private wing, a place so exclusive it felt more like a luxury hotel. He was punishing the "attackers" he'd hired, putting on a gran

eyes red-rimmed from what the world saw as sleepless nights of wo

er, burying his face in my hand

actor. I almost had

tion," he said, his eyes gleaming. "To raise money f

isy was br

He led me into the grand ballroom of the city's most expensive hotel, my arm linked through his. We were

g. He bought everything I even glanced at. A diamond necklace. A vintage sports car. A private isla

re anything else you want, my Elsa? A

g but a cold,

y feet, complaining they must be sore. He took off his thousand-dollar suit jacket and dr

ut. A stunning sapphire and diamon

jewelry, the one thing I had been unable to save after my parents' deat

entless. He outbid everyone, paying a truly obscene am

e presented it to me, his hand trembled, and the b

cracking like a whip in the suddenly silent room. The mask had slipped.

an twenty, turned pale and collapse

arled at his security. "And make sur

rvene, but one look at Franc

softening back into one of deep love. "Don't worr

heard a sound from the direction of the restr

s Kay

to the ladies' lounge. She was there, bent over a sink, sp

ered to her reflection. "He

sive dress. The shape of the necklace. It hadn't j

end on the phone, her voice a whiny drawl. "I told

for her. And he had made her hide it on her body, under her dress. He wa

r purse. She had retrieved it from the floor. She picke

now," she coo

vestiges of my grief. He had taken my mother' s memory, the on

d robotic. I walked back to the table. Franco w

my love?" he ask

rom the prying eyes. In the empty h

hispered into my hair. "I'll de

e, the handsome, lying

id, my voice d

my l

s ov

final. The love was gone. The grief wa

ise of