A Marriage of Convenience
agrance, blending with the lingering drizzle as it brushe
set the stage for the evening's most anticipated highlight-a pair of 18th-century diam
were finally
endary earrings in person. She attended the event alo
stunning! Is it from your famil
e had always been breathtaking-her amber eyes, sharp and captivating, held a hypnotic depth, while the
itself was stunning, or if it simply beca
a fashion empire, a symbol of prestige and power. From couture evening gowns to trendsetting
ss. The right connections might mean securing an exclusive piece befo
their admiration, offering
tom-made," she
couture was hardly a novelty. But wearing something entirely
eir admiration. As always, they chimed in wi
ersation naturally paused, she seized the
y, som
htedness wasn't severe-barely 200 degrees-she rarely wore glasses. But tonight, she had to endure
retouched her lipstick and slipped the tube back
hen-clink!-her lipstick slipped from her finge
its crisp metallic sound echoing through the quiet hallw
. Above them, the perfectly tailored drape of suit tro
ntact lenses shifted uncomfortably with them, and with the dim corridor light
ding a calm yet undeniable authority. In the shadows, his f
iscomfort. Forget it. It doesn't matter who i
he man had already stepped close
rested in h
in the air-cool, crisp bergamot, w
el his gaze-steady, unwaveri
the lipstick from his palm. "Thank you," she mur
erested. She had no desire f
ed away, the man turned to watch her retr
cker of recognition, or perhaps curio
her pace and her gown swept behind he
bustling auction hall, the atten
one else-a vibrant young woman at the center of the circle, chatting anim
ve you been? I've been lo
almost theatrical, her lips painted in a bold sh
th into a flawlessly practiced smil
ped away fo
dn't miss those earr
women, leaning in like they
your budget ton
e flute from a passing server's tray. Without breaking h
hen something
ooch-an exquisite piece, with d
s, but the boldness of th
ltered for a fra
before Grace could ask, she sm
ched the brooch delicately, her voice tin
led throug
an G? Th
hey only make eighty pieces a year, most of wh
the others instinctively start estimating its worth
htened her posture, her brooch gleamin
uch as glanced at it, my husband pulled a few strings
as though this level of dev
nd adored her. And most importan
ng, a powerhouse of wealth and status. Entirely different from
the same generation, they
while Grace stood in black-two sides o
ry. People were already placing their s
opic had turned to
weeks after their wedding-Sixteen and a half hou
early tw
ge in na