Ross

found its way up the grand staircase,

of the mezzanine and looked down over the wrought-iron balcony. In the living room, the morning sun

r posture one of practiced grace. Cassio stood a few feet away, watching them with his hands tucked into the

of my heels against the marble steps w

oment her eyes met mine, she seemed to

rse to her chest and made a clumsy, uncertain motion to stand, adopting the p

wrapped his small, fierce arms around Siena's leg, turning

in the vast room. "If you make Aunt Siena leave, I'm

and me. The warmth in his eyes vanished, replaced by

at permitted no argument. "Siena is staying. Her recovery is fra

and let out a small, broken whimper. "I don't want to cause any friction in

ed as they were, they looked like a painting of a family. I was t

husband. "Siena's presence in this territory is irrelevant to me, Cassio. Sh

io, my gaze fixed on the swaying chandelier above their heads, and headed straight for the di

my silver fork, and began to eat in a deliberate, unbroken silence. I ig

right beside him like a sentry. Siena meekly look

r mercy, Tessa," s

ise sections, my gaze fixed on the d

ly ordered this from the city's finest parlor for Miss Siena," the maid announced nervously, stepping back quickly.

t, his fingers closin

nded sharply, an

he hovering staff to remove every item containing seafood from the table. He watched them with a hawk's in

to be. A dryness akin to swallowing sandpaper bloomed deep in my throat, the

passed down from the father Siena and I shared. I had to

had married. His mind held room only for the i

; a breath caught somewhere in my chest. Reaching for my phone, I

stood up from my chair,

ss to handle," I announc

he dim sum platter had been. A faint crease appeared between his brows-confusion, or perhaps something else. He looked do

ting cold," she said sof

o her, and the mask of the indif

wall. But a crack meant nothin

ain plate and walked out of the room, leaving