LOGIN"Owen... you need to cut yourself some slack," she says gently, reaching up to lightly brush her thumb against my cheekbone. "You don't have to be the invincible counselor right now. You just lost your mom, honey. I know how much she meant to you. I know how much you loved her, and I know how hard y
I watch Sydney walk away from me, her spine perfectly straight, her head held high like a queen marching out of a ruined kingdom. Her words—sharp, icy, and dripping with disgust that makes my skin crawl—still echo in the quiet space of the dining room. "While you're busy playing love and playing h
My heart drops into my shoes, a sickening wave of nausea swirling in my stomach. He sharply pulls away after a beat, his hands coming up to grip her shoulders, his face a mix of shock and discomfort. "Camille, what are you doing here? How did you even get past the gates?" "Oh, Owen, I came the sec
I lean in across the dark wood, my jaw tight, waiting for the genius to drop some mind-blowing corporate strategy. Owen slides his glass entirely out of the way, his eyes tracking mine with a sudden, sharp intensity. "The first thing we need to do," he says, leaning his forearms on the table, "is p
I don't wait to hear another word. A blinding, white-hot rush of pure adrenaline and rage explodes in my chest. Before I even realize what I’m doing, my arm whips forward. I throw my phone across the bedroom with every ounce of strength I have left. It hits the far drywall with a sickening smack,
I sit on the edge of the mattress, the silence of my locked bedroom pressing in from all sides. My scalp still burns from where I was aggressively pulling at the tangles earlier, but I barely care. I slowly run a hand through my hair, letting out a long breath that shudders against my teeth. The r
The shock wares off, and instead, I feel a bubble of hysterical laughter rise in my throat. I look up at Deckard, my head tilted, and I let the laugh out. Then, the rage hits. The fucking audacity of this man to ruin my night and spread disgusting lies! Before he can tighten his hold on me again,
"Sydney! To your left, darling! Look at Vogue!" "Sydney, over here! Smile for Billboard! Just one more!" I’m pivoting in my heels, feeling less and less confident in the thin straps of my dress, but I still try to show my confidence in front of the camera. "Over here, Sydney Newton! Give us a pro
Reporters are screaming my name, their voices overlapping into a dissonant roar as Owen and I step out of the court house. "Sydney, are you happy with the ruling?" "Is it true Deckard is filing an appeal?" "Give us a quote for the front page!" I’m trying to maintain my composure, head held high,
As soon as the door of Owen’s sleek black sedan swings open, the world turns into a strobe light of white heat and clicking shutters. We’ve just pulled up to the curb of the Grand Imperial Hotel for the annual Silver Rose Charity Gala, and it seems the press has forgotten there are other philanthrop







