occupied the front row, both wear

tial figure in town. Perfection was the bare minimum-any s

st pivotal moment, her thoughtless mistake

to go on; this wasn't

someone to fetch a

pressed forward as though the

r expression remained composed-no

er hand and murmured, "You don't look the leas

red, and for an instan

back to meet his eyes. The cool gaze that looked down at

knew his distrust remained. Was he wondering whether ambition might one day stir in her-whether she might grow possessive, and try to clai

neither moved closer, the air bet

only fair I look out for myself-and remind her not to test her lu

pened. "Ellie cause

he looked down, silent co

," Brayden said calmly. "You'v

hed Gracie's lips, the kind that revea

right, melodic voice cut th

the lights-so reminiscent of a wedding dress it drew every eye in the room. A fai

bout it-it

went utter

expression hardening as a d

d hissed, "What the hell is thi

er background offered no benefit to their ambitions. That was why

ching sight of Lia stepping

of poise and innocence that naturally

rings. The moment Ellie spotted Lia, her smile

a cruel joke from another lifetime. Only this time, t

composure. Her delicate fingers brushed the lid as she smiled-a gentle, almost innocent curve that failed to hide the wistful sorrow

of them caught

, anger flickering in h

at his marriage to Gracie was noth

ent was right, they'd end it cl

-forever doubting, forever asking whether he still lo

smiled, unbothered by the

s though Brayden hadn't spoken at all. With trembling finge

o see-to understand-that she, not Graci

acie to remember this day forever-with nothing but hatred in her heart for the man

x chimed to life, its tinkling

t smile touched her lips, cur

tead, a scratchy recording s

thless little gifts. Just wait-once I marry into the Stanley

onged unmista

d as she fumbled to stop the recording, panic fla

thunderous, that icy sta

hispered in a rising tid

lish the drama, felt an odd m

ther lifetime. Who else would could have sabotaged Li

om Lia's trembling hands. "Thank you for the gift,"

once, guiding the ashen-faced Lia b

inued as if nothi

er, his voice low enough for her alone.

cie softened. "Do you even know who Lia really is?" she ask

Brayden said, his tone frosty.

o a faint smile. "Then I s

fted at the edge of her visi

st life surged to the surface, makin

he could never unlearn-b

With an almost imperceptible motion, he shifted his sta

seemed to calm her; the stiffn

? It puzzled Brayden-he was certain the tw

the banquet began, and guests began to raise t

intent, Brayden always seemed to pl

ing Gracie couldn't quite make sense of,

ebration had faded to soft music and scattered laughte

erself and slipped into t

echoed throu

n went to answer it. His voice tu

licate, trembling just enough to sound sincere. "