THE KINGSTON ESTATE
The morning sun streamed through the high arched windows of the main dining hall, illuminating a scene of calculated perfection. Because of the upcoming wedding—though most guests assumed it was merely a gala—numerous family members from different states and branches of the Kingston empire had traveled in and were currently residing on the estate grounds.
The dining table, a massive slab of polished mahogany that could seat thirty, was buzzing with the low, refined hum of quiet conversations. Cousins discussed mergers and acquisitions over poached eggs; aunts critiqued the latest Parisian fashion trends while sipping herbal tea; uncles debated the shifting political landscape of London. It was a tableau of wealth and power, undisturbed by the common problems of the wo
