Love's Ashes, Empire's Dawn

nfidant, my entire world. Tonight, at a candlelit dinner

beautiful stranger at the door. "Everyone," he announced

the Aura project-my life's work-and gave it to

, told me not to be sentime

It detailed their entire plan to sideline me,

en girl, a sentimental foo

I ran into him. Julian Thorne. A ruthless c

red me

ng," he said. "But if you want to

e the

hat do I h

pte

I smoothed down the silk of my dress, a deep sapphire blue I'd chosen specifically for tonight. The fabric was cool against my skin, a stark con

ficient. He was my confidant, my protector, the one person who saw me when I felt invisible. Tonight, I was going to tell him that m

had soothed so many of my anxieties over the years. He reached across the table, his

asted duck and expensive wine, the low murmur of other diners a distant hum. I could f

a whisper. I took a breath, gathering the courage I'd been hoarding for weeks. "Our r

ked past my shoulder toward the restaurant's entrance. His ha

possibly beautiful in a cream-colored dress that probably cost more than my

od floor. "Everyone," he announced, his voice ringing with a joy that wa

able, his hand placed proprietorially on the small of her back. My step-father and

they would for me. He took her hand, lifting it to his lips. A stunning diamond glittered on her left ring

e vibrant, warm restaurant suddenly felt cold and suffocating. The rich aroma of the food turned to ash in my throat. I co

be a part of. Mark was looking at Isabelle with an adoration I had craved my entire life. He hadn't even noticed

Clara?" my mother chi

felt like it was tearing my face apart. "Wonderfu

uldn't sit here and watch the life I had i

r a response. I fled. I walked past the smiling waiters, through the opulent lobby, and pus

began to stream down my face, hot and shameful, mixing with the cold rain. The humiliation was a physical weight, pressing down on my chest, m

t cobblestones. I collided with something solid. Or rather, some

gripping my upper arms to steady me. They were firm, imperso

wiping at my eyes, tryin

his forehead. His eyes were a startlingly pale grey, and they held no warmth, no sympathy. They simply observed my breakdown wi

own to my ruined dress, then back up. His expression remained a

rms around myself. "I'm sorry to have run

old and flat as his eyes. "Cryin

a slap. "You don't know anything about i

ugh I didn't know why. He reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket and produced a slim, black card

rying over them," he said, his voice low

my scalp, and a shiver wracked my body, but I barely felt it. His offer was insane, nons

stock felt heavy, substanti

e. CEO, Thor

iggest corporate rival to my step-father's company. T

ed away, disappearing into the misty Veridia night as silently as he had appeared, leaving me st

-