Victoria froze, then quickly composed herself. "Clean her up," she ordered the other women. "And remember, she fell. If any of you say otherwise..." The threat remained unfinished but understood.
The women released Elena, who staggered slightly. Victoria smoothed her dress, replacing her ring.
"This isn't over," she whispered to Elena before turning a brilliant smile toward the door as Dante's footsteps approached.
He entered the room like a storm front, his presence immediately dominating the space. His eyes swept over the scene, Elena with blood on her face, the broken glass, Victoria's too-bright smile, the other women's nervous expressions.
"What happened?" His voice was deceptively quiet.
Victoria stepped forward. "An unfortunate accident. Elena was exploring and tripped. We were
