er had forced onto her was elegant-an off-shoulder satin gown in a deep shade of midnight blue, hugging her c

t to parade her and Leonel in front of society, a public declar

nched h

squerade, n

r door pulled her

id, adjusting her

ooking equally glamorous in a wine-colored dress. But inst

osing the door behind her, "are yo

dry laugh. "Do

ate that they're doing this to you. And

ssing into a thin line. "He doesn't care, Elis

deal. You're a person. Yo

ngers curle

o

osing her own future. But she had long since realized th

sn't matter what I deserve. What matters is

argue, but before she could, ano

and a familiar

on

rtlessly composed he looked. Dressed in a tailored black suit, his broa

yes that unsettl

Deta

ady bored of thi

rmth. His gaze flickered briefly to Elise before return

motions behind an icy facade. "Right.

fore squeezing Sienna's hand

friend, falling into step beside Leonel

th unspoken words, but neither ma

elow began to quiet. The moment they stepped

res-some envious, some judgmental, o

ned unbothered, his expression u

d gentlemen," he announced, his voice carrying over the crowd, "tonight, we celebrat

lause fill

her father gestured for

lightly on the small of her back-a calculated mo

d the urge

erful partnership," her father continued. "An

i

itter taste in her mouth as

nna and

, raising their own glasses

htly, his voice low eno

mured. "You're

y, meeting his gaze with defia

Then keep scowling. But it'

dress, but she forced a practic

was a

refused