ore her bedroom mirror,

hair fell in soft waves over her shoulders. She looked b

dead. She had trusted her fiancé, Adrian Cole, and considered her stepsis

he would be

is ready," Grace sa

. "Has Ethan

lier and said he would

call me whe

u sure you want to attend the gala

e woman who had al

drian's strange behavior. Dayla had dismissed thos

filled her

I need to see certain p

about Mr.

rtl

e be c

And Grace, thank you for staying besi

ou don't have to thank

r hand before pic

life. She refused to lose the people

the Grand Imperial Hotel, one of th

, photographers waited behind velvet ropes, and guest

ce visited her father's office and socialites who praised her

he saw

ilored black suit. His handsome fa

ay

d with his f

m standing outside the burning

ightened arou

ed. "Is some

uld anythin

cheek, but she turned slight

ile st

autiful toni

nk y

u wouldn't come. You haven't

been

with

eyes. "My fa

fraction of a second before

re going through a difficult

thoug

o handle everythi

ove to take control of

Vanessa approached in a

! You

Dayla enthu

again. You know how much I hate a

early l

r Dayla attracted too much attention. She had accuse

ending to be the

py I'm here, the

cour

d her arm thr

d their closeness. She had never wondered why Vanessa knew Adrian's schedul

tten detail fel

o inside?"

tain

en them, smiling as though she k

would obser

most frequently mentione

hris is attending toni

acquired another co

ating with him is like

hed. "At least the

ost rolle

wealthy, powerful, and intimidating, with a habit of look

eading the entire document. He had told her that her

sliked him

ng for someone

N

king toward t

ing the de

all

er that I admir

but Adrian's sm

rent lately,"

le ch

this

rhaps you never knew me

, the conversations aro

s dark hair was neatly styled, and his expression was calm and indifferent

hris had

anizers. Then his gaze moved ac

t, neither

oking at you," V

king at t

efinitely loo

recognizes

ike Luthur Chris doesn't

aying attention t

uthur's assistant, Dan

waiting for you to s

a mo

wed his gaze

A

to him. "What

ing,

ing so pleased

ightened. "

ed his attent

ut seeing her in person affected

s that hadn't been there before. She seemed to be measur

happened to make he

previous evening, when she had describe

dly argue wi

e woman who had once told her anonymous friend that he was th

ea they were

d to keep it t

nounced short

is considering a partnership with several famili

tnership, he knows

ng unusuall

t allowe

s smile

has been reviewing her father's estate lately. Pe

would I discuss my inherit

fluential b

nd

n hes

iness, he can contact Mr. Bennett.

ed a quick glan

a no

as no longer willing to let

tupidity. They had believed she would sign what

would cost th

er, Luthur approa

ing," he g

one s

said, extending his

briefly before g

turned t

Stan

Chr

re enjoying

beautifu

t quite wha

perhaps you should as

sement appeare

always th

hen nec

it neces

nning to tell me how I sho

refer honest answers, even

ess, nor did he try to impress her with his wealth. Inst

more difficult

ening, Mr. Chr

e, but he glanced at the

ay

f hesitation

t, making Adrian vi

minutes before Luthur asked, "How is

swered im

y forward. She has a lot on her shoulders, so

toward Dayla

wing everything with

laugh. "Of course. I only mea

ot managing,"

"An important

ression hard

sman," Luthur said. "I imagine he

And I intend to respect the

oo

simple, yet str

g Dayla wondering why she felt both

a quiet balcony overlo

ed her face as she

anonymous online

How is t

ere she was going, only that s

e most irritatin

ounds serious.

ons as if he alread

he's trying to

thinks everyone owe

pause

ne. Only the peopl

d the mes

you defen

e possibility that he isn'

haven't

ou'd be s

she could ask what he mean

he make you

ession s

n to and whether she had offended anyone importa

ference

akes me feel like he can se

one your secrets before y

swal

by smoke, hearing Adrian's voice outside. She remembered be

gers tr

Day? Are

fine. J

n't have to pr

r eyes, and she quic

nted to believe that at least o

ong people had cost

e would prote

odnight

t, Day. Be caref

ked her

the balcony

g some p

urned s

s stood in

eart

e you do

k you the s

out for

di

"Isn't there an entire room full

rtuna

elf, Dayla a

e balcony, maintaining

appy tonight,

m n

a terrib

d you're remarkably rude for

rha

r the garden befo

ve you so

ask f

N

why of

someone who's trying to

closer to home

nything about me,

d toward her. "Which is

fell s

pt to force her to reveal her secrets. He s

t unsettled her more

ou care?"

pression gr

t always as strong as

nsing something perso

steppe

side before someone c

dering me a

uggesting that you shouldn't let

lroom, leaving Dayla a

iliar, much like the advice her

e wondered whether there coul

y dismisse

re she disliked. Her online friend was

possibly be

ld

hur found Daniel waiting

ready whenever

e ten m

. "Did you speak w

es

nd

e him a wa

. "You've spent most of t

serving t

cour

nie

s,

ke to keep yo

y mu

stop t

lips together, hi

hone. A new message f

ght, L

e before puttin

spoken to on the balcony was the sa

to reveal the

o once trusted so easily now looked at e

, Dayla returned to

peaking in hushed voices. When they

tended no

had seen

d ask Mr. Bennett to investigate every transaction connected

eady begun moving against her

till the trusting woman

were

a second chance, and

be the one deciding