"Maybe." Stefan gently moved her aside. "But right now, I'm not sure I know who I'd be standing with."
The words cut deeper than any accusation about her past. For years, Rose had maintained perfect control over how others perceived her. Had crafted an image so flawless, so compelling that even her indiscretions were overlooked, her manipulations excused, her calculated moves mistaken for genuine connection.
Now that carefully constructed façade was crumbling, revealing the emptiness beneath. And for the first time in her adult life, Rose felt real fear.
Not fear of financial ruin, though that loomed ever larger with each canceled order. Not fear of social humiliation, though the society pages now painted her as a pariah rather than a darling.
But fear of losing the one person who had
