re filled with a haunted, fragile look.

do?" I asked her, m

, confused. "Wh

ole. All of them. Do you want t

efore sparked in her eyes. It wasn' t f

she said, her voice raspy. "I

family is a battlefield, and you

attending some vapid socialite luncheon, orchestrating dra

s brutal, efficient, and taught Gabby how to turn her fear into focused aggression. I watched

each her financial literacy. He drilled her on market analysis, portfolio management, an

ette coaches. They stripped away the Bronx and rebuilt

ingle, encrypted text: Touch her again

d peace. Gabby transformed. The haunted look in her eyes was replaced by a sharp, intellige

than re

n. "Jocelyn, I was wrong. I' ve been thinking. W

it wa

fficially introduce Gabrielle Clark to New York hig

ed into my vision, con

Ethan. Public setting,

oducing her. He'

uncan. The sixty-year-old real es

on and a very specific, very public preference for "traditional," untouched women

ng with wealth and power. Gabby was breathtaking in a sapphi

k of sycophantic friends cornere

voice dripping with venom. "You can put a diamond coll

you can wrap a snake in silk, Ni

d a glass for attention, a triumphant s

bout rectifying past mistakes." His eyes landed on me. "Jocelyn, I

grand, pub

Everything. All I ask in return is that you release your clai

o buy my silenc

at him. "I agree," I said,

s smirk widened. He thought he' d won. He thoug

but towards Nicole. "And to seal a new partnership that will secure our family' s future for

cole to the lec

What? No! Ethan, the deal was for her!"

was pure ice.

over Nicole with a possessive, disgusting h

stammered, looking at Ethan

," I said, my voice carrying across the silent room. "Proof of your very activ

crime, she unfortunately didn' t meet his disgusting 'criteria' either.

Duncan' s men took her arms. She was dragged a

turned to leave, a new, terrifying

d. It' s the beginni

o launch a hostile takeover of Joce

be assaulted. He' ll "save" her

ll manipulate her into a sacrificial ma

tragic 'accident.' He gets her shares,

his wasn' t just about punishing