of the chandelier, laden with porcelain plates and sparkling

ndled the complex array of cutlery with an ease that seemed

She dabbed her lips with a linen

Montana," she began, her voice dripping with false

insinuation that Ira wa

e. "Candace, don't worry about that. We'll

ere is she going to go? She can't just stay home." She turned her gaze to Sterling. "Uncle, you're not thinking of sending her to one of

silent signal of her agreem

ced her napkin on the table

cutting his steak, but his voice cut through the ten

fe and fork. He looked directly at

ent at Westwood Preparatory Academy,"

on Candace's face

nia. Its admission standards were notoriously brutal. Candace herself had only gotten

ng its composure. "That's impossible! The

"For the Vaughan family," he said c

ut the authority beh

ealousy. Even Eleanor raised a surprised eyebrow

d over and squeezed Ira's hand. "Oh, that's w

if being handed a spot at the most exclusive school

nfuriating to Candace than

"The curriculum at Westwood is college-level. If she can't

er cousin. Her eyes were calm, c

eld a strange, unshakable cer

ed a silk pillow against the wall in a fit of rage. She

an on a nobody from Montana. Her nam

ew desk. An email notification had popped up

read: [Official S

ngle number was dis

perfec

ened the thick, leather-bound notebook and began to read her medical notes, the complexities o