V
rivate jet and stopp
of them. All shiny and expensive. Men in dark su
tterly to myself. I didn't know w
would come for me. Seraphina, Alaric. Maybe even
g on my shoulder
e men nodd
back, Mi
Miss
a second, but I nodde
le. It was a Rolls-Royce. I paused for a moment, my e
n't make me fe
d the door closed behind me. T
t my phone. If I didn't call my best friend,
connecte
anded?" s
did." I r
ing to think something
, "have you seen you
ightened arou
't expect him to leave w
brother doesn't even check on his sister? All he does
ftly, trying
ke that," I said. "Yo
ntry's top company and all that," s
y imagine her r
red past. "It's fine, Stacy. I'll call yo
d. "And Ava... take c
wi
ust as tall iron ga
Hale
ked wider than I remembered. The main house appeared ahead, exq
d have f
chest, reminding me that I was stepping back
pped at the
but in a way that made everything else look less important. Ria, the housekeeper, st
ened, and I
ard me immediately an
to see you
you too," I said,
at you," she said. "You've g
odded. "You
t to say when people talked about my
ent i
ensive. Many things had changed, but some
her, sat reading the newspaper.
a small smile. "Welcome h
fine,"
again on your grad
u," I said
nd returned
ound the room wit
ed. "Are you loo
uickly. "No
y like she didn't
visiting th
ted beating faster. I nodded
she said. "We
and went
the door to my
g had c
ow. It felt like the room had been waiting for me,
t neatly on top. My friends from high sc
ne picture an
me and
Lucien stood beside me, taller even then,
mbered
her. It was my sixteenth birthday, and the next mo
oto of us together. A
shook my head. I didn't wa
the bed. The maids had alr
water was warm, exactly what I needed. I stayed there lo
gown from the wardrobe. It had a soft flora
and stood in fr
e it hadn't been before. My skin was clear. My hair fell d
ould try modelling for a skincare brand. I
hair and turned
the door knob, I heard a
en wa
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