A Marriage of Convenience
a calculated transaction, a means to maximize benefits. Persona
husband of impeccable lineage, wealth, an
hey signed the papers. They didn't see each other, not e
had already built a whole othe
of affection just now, the outcome of th
rs from sneaking glances at Grace,
mpathetic yet entertained gazes thrown her way, fingers tightening around the stem
on you. Wishing you
lass, offering a
y laugh, lifting her own gla
rsation ended. A polite pause. A moment
ention of letting h
me. Grace, if I remember correctly, your annive
remember it even
oothly, her voice ti
gne glass, the fleeting flicker
e, she r
ld she
ouring her heart and soul into every detail, only for Grace's w
"unprecedented grand affair"-until Bellavance a
of unmatche
fluential ma
ek. Dana's, meanwhile, faded into obscurity-relegat
d that humiliati
nally had the chanc
ything for you? Or wait-he's
r God'
pic Dana really did
e. She had nothing to say to that-because the truth was, her husband ha
change had be
onses had never exceede
business first. Romance has
t her gaze locked onto Dana's, a s
ntly, "Oh dear, you're not ma
"I just think marriage needs time and effort. I
champagne, her smile dang
the advice
he auction was
l. Rows of deep red leather chairs, arranged in
ated in the front row, thou
lectors whispered among themselve
stir at the ba
fter another, heads
A late-arriving socialite, p
ly intensified, spreading li
looked back were now stealing gl
l she caught Dana's eyes on her-
t Dana's expre
own, Grace slowl
oman in her forties, poised and ele
di
after winning Best Actress six years ago. Rumors swirled that sh
was rare for someone of her stat
ook away, she caught something t
igu
et unmistak
rs turned
ne went
o
uldn'
d
already loc
no mistaki
line, the scu
-blue eyes-piercing,
-absent
el St
had been watchi
man she hadn't seen in nearly two years, had just w
sion, thick lashes sweeping down as s
she smoothing the fabric of her
sipated, swallowed by the quiet in
ed your wife is here.
ted in the ongoing bids, tu
d briefly toward the wo
was calm,
ready
" Lydia ar
o their arrival at the venue,
ri
the woman Raphael Sterling h
faintly, offering no
her head bu
n Paris next week, you should br
rig
wice-and at last, the s
s, their double-tiered, teardrop silhoue
usly arranged diamonds, a brea
he auction house handl
these earrings had never been pub
been a token of devotion from a F
ry jewelry was often dismantled and repurposed over time, for this pair of earr
d come from all over t
oubt Raphael w
is new compa
l-only to catch him shaking his head s
been simple-see the earr
no
as cu
ould the b
her shifted
ng bid: on
eted almos
ree million, the air had
ppled throu
terling is
we don't sta
I wouldn't h
rli
werful financial d
tured to Australia to expand
ed control of the country's private banking
xpected him to re