was the first

onderful!" she exclaime

stepping stone for you, though perh

. "You have the tal

mall, warm ember i

ed my

e date was t

s annual Devereaux Foundation Gal

wasn't l

r, a custom piece for the gala. It

o... what? My

ght blue silk she' d personally sourced for me, a

lse wear my b

up to my depart

rranged for Mom to stay with

heartbreak, it

d, leaving me sh

bright had said gently. The bo

renched in a cold swe

oria' s dri

me to pick you up. She's at the

managed, my voice hoa

istent, sir. Said

employee, her...

ue, I dragged m

air buzzed with mo

e in my simple clo

r Victoria when

cialite friends,

t young designer, Ethan, doesn't she

aving a dismissive hand. "A distraction. She always

me, though. A nice

d on my raw nerves.

oss the room, radiant in a gold

me and becko

g, but it didn't reac

her voice carrying a note of annoyance rather

chael I wa

l do you good." She looped her ar

g towards Marcus, "I need my most talen

I was. A prop in h

a knowing smirk p

a mock toast. "To Victo

iliatio

e. They're about to announce the youth design g

laying the bene

You've been so distant lately, Ethan. And wh

I' d gotten when I stumbled,

rficial, a performanc

cus, and the truth hit m

t a substitu

, I was

he was desirable, that she could still comma

feelings, the