The Grand Atrium of the Metropolitan Museum of Art had been transformed into a sprawling, gilded monument to Damien Sterling’s ego.

Crystal chandeliers the size of small cars hung from the vaulted ceilings, casting a warm, golden glow over the sea of A-list celebrities, fashion critics, and billio

The silence in the Grand Atrium was absolute, a heavy, suffocating blanket that had fallen over the hundreds of elite guests.

Damien Sterling stood frozen, his mouth slightly open, his eyes darting frantically between Clara’s serene, devastating face and the towering architecture of the Metropolit

The private elevator to Victor Aris’s penthouse ascended in total silence, the glass walls offering a sweeping, panoramic view of the glittering Manhattan skyline.

Clara stood near the glass, staring out at the city she now effectively owned a massive piece of. Her heart was beating in a slow, ste