imple, elegant beige sheath dress. Damien was waiting for her, a

their depths. He held out a hand, not to touch her,

the cool chrome. They moved in sync, a silent, practiced team

gany table was a battlefield, and the Sterling clan were its soldiers,

py of the Wall Street Journal, his eyes, small

head of the table, her face a frozen mask of disapprov

st loud enough for everyone to hear, "Does anyone else smell da

place at the head of the table and then took the seat beside

mplete with a full, complicated set of silver tongs and a two-pronged fork. It was a test, a public

nder the table, ready to

t of a smile touched her lips. She

of a surgeon, she clamped the shell, inserted the fork, and extracted

silent. Mina's

on the edge of Damien's porcelain plate. She leaned in c

hould have th

d his part perfectly, eating the snail with re

unger sister, Chloe. She slammed her han

rted with rage. "She's a fraud! Her family

AS

behind Chloe. It shattered, spraying water and shards o

thal, sliced across t

e. The Lady of this house. Any disrespect shown to her is a direct challenge to me. Anyon

o object, but at that moment, the double doors

eaning heavily on a ruby-encrusted cane. The entire

ndson. She noted the improved color in his cheeks, the clarity in his eyes. Then her

nned everyone, she reached up and unpinned a magnificent emerald and diamond brooch from

ands, she pinned the brooch t

andson's eyes," Elizabeth announced, her voic

rd, Victoria, and Mina were a

ed her head. "Thank