Vanessa's POV Vanessa Hart rested against the cold glass of her luxury apartment window, staring at the busy road as though it had betrayed her. New York glittered in the distance, taunting her with its promises of wealth and power, promises she had worked and bled for. Promises she wasn’t about to lose to someone like her. Her nails tapped rapidly against the wine glass in her hand. She hadn’t touched the drink since pouring it. The liquid caught the light in dark, blood-red swirls. Blood. That was what it felt like Evelyn Carter was sucking, Vanessa’s blood, her future, her chance to finally claim what she deserved. She turned sharply away from the view, pacing across her spotless apartment in bare feet. The white leather couch, the marble counters, the racks of designer clothes, a

