yn's

felt as though I was in a vacuum. My mind was in disarr

isn't as simple as you think

e casually leaning against the bar. I

arlier?" I asked, making a te

evously at me. "Oh, Evelyn.

"Stop playing games." "What

said, "You're Richard Elmont's illegitim

him in disbe

e." Richard Elmont. The guy whose empir

mbled as I snapped.

Consider it, Evelyn. What else could e

My fists clenched as I spoke.

l, if that's what you want to think. Howeve

el and left. He must have been making a

the other side of the roo

ng with derision, "Evelyn." "How

id you notice her gown? My maid,

by biting my lip. Lil

eter has such peculiar standards." "He destroys my fath

ryone was watching me and that th

s suff

, and the room became silent. He took a st

His voice was quiet yet

ance eroding in his presence.

ne. "You think it's funny to mak

n't me

ordered, int

lanced at me before turning back to

" Peter

ce more, her voic

er nodded. "Al

the marble floor, Lila bounded off

was the first time Peter ha

nder of the evening close to the ballroom'

And what did Daniel hope

when the event was finally over. I exha

After kicking off my heels, I fell onto the cou

was sho

door. I looked at the clock and

ur, who mi

floor when I carefully opened th

t handwriting. In strong, black writi

hands, I ri

on a single sheet of

ichard Elmont. If you don

rom my fingertips a

time. I couldn't stop thinking about the audacious assertion written on the

o be the one. But what's the point of all this hassl

I could picture my mother's face, her soft touch, her loving gaze, and her hushed

hing she was t

eel feasible. My mom couldn't be dishonest. She gave me what

e suspicion

have something to do wit

nobody like me would never have be

this? Was the next question that

e was Peter Austin, the icy, unapproachable CEO who ha

n't go to sleep until I had some ans

the consequences. But as I stared out the window into the dark, I couldn't shake the feel