ia Si

amplified through the speakers. The entire banque

She couldn't even pronounce meta

in her hand looked like a loaded gun pointed dire

andom, illogical words, her voice cracking. She let out a dry

nd wrapped his large, warm hand completely ove

ature, charming smi

dard PR deflection. "But those technical details are far too dry for a night of ce

id. Covering up incompetence

their heads together. They whispered, their eyes flas

ld to protect the woman wearing my wedding dress. The very last t

the invisible earpiece. I

to the cold m

owed by the murmurs of the crowd, but to me, it sounde

oulders back and straightened my spine. Th

of the heavy red velvet curtain. I

sn't wearing makeup. I was in a plain black s

ocked onto the woman dressed in black who had just shattere

moment his eyes landed on me

His fingers went slack, instinc

ch heels. She stumbled hard, her hands scrambling to grab

and entirely silent. Five years ago, I was the youngest capital queen on Wall Str

idn't stop. I simply turned my head and pinned them with a lo

own at her, staring at the delicate Vera W

presence pushed her away from the podium

hed out and snatched the microphon

ck blasted through the hall. Everyone in

ff this stage right now," he warned through gritted teet

of a glance. I turned my back to h

's eyes. My voice rang out,

s of the Bronze Deer is exactly 73.415 percent co

nto a dead, abs

nded like a machine-gun firing. Flashes blinded

pens flying across their notebooks as they recorded

shen. He reached out and grabbed C