ing through the heavy velvet curtain behind her. The adrenaline that had fueled her pu

teetering on the edge of collapse because she had just tor

o breathe. Regret could come later. Right now

curtain behind he

his face pale with a mixture of fury and concern. Her mothe

er, the Sterlings stormed

arren Sterling's voice was a low gro

of Annabel protectively. "Your son just publicly hum

business partners, were now inches ap

t unrepentant. "I did what I had to do. I

d "love," his eyes flickered for a fraction of a second. It wasn't the look of

e was sharp with disbelief. "You

is is a family matter. The business decision, however, was reckless. Without Sterling G

in the air, thic

into something colder, sharper, and far more dangerous. She needed a weapon. Not a shi

mage, with legacy. For a man like Warren, and a son like Blak

and precise, for

from the heated argument, pushing back thro

sts spoke in hushed, excited tones, their eyes darting t

l she found her target. Margaret Shaw, a columnist for the Washington Post's society pa

xpression carefully compose

ce just loud enough for the c

lit up. She had found the eye of the sto

if sharing a painful secret. "Perhaps it's for the best.

mpted, her journalistic

ngs are difficult for a man. Especially for a man like Blake." She paused, letting the

suggestion was more powerful, more

It was the perfect scandal. A story of masculine fa

g with false sympathy. She patted Annabel's arm, her m

weak, grateful sm

ss than fi

as whispers, then grew into knowing glances and stifled snickers. Did you hear about

ly reached the

e a mottled shade of purple. He stormed

them?" he seethed

f innocence. "I have no idea what you're talking

of horror. "You vicious little witch!" she shrieked

into a public spectacle. The two families were now openly shouting at eac

it was time for

he chaos around her. She took the microphone d

third time shocked the room in

projecting across the vast space. "It would be a shame to was

rmur went thr

played on her lips, her eyes glittering with a wild, fever

have heard a pin drop. The Sterlings stare

er gaze sweeping across the sea of s

on sink in, enjoying

an a hundred times bett

ne back to the petrifie

A wave of cold fear washed over her. It was a crazy, impossible gamb

s of the men in the room. They were a blur of familia

e all waiting. Waiting to see how she would possibly pull this off, or, mor