The morning after the storm broke felt deceptively calm.The Steele mansion was flooded with soft light, golden sun streaming through the high windows, spilling across marble floors. The house, grand and pristine as always, looked untouched by the words that had scorched its walls the night before.But Sierra knew better.She sat at the kitchen counter, staring into a mug of untouched coffee, her fingers trembling around the porcelain. Sleep had eluded her, when she closed her eyes, she saw Vanessa’s smile, sharp and knowing, her words echoing like a curse. Even you can’t control her forever.The footsteps came before the scent of his cologne. Damien entered, immaculate as always. Dark tailored suit, silver cufflinks gleaming, not a hair out of place. His expression was unreadable, green eyes cool and sharp.But Sierra had lived long enough under his gaze to recognize what hid beneath. Tension. Fire. A fortress with cracks running through its stone.“Eat.” Damien’s tone was firm but d
The storm broke at midnight.Sierra stumbled into Damien’s study, cheeks streaked with tears, her breath ragged from running. The heavy oak door slammed behind her, shutting out the echo of her mother’s laughter.Damien looked up from his desk. His green eyes, always so sharp and steady, froze on her trembling form.“What happened?” His voice was calm, too calm, the kind of calm that meant fire burned underneath.“She…..she knows,” Sierra choked. “I tried…..I didn’t mean to but I said too much. She knows.”Damien’s First ReactionDamien rose slowly from his chair, the movement deliberate, measured, like a predator stalking prey. He crossed the room and seized her by the shoulders.“What exactly did you say?” His voice was low, dangerous.Sierra’s lips trembled. “I… I told her she couldn’t talk about us.”The word hung between them like a blade.Damien’s jaw tightened, his hands squeezing until it hurt. “Damn it, Sierra.”Her tears spilled. “I couldn’t stop myself. She was twisting eve
The house was silent. Too silent.Sierra walked the hallway in bare feet, her pulse echoing in her ears louder than her steps. Damien had gone to his study after the gala, his voice still sharp in her mind. Trust me. Don’t doubt. Don’t ask.But Eleanor’s words would not let her rest. Ask her yourself.Sierra reached the sitting room. The door was slightly ajar, a sliver of lamplight spilling into the hall. She pushed it open.Vanessa sat in a velvet armchair, legs crossed, robe of midnight silk draped around her like liquid shadow. She was sipping red wine, staring out the window as though she had been waiting all along.“Can’t sleep?” Vanessa asked without turning.Sierra’s throat tightened. “Neither can you.”The First MoveVanessa finally looked at her, eyes glimmering with amusement. “You’ve grown braver. Most daughters wouldn’t stalk their mothers in the middle of the night.”“I’m not stalking.” Sierra crossed her arms. “I want answers.”“Answers?” Vanessa tilted her head. “To wh
The gala hall shimmered with gold and glass, chandeliers spilling light over polished marble floors. The hum of conversation wrapped around Sierra like smoke, thick and suffocating.She’d dressed carefully tonight, a sleek black gown, neckline modest but figure hugging, her hair cascading in glossy waves. She wanted to look untouchable. Unshakable.But beneath the silk and perfume, her skin felt raw.Damien walked beside her, immaculate in a charcoal suit, every step exuding power. His hand brushed hers occasionally, grounding her in a way that was both comforting and claiming. People parted for him instinctively.Vanessa, in crimson silk, trailed a calculated step behind them, smiling like a queen who had already won the war.The Opening SalvoAt first, the conversations were ordinary. Art. Business. Charity. The kind of polished chatter Sierra had grown used to enduring.But then, as she lingered by the champagne table, a voice cut through.“You’re so close with Damien, aren’t you?”
The first sign was subtle, almost forgettable, an odd pause during brunch at the terrace, when one of Vanessa’s friends leaned too long on a question.“College boys must chase after you, Sierra,” Mrs. Whitmore said with a tinkling laugh, spooning berries onto her plate. “Though I suppose they don’t stand a chance. Not with a man like Damien always hovering about.”The words were innocent enough, and the smile was even kinder. But Sierra felt the barb beneath. She glanced at Damien across the table, his face unreadable, his hand steady as he poured himself coffee. He did not flinch.Vanessa, meanwhile, merely smiled, sipping her mimosa.The world had shifted, Sierra realized. Her mother’s words were no longer confined to their home. The poisoned thread had been tugged, and now the fabric of her world was beginning to fray.The Social FractureOver the next few days, the signs multiplied.At the gallery opening, Sierra felt the weight of stares. too admiring, others… too knowing. A wom
Chapter 46 – The Poisoned ThreadThe morning sun cut through the tall windows of the Steele penthouse, but even the light seemed heavy. It spread across marble counters, polished wood, silver fixtures all gleaming perfection. Yet the air itself felt suffocating, thick with invisible threads that clung to Sierra’s skin.She sat at the breakfast table, her spoon unmoving in her bowl. The gala still clung to her like a bruise. Every glance, every whisper, every lingering touch from Damien in the ballroom haunted her. It had been exhilarating and terrifying at once. For the first time, they hadn’t been careful. For the first time, Damien had dared the world to look.And Vanessa had seen it all.Now she was across the kitchen, radiant in an emerald silk robe, slicing fruit with the precision of a surgeon. Her hair was perfectly in place, glossy and dark. She hummed softly as if the gala had been nothing more than another tedious social obligation.But Sierra knew better.On the counter, pl