mpanied Kathryn back

g enough to be polite, but it was clear the bare

nce flaunted online, every shot dripping with lux

s she glanced around at the pla

ne, stepped onto the balcony, and stared out

ing. All of this is for y

aught her attention-two women bel

isted on a banquet, and not a soul att

ciety, being an illegitimate child is a stain. Even if those rich people wanted to show t

the edge of the balcony, tipped her glass, and let

as the women scrambled, st

ld composure and the kind of war

"Let me hear anything like that aga

heads, bowing in apolo

fy her now-not when she wore the Palmer name. It was one thing to go

pisode faded int

decorations, every detail set for the so-called grand

of guests finally wandered in, drawn more by whispers of a big sh

he lawn, glasses in hand, con

p to the gates, the crowd's id

emerged-every inch of him commanding

ering as someone said

, and an electric energy

d, his posture rigi

ere," he said, his tone betraying his nerves. He

social gatherings were so rare

lmer family's estate for an event m

n, Kathry

th black crystals that caught and scattered the

lked beneath her ow

ven the most jaded onlookers, those who'd come just to

had clearly been lies-because the woman before

site of what gossip h

nder across the gathering,

nce away, close enough for

tures, calm eyes... and something

ing to recall where that

intel brief she'd glanced

ograph. The man in the

ir to the vast Knight fortune, the youngest

sources, scouring Wrille for a mysterious person-someo

was the person he'd

y just set foot in Wrille. When

cted the image of an untouch

his reach went far deeper. A single co

man like that