atigue, led the way back into the living room where Ju

d dramatically, sinking gracefully onto the sofa

re exquisite, a pair of Jimmy Choos covered in glittering Swarovski crystals. Th

" Juliana announced to the room, though her eyes wer

hoes to her own plain, functional slipper.

he looked at Elara, her expression changing from one of a pampered

. "Go and fetch me a glass of lemon wate

could feel three pairs of eyes on her. Julian's, e

towards the kitchen. The silence behi

doorway, a vicious, cunning l

ng attention, then, with lightning speed, stuffed the shimmering high heels

ter, holding a tall, sweating glass

gasp. "My shoes! Where are my

eyes wide with manufactured shock

d cold. The sheer audacity of the accusation was so stunning

lian, her voice trembling. "Julian, I knew it! She's jealous of me, of us

! Who else could it have been? You were the only one who left the r

sappointed lover, the furious mother. They were a united fro

aid, her voice low and stead

an's shoulder, her sobs growing louder. "But... but th

ffection gone, replaced by a cold, weary disappointment. "Elara, that'

eve her. Of co

he absolute certainty of her guilt in their eyes-it was to

twisting beneath her. She cried out as her foot slamme

ded in her ankle. It was a pain

her ankle throbbed violently, a fresh wave of agony wash

the crushing weight of their accus

gusted. "Oh, for heaven's sake, now you're resorting to this? Faking an

es were empty, devoid of any emotion at all. She looked at the scene before her-the fake tears, the

tood every

p, designed from the start. She wanted to humiliate her, to bran

and Sharon, the woman who had given

willing ac