al like a scene torn from a fairy tale. A string quartet played in the

ine as if nothing had happened.Crystal had briefed her husband Harold Caldwell

ture Mrs.

tly, the taste of v

e survives what we did to her, she'd leave town

then stops. "What a

have nothing to worry about," She said with a

rs. Blackwood. That's all that

urse m

Eric Blackwood isn't about love; it's about securing her place beside one of the most powerful men in the business world. Emma's s

ring his mistress into their home on their engageme

r thoughts. Eric disrespected me

t get carried away

what's a

her voice. "I love Eric, but if he's going to keep m

glass down wit

it, Ge

d froze he

sn't ab

ked, momenta

at is it

ered he

loodline in a world run by men like Eric Blackwood - men who smil

ut our family? No. But the moment you wear his ring, carry his

s voice

... doesn'

expression

ve him no room for scandal, no room for doubt. And if anyo

lowering her voice t

way back to the top to watch it crumble because my

e'd always known her mother was ruthless, but

to you," she said qui

d a brittle, d

ly difference is whether you end up

n the background.

family's fortune, her place in society, and the terrifying truth

ped into the charming hostess, dishing out

remained los

-

of champagne glasses among guests in designer gowns and bespoke suits -

od wasn't listen

t. He'd arrived later than planned - a conference call with an overseas partner had dragged

've been h

se over an hour ago, and Emma wa

urned saying she insisted she come by herself. Eric hadn't expected her to stay long - just enough time to mee

nd dialed her number agai

aw cl

her hand snaking around his arm. Her smile was brittle, her e

omething brittle beneath it. A hint

ter. She was supposed to be here an hour ago. It was suppos

hanged her mind. Maybe she found ou

look at her f

do you

al and Harold Caldwell appeared, all