Clara stared at the large, calloused hand suspended in the space between them. For five years, Julian had only ever offered his hand to guide her to the background, pushing her gently into the shadows before the cameras flashed.

Victor Sterling was offering to pull her up.

With a trembling breat

"Armor?" Clara asked, following Victor out of the hospital cafeteria. Her cheap flats squeaked slightly on the linoleum floor. "What are you talking about?"

"Julian and Vanessa are attending the Crystal Foundation Charity Auction tonight," Victor said, his long strides forcing Clara to jog slightly

The silence in the ballroom lasted exactly three seconds before the whispers erupted. They hissed through the crowd like a lit fuse, accompanied by the blinding, rapid-fire flashes of paparazzi lenses.

Clara kept her chin high, her hand resting firmly on the crook of Victor’s velvet-clad arm. With