llroom doors

murmurs of gossip dying in their throats

, bathed in the soft li

rp, audible. She was not wearing black. She was not th

as a

e cut that spoke of masterful tailoring. The gold tassel belt cinched her waist, the only ornament on a canvas of pure wh

utterly at odds with the rumors of a timid, awkward

smug smiles froze on their faces, then cru

voice a venomous whisper. June could only shake her head, her pe

this. Not just beautiful, but powerful. Radiant. A sharp, possessive jealousy flared withi

showed the barest flicker of surprise. His intelligence reports had painted a picture of a vulgar, desperate woman. He had been prepa

g the guests, buzzing

ont? I heard she ha

outure. Who's the designer? I'

the altar. She began her walk down the aisle, each step graceful and deliberate. This was not a bride's n

s for a fraction of a second. She gave her a fleeting, triu

e clever, almost audacious use of curtain tassels as a belt. He recognized the material. It was the same ridiculously expensi

might have been amusement-crossed his face. This woman w

ers shifted from

tgomery. He looks

o his last fiancées... S

power and mystery, a palpable au

thout flinching. His eyes were dark and deep, and for the first time, she saw something o

sing between them. He was assessing her, and she was letting him. She had

t, bringing the moment to a close. "Dear

pectacularly, somehow elevating the very person she had meant to destroy. She clutched