Ryan smirked. “Good.” After a moment, Ryan spoke again. “Did your father believe you?” She nodded. “Avonlea played her part.” “She didn’t look thrilled about it.” “She didn’t say no either.” He gave a quiet grunt, then pressed a kiss to her forehead. As they reached Ryan’s penthouse, Ele
The gala was winding down, its glittering energy fading into murmured conversations and the soft clinking of staff clearing champagne flutes. The music had softened to background ambiance. Elena stood near the center of the ballroom, her eyes scanning the crowd, growing more restless by the second
“He’s very good at hiding it,” Elena muttered.Across the room, Ryan was still half-listening to a woman named Naomi Delacour, the heiress of a luxury jewelry line drone on about gemstones when his eyes flicked toward Elena again. His jaw tightened slightly. The fabric of her gown shimmered with eve
The Carter Foundation Charity Gala was the kind of event that oozed sophistication, a glittering affair held in the grand ballroom of the Montclair Hotel, where crystal chandeliers dripped from the ceiling like frozen waterfalls and the air hummed with the clinking of champagne flutes and murmured c
“Wear the dress and show me,” he whispered into her ear with his chest pressed against her back. “Show me, butterfly, let me see how you look in it.”“For God's sake, please stop, there are people everywhere.”Ryan was too adamant to hear her. He simply moved the hair from her back and started to pl
Elena sighed. ELENA: I’ll start without you.She wandered into the first boutique, fingers trailing over silk and chiffon. A saleswoman approached, eyes lighting up in recognition.“Miss Carter! We just got a new collection in. Let me show you.”Elena followed her to a private section, where a few