blur of hushed phone calls and

ues are calling, Ava.

a polite word

ed to an event volunteer. The goss

on's Shocki

Princess to Prol

ed it.

ied to be stoic, but I saw t

l, private meeting

ooking just as he had at the

rand explanations for his presence at

obs" and had been helping out a

d him gently abo

ulian admitted, his gaze steady on me. "But I wi

talk of annul

ppointed by his lack of ambi

calm. He was exactly what I

n and Izzy paid us

f appearances, received the

de, her eyes wide wi

. How dreadful for you! But you were so

ped with insin

, his expression

," he said, his tone dismissive

at me then, a col

me now, of course. M

ho of his past pronouncements,

g forced into an engagement with me, telling Izzy in my earshot

s to discard me again, even th

iveness, a need to be th

by his declaratio

led, you could find a position with us. Maybe a social secretary, di

on was thick en

from their table, assumin

miliar, simmered bene

s pitying face to E

voice surprisingly firm. "But I'd rather be wit

rrowed. Izzy's

his gaze. "I'm relieved you've found your path.

Ethan's jaw. He had

was still the heartbro

covered, pullin

upport. We should be going, darling.

ing a trail of

oked aghast

ou speak to Ethan

," I said, my r

e beginning. I k

ime, I was

That flicker of somethin

He was supposed to

supposed downfall, sti