d Patricia heaved a deep breath. It was close at the waist, e

r. Pat knew she couldn’t cry with the amount of make-up she had on, so she did h

urse, her best friend turned sideways. “I haven’t seen him all day” She said, unsure

hat she desired. “Now—“ She paused. “Let’s get out of here” The jazz band music boom

eral banners and pictures. A lot of pretty important people were already seated, finge

“I’ll be right that” She tapped Jacq on her shoulders whose eyes eee set on Leo’s brother, Ivan. She’d had the biggest crush on him over the years and the closest she had come to living out her fantasies was a

mily name in entirety. And that itself came at the cost of being wanted by every single woman—and man, in the city. And even moreso, desired by every mother for their child. Perhaps that was why

en spend as little as a night with the heir and the prestigious family. And all her days, she spent it

strobing chandelier above her. The lights reflected in her amber eyes, filling her gaze with color. “You, as well” She flashe

uite a numbe

n, and then the man himself—David Carter in a custom gold suit. He was always the flashiest amongst the entire family and a very outspoken man, a characteristic that made

le David settled at a distance furthest from his wife. Amanda pushed a lump down her throat as Patricia sought an attempt to make eye contact wi

head, smoothing her dress. “I have to remain sober for tonight” She whispered with a glinting smirk. Jacqueline scoffed boringly

thing with his brother” She added and Jacqueline rolled her eyes. “For you, it will. For me, it could

er wine. “I’ve had my own fun—“ A smirk crept to Patricia’s lips. “Was it with that boy Atlas you thought y

highs of the moments she spent with Atlas, the boy she was in love with before Leonard. The boy, that

hat was what he offered, stability. With passion, and the future in the palms of his

ding hers. He had a gaze of countenance and a gait with confidence. Leonardo sauntered around the podium, on which there was a lectern he could very much do without

Six years, and w

ling my father, the newly elected Mayor of New York City is a night of new beginnings and a multitude of possibilities” His vo

s per

and Patricia hefted her fingers, nails adorned in a blue-black color, to her glossed lips. “As you may know, my father earlier thi

ght. New beginnings i said” Each hesitating word, each rapid beat of her heart. She had her face filled with

tricia

vel, envied what it was that my parents had. Sometimes i even blurted out, i want something like this in th

my mind. Yes, Leonardo Carter fell in love” He heaved a

ture, the care of a child and the love of one. And it’s no wonder i fell in love with the bane of my very existence. Per my father’s instru

go with a murmur. “

i spend with her” His eyes met with Patricia’s as she suddenly stood up, making a sound that drew the entire hall’s atten

ous by each second that passed and the color in her face slowly turned crimson. Th

to the other side, grieved in his eyes. “I’d love for the whole world to meet Francesca, the love of my life” He stretched his ha

till a dista

on? Her name wasn’t Francesca, was it? It was Pat, fo

r lady stood, taking his hands in hers. There was a forbear

ing to a stranger the ring she thought was hers, Patricia choked on her saliva, downing the glass of wine before running out of the halls. “Pat

around confused,

” She gritted through her teeth, throwing over his shirt the maroon Merlot. And the guards immediately clouded him but she stepped back. Gliding her waist to the faint applause, Jacq sauntered out of the

dors for her friend. “It’s been a minor misunderstanding” He lied, except the only thing minor was that was he both a cheat and

cont