The 99 Stones of Betrayal

ria Sterling had been

ked perfect fr

hitect, known for smart

massive tech company she' d bui

East Side apartment, a testa

ds to a small club in the Lower East S

Jax Ryde

raw and angry, pl

im, completel

fiance, his unpolished

st crack appeared i

er had

and worked as a barista to pay

ted everything Vic stood for:

showing up

is apartment, things he could

deal through one of Aur

t all back

er, his voice dripping with contempt after a s

at would be t

on only made Vi

hunter who couldn' t

to notice Vic'

one, smiling at texts he

tantly, about his "authe

logs: Victoria Sterling, tech queen,

knot tighten

ty he hadn' t seen since she was c

who saw, or wha

Ethan, forgetting t

e it, to tell himsel

ways been

felt di

of ninety-nine smo

special place, a sh

ock from their hon

rom the beach where th

from the foundation

n a glass jar

old dread settling in his

pped away at their marriage, he would take o

-nine

was gone, their ma

ever have to thr

edding annive

helin-star restaurant months in advance

sed in his best suit, a smal

passed.

ver sh

nt straight

Ethan saw it on a

a dive bar, Jax Ryder o

EO Vic Sterling Ditches Ann

o get Jax' s attention,

d to the edge of the Hudson

, a smooth, white pebble fr

ng, her hand in his, as

one into the gr

Ninety-e

ic asked Ethan to an

lace in Chelsea, showcas

or their first anniversary, engraved with thei

as a guest, but lingering near th

rialistic to impress Jax, who often scoffed

g it up. "So sentimental. Jax, you' re an

Vic tossed the locket into a nearby decorative

g new," she declar

ty of it, in front of strangers and the ma

cted, schmoozing with the gallery

and reached in, past the sticky

slightl

, spending weeks search

he gave it to her, how she' d

et, the cold metal a small,

r silent apartment, Ethan looke

he same gossip site fro

usician Muse: Getting Co

ng, her arm linked through Jax' s

out their relationship, painting

tion was a

ling of cigarettes and c

dark living room, the l

, Vic?" he aske

issive hand. "O

Jax R

Ethan, don' t be so dramatic. He' s...

fun, Vic? Discarding something I gave you, some

"It was a spontaneous gesture. Jax appreciat

ge? Is that just

exploring something new. People get bored, Ethan. It' s life. I' ll g

lt a cold laugh escape him.

okay? But one person for a whole lifetime? That' s a

reassure, felt lik

' t say an

until she

e jar – a small, heart-shaped one

river. The water

the sec

-seven

w many more he

derstood what she was doin

simply did

ill resistant, still keep

ed Jax, and she wanted him i

on a major project, a new mu

gant flight of stairs leading from the

m at the top of the st

trange look

er voice unusually sof

up the st

needs a stable job. His sister is s

ith us?" Ethan asked, reachi

m," Vic said. "I

expression

going to help

d react, she gave

alance, his a

airs, his head hitting the marble floo

nd wrist. Warm blood trickle

at Vic standing at

was unr

e calm, almost clinical. "Now I have a

e betrayal so profound

st neglect. Thi

terrifying level