air. She stared at her reflection-a pale-faced woman in a shimmering silver dress-a

ant lightness bloomed in her chest. The suffocating weight of Preston, of hi

t her bare shoulders like a shock of electricity, clearing the last remnants of fog from her mind. She start

sent by Preston to harass her into submission. She ignored them all, finally sw

arsh but welcome beacon. She slid into a cracked vinyl booth and ordered

ad no apartment. She would have to resign from her design position at Vanc

amiliar, toxic dread. Sharon worshipped Preston Vance and the lavish lifestyle he pr

A flood of notifications instantly poured in. Dozen

practically screaming off the screen. Elliana

oat! Grow up, Elliana! Men of his stature have needs, it's a fact of life. Do you really think you can survive out there on your own? You're almost thirty! Without his money and c

nt her into a spiral of anxiety and guilt. She would have doubted herself, folded i

icious, mocking words, Elliana felt

had worked three jobs to pay for her own design degree while her mother gambled away the rent mone

r ag

ips. Her fingers flew across the keyboa

golden cage. If you want his money so badly, Mother

ceipt could even register, she tappe

her black coffee, the bitter taste perfectly matching her mood. A storm was comin

ew message from an unknown number

for the intrusion at this hour, but I would like to request a meeting with you at your earliest co

rshall

the Vances were merely wealthy. The Marshalls, however, were an empire. They were old money, the apex p

ut the tone of the message was impeccably formal. It included an official encrypted email addre

in the city be contacting her, a newly unemployed

A million lights, and not one of them felt like it belonged to her. She had just burn

ling clarity, wasn't free. It req

career out of spite, she needed a shield he couldn't pierce. This bizarre invit

g in the cheap vinyl booth. She typed a reply to

. I am available

nstantaneous, as if they

outside your apartment building at 10 a.m. Rest assured

exactly wh

own her spine, but it also solidified the terrif