t. Crystal glasses clinked. A string quartet played softly. And Gertrud

t never touched my cheek. "Ken

commotion started near the

ked painted on. And she was holding her stomach, a small but definite bump

smirk on her face. "Mrs. Marshall," she purred

nst my ribs. It couldn't be true. Harden was... he had issues. We'd been t

genuine smile. She completely ignored me, h

ed. "Oh, Harden! A

iamond necklace, and fastened it around Celine' s neck. That necklace. The one she had refused

er disappointment in my "barren" state. And now, sh

t at damage control. "Mother, what are y

ime we dealt with this situation. You need to divo

his eyes pleading.

calm. "That you've been lying to me for year

s," he said, the same tired

I saw it then. The shift. My own pregnancy, the secret ace up my sleeve, was now worthless. They had

ions to our empire... they meant nothin

blow. I pulled out my phone. My hands were s

gle text to

Let's burn them a