not anticipated encountering Elijah so

ncealed the marks scattered acro

e window of the sport

eparted

hter around her was both

is, trying to approach

der present at o

wnward, yet inside, she

s unaware she was the

becoming a pawn in their games, she had to

he realized he would not protect her m

Given his nature, he might we

owing her foster mother, as Dan

us at the Warren family's banquet," Claire remarked

nced, everyone settle

banquet was arran

able, leaving the second most sig

l now found himself isolated at the t

ment, hoping to leverage the Kirk family's t

family is treated?

red no cont

re had wed David, who had no children of his own and thus raised Claire's three daughters. Th

respect for David's sake, and Elijah, merely seven y

clusion, the Warrens

had not st

ous dishes, yet no one dared

held this banquet for,

a Warren, the Warren famil

arrangements, her husband took her family name

r us," Wyatt Warren, the second so

t realize you missed me this much," Elijah remarked as he

ssed in a black shirt and pants, his prese

nd to," Elijah said, taking the seat to Robert's

ated, the banq

broad for the last three years. Now that you're back, I

peared uneasy wit

rved Elijah

pearance was both mesmerizing and intimidating. His piercing eyes and the

was even more daunting

ted her gaz

regarded her with

ssed, Elijah was the

y treasures at the auction l

reminisced. "Yes, there was one piec

last night, did you?"

th a significant gift. It demanded my immediate attent

armed as she reme

ding too mu

hadn't reco

good news recently," E

se came a

a flirtatious smile. "Ashley and Daniel are engaged. Eli

unease-this was defin

bly excited, seizing his ch

, his deep eyes narrowing,

ed down, too anxious to

ised their glasses i

the gesture. "How sh

e family-" Daniel began, e

jah's chilly voice, heavy with

aniel to speak, it

ght haunted Ashley, but she

h, she called out

y touching his left ear, his tone bec

ed a hush to fal

as impaired, he reli

idicule instead underscored the g

own prelude to his anger, a situa

y, her fear mirroring that o

he had issued the sam

Elijah was

ze, struggling to read the impe

of reverence, looking up at him. Her vo

gaze, she was but a sma

h her, sipping his wine wi

ill arrange a lavish gift for you," he remarke

Claire took Ashley aside t

ent. You should perform a dance later to ens

responded, masking her pro

culously training her in music, chess, piano,

nce and beauty, aiming solely to garner a man's approval. She felt like

oom, Ashley suddenly felt l

ands press painfully on a sore spot from l

ah standing before her,

she murmured, he

hastily last night, and now you act as if you've forgotten.

d against her, tracing the contours

ck with one hand, slowl

Ashley?" he demanded, h

nse fear overw

going to