SEVENTEEN

The dinner at the Winters family’s colonial mansion felt more like a warzone than it did a family gathering. As she sat in the gigantic dome of a banqueting hall, Jane meekly raised her head from her shiny empty plate and her pulse raced as she took a peek at the sea of unfriendly faces that surrounded the long banqueting table. There were nearly ten pairs of eyes that roamed her face making Jane cringe and feeling her skin crawl under their scrutinizing stares.  

The magnificence of the large cobalt blue and green stained windows and the fresh roses that surrounded the room did nothing to ease her nerves. A butler came up to her and placed a plate of caviar in front of her.

“Thank you,” she mouthed to the haughty looking butler who seemed to have lost the ability to smile.

On her left was Daniel, dressed immaculately in a simple but elegant white polo and a pair of dark blue jeans. He ignored everyone and dug into his food. And on her rig