The champagne soaked into the cuffs of Julian’s trousers, the shattered crystal sparkling mockingly on the floor, but he couldn't move. He couldn't breathe.

Around him, the ballroom was on its feet, a thunderous ovation echoing off the vaulted ceilings as Clara reached the bottom of the stairs. Vi

Julian stumbled out of the VIP alcove and back into the blinding glare of the ballroom, looking like a man who had just survived a shipwreck only to realize he was stranded on a desert island.

The gala was in full swing, a roaring symphony of wealth and power, but Julian couldn't hear the music. A

The morning sun filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of L'Etoile, casting long, harsh shadows across the empty dining room. The chairs were stacked. The white linen tablecloths had been stripped away. On the front glass doors, taped securely from the inside, was the bright yellow notice of