The night air was thick with the scent of rain and expensive perfume as the custom luxury limousine glided to a halt in front of the Grand Plaza Theater. Outside, the world was a chaotic blur of flashing camera lenses, shouting journalists, and a massive crimson carpet that stretched toward the towering glass entrance. This was the annual Vance Foundation Charity Gala—the most exclusive event on the high-society calendar, and tonight, it was the stage for Elena's public execution or her ultimate coronation.
Inside the quiet, leather-scented sanctuary of the vehicle, Elena felt her hands turn to blocks of ice. She squeezed her fingers together, trying to stop the visible trembling that threatened to give her away before she even stepped foot on the pavement. The emerald-green silk of her d
