reet coffee shop in the West Vill

ed on her head despite the overcast

to be tearful, plead

mposed, a leather document holde

ce dripping with false sympathy. She sat down, arr

me, Chloe," Evelyn

ntrol, to play the role

this? Julian... he can be

ep down, he's still obs

g. Chloe had anticipated a

ething Chloe had always underes

lt like a

document holder

orce papers. A

ched for the folder, her perfectly man

aster, much more directly

a flicker of trium

ny, no fight over assets. I

itions were s

these. Unknowingly. That

am now replacing her surprise. "

or you to get what you want. Julian, the Vance name, the security

w her ambition, her

n with Arthur Vance Sr., Julian

with a surprising sense of fairn

er tea. "But he's a Vance. And Vances don't do messy p

bornness. "Once that boy gets an idea in his he

tly. He'd see it as a challenge, an affront to his pride. But if h

a frown creasing his forehea

. Too

or two days. Her side of

he one she'd left in a curt no

ilently in the background, her

sually arranges your dry cleaning on Tuesdays. And she reminded me

e'd never noticed, nev

something important slipping

t the efficiency, the quiet order Evelyn broug