The heavy silence of Blackwood Manor usually felt peaceful to Jace a sanctuary from the loud, demanding world of global finance. But tonight, the silence felt different. It felt jagged, like broken glass.
After the disastrous "Family Legacy" gala, Jace had retreated straight to his study, burying himself in a bottle of expensive scotch and the dull glow of his computer screen. He had replayed the scene with Vanessa Vane a dozen times in his head. He told himself he had been "rational." He told himself that a CEO didn't engage in petty social squabbles. But every time he closed his eyes, he saw the look in Hazel’s eyes,the way the light had simply gone out of them when he failed to speak.
By 2:00 AM, his throat was parched. He stood up, his movements slightly sluggish from the alcohol, an
