. He walked h
estured with his chin toward the crimson stain on her dre
er to clean the wine stain he had deliberately cre
asped, her hands cl
, but on her shoulders, forcing her d
e hissed, his gaze flickering back to the portrait
an the public humiliation. He didn't ju
entire time. His expression
t of her like water from a cracked glass. Her head lolled back, her cheek pressing against the cold
llapse onto the expensive rug, a
lously wiped his own fingers, as if touching her had been a contaminatio
didn't need to. The silence w
e door to his study closed wi
he in her body, and the creeping terror of his bottomless hatred swallowed her w
ziness crashed over her, pul
, hidden deep within the lining of her clutch a few inches away on
ract is compromised. They know about o

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