IRE

ed shadows across the polished marble floor. A waiter guided me to an unobtrusive table

town's wealthy elite were out in full force, clinking glas

erson. He sat completely alone, the ring of empty chairs aro

st the linen-draped table. He wasn't mingling, nor was he acknowledging anyone; he mer

looked like an apex predator resting in the sun, entirely unbothered by the pr

ble doors drew my attentio

rode in, surrounded by a tight entour

k with careful precision, a smug, untouchable grin plastered on

im, Jenna clung to his arm like a trophy, practicall

, carrying herself with the rigid arrogance of someone w

ivious to the fact that their executioner was sitting in

e stem of my champagne flute,

etely intoxicated by his own prestige. He had no idea I was back in town, l

he stage, his booming voice cutting through th

high society threw obscene amounts of money at mediocre

with effortless vanity, each hammer drop met with delighte

cold silence, feeling the steady,

the darkened screen: "All set. Audio and video feeds are pat

d: "Hold until the auction

He hadn't raised his hand once, nor

sideshow. He was the only wild card in this room, a for

ngle, measured swallow, letting