Emily’s heels clicked against the marble floor as she pushed through the swirling mass of guests.
Her vision blurred with anger, betrayal, and heartbreak.
James had lied.
Again.
Margaret Sterling’s voice echoed in her head, smooth and deliberate, her words like a dagger twisting in Emily’s ribs.
"James’s father was Christopher Hayes’s greatest enemy."
Emily’s stomach twisted.
James had known. This whole time, he had known.
And he had never told her.
Her fingers curled into fists, nails digging into her palms as she fought the wave of emotions threatening to drown her.
She needed air. She needed space.
But more than anything—
She needed to get the hell away from him.
The gala buzzed around her—glasses clinking, fake laughter echoing, power-hungry smiles flashing under the chand
