Chapter 7

The Bluebird Café was exactly the kind of place Julian hated, which was exactly why Elena knew he had chosen it.

It was a noisy, cramped coffee shop in Brooklyn, smelling heavily of burnt espresso and stale pastries. It was miles away from the polished, elite circles he was currently tr

Chapter 8

The Grand Atrium of the Manhattan Museum of Fine Arts was a sea of glittering crystal, bespoke tuxedos, and haute couture. Champagne flowed from cascading towers, and a string quartet played a lively Vivaldi piece from a raised mahogany balcony. It was the premier event of the autumn soci

Chapter 9

The morning sun poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Vanguard Auctions executive penthouse, casting a warm, golden glow over the sleek mahogany furniture and modern art installations. It was a stark contrast to the cold, clinical precision currently taking place inside the r