His Betrayal, Her Bloom

as a child, his face earnest. "I' ll always pr

ine, a fleeting tou

e takeover. James was frantic, on the verge of losing

. I couldn' t let the Harrison line, the protecto

d events, whispered caution to one ally, sowed doubt in one opponent. It was a monumental effor

d. He emerged stronger, hail

ever

ound." It was easy for her to insert herself into the narrative, to claim she' d given him some cr

w experts. I' d thought it was gratitude, a renewed understanding of the estate' s true wellspring. Now I saw it w

s a sharp, new pai

enda stood i

now how I value my complexion. That old woman, Elara, she always had such... unique

lint in his eyes. "You' re right. S

s to maintain her youthfulness. The city is so harsh on the skin. We' ll need a s

eccentric old woman with

ued, as if discussing a botanical

life force? F

elty. This was a death sent

ous eyes, and a woman with a tray of me

own. I was too

st blood, but something deeper, the very core

dimmed. Th

readable. Brenda stood beside hi

lt myself unraveling, my spi

aid suddenly. The

on the very edg

ell me. Why all this deception

could not see the truth, eve