The cold lacquer of the Grandmaster’s Chair grounded Candice Monroe against the anxiety rising within. For twenty years, she’d weathered poverty and the elite Monroe family’s scorn. Two days of peace hadn’t been enough to break the habit; her thoughts drifted traitorously back to Dylan.
She sighed, resigned to her burden. Seeing the regret in Dylan's eyes, a foolish hope flared. She wouldn’t sign the divorce papers yet. She’d give him one last bridge to cross, one chance to prove he wasn't destined for the gutter.
Issac watched from the window, recognizing the surrender in his aunt’s expression. He had conquered fortresses in the Drakonhold Bastion, yet he was powerless against her soft heart. He suppressed his frustration as Dylan led her away, back to the grind.
The moment the door sh
