ily

m a professional cleaning and moving company, summoned by Mrs. Hicks, was metho

on a temporary chair, sipping black

. Seraphina's face was blotchy from crying, and she let out a gasp

s met mine. He saw the cool challenge there, the unspoken reminder of Elder Thompson's phone number. He snapped his mouth shut

mile touched my

the movers. Only when the last truck pulled away did my p

nsw

e was a cold, hard command. There was no gr

to Daddy. Of

led out. "Please br

he long, tree-lined driveway, I saw Caden's Aston Martin already parked near the entrance. He ha

room, and the oppressive atmosp

he sofa to his right sat Caden, looking appropriately somber, and next to him, Seraphina,

s-expensive bottles of whiskey, boxe

I could already see gathering in his brow, I caught it-a flicker. His gaze dropped. Just for a hea

m, but not dark. A notificatio

t need to. I knew the only name that could make my father's expr

r's estate

amily unless I chose to release it. My father didn't just want me to behave. He needed me complian

under

filling the room. "Causing chaos in your own home. Do you

. "Harrison, please, don't blame Cecily. This is

any accusation. It painted me as the hyst

rectly at my father. "Did h

ated pair," he said, his voice stiff. "He has apologized for his lapse in judgment. Why can

caped my lips. "So my dignity, my safety... they are

ms. "Cecily, our families have been allies for generations. Caden is a young Alpha, still learning. He ca

, his right

I had learned

from the armrest, a casual flick toward the doorway where a servant stood w

ss problem. The IPO. The quarterly projections. The Sterling Group's pristine reputati

ave the decency

he room was against me, painting me

d his face for a flicker of fath

impatience and col

under. "I am done with your excuses! This ends now. You will apologize to Seraphina. You will h

was a whisper, but it carr

er washed over me, a crushing weight designed to force sub

bow. I di

y. To Marcus, still waiting for his fresh cup of coffee as if this were a midday board meeting. To Caden, playing the

them wan

hem wante

una who smiled for the cameras, asked no questions, and kept

the inconvenient wife-had j

any winter cold, se

e who had betrayed me

Luna. I was a commodity. A bargaining

felt so ut

oolish tether of hope I had clung to-the hope of fami