s home felt like steppin

ating grandeur of Hawthorne Manor. It was a space that breathed, filled with b

hispers f

ome of the staff Nate employed, they all looke

ly remarried on the day of her husband' s supposed death

as a fortress of

I wasn't ready to give. He was consistently kind, offering a quiet

nsive mood as I stared out at the city lights from his liv

to my raw nerves, but the shadow

strange marriage,

wthorne mansion. "Damian wishes for us all to present a unite

s a command

but I declined. This was som

laying the part of the "First Lady" of the Hawthorne empire. She was dressed in a new, expensive

ely towards a tra

h false sweetness. "I'm so glad you could make it,

ce devoid of warmth. "Or are we here t

ond. "It was a gift from Dam

I said, my gaze stead

slightly, then narrowed

mug, triumphant look spreading across her face. "Jul

ran cold.

, Rory, did you really think I was fooled? I knew it was Julia

the force of a physical blow. Not just Julian, but Cassie t

, my voice hoarse. "And

well, Damian. Predictable. Julian is far more ambitious, and with him as Damian, I get to be the w

y word for it. The dual b

ds barely a breath. "What about what

too... earnest, Rory. Not cut out for this world, Julian knew that, he

ness was br