LOGINCHELLEY MORETTII watched Cierra’s throat bob as she swallowed. She was trapped between the image of the "Saint of the Estate" and the reality of the predator I knew her to be. The ladies were leaning in now, their thirst for drama momentarily eclipsed by the sheer scale of the power play unfolding before them.I signaled to Rita, who stepped forward and opened the leather folder, revealing a certified cashier's check. I held it up just long enough for the women to gasp at the number of zeros."I’m not just here to drop a check and walk away, Cierra," I said, my voice projecting with the practiced clarity of a COO. "The Moretti family doesn't just throw money at problems; we invest in solutions. I am prepared to donate ten million dollars to the Kensington Legacy Foundation right now."A collective intake of breath hissed across the terrace. Ten million. It made the combined pledges on Cierra’s ledger look like spare change."But," I continued, my smile sharpening, "given the 'gra
CHELLEY MORETTI It was a work day, but I'm currently on probation, the investigation to the sudden PR Crisis couldn't allow me enter that office yet unless the investigation is all concluded.I stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling mirror, Rita was on her knees, meticulously adjusting the hem of my ivory Chanel tweed skirt. "The news is moving fast, ma'am," Rita whispered, as she smoothed the fabric. "I just got word that Cierra has her terrace packed. Most women of the estate are there . They’re calling it the 'Tea of Atonement.' She’s passing around a donation ledger for her new foundation."I looked at my own eyes in the mirror. Cold. Cierra thought she had trapped me in the role of the villain—the cruel billionaire who pays to have children swept away like trash. She expected me to hide in this penthouse, or better yet, to release a statement attacking her "charity" as a fraud.But if I played the antagonist, she won the public’s heart."She wants a spectacle? We'll give h
CIERRA KENSINGTONS The sound of engines purring in my driveway was the sweetest symphony I’d ever heard. I stood beside the window, my arms crossed, watching as a fleet of pristine, high-performance vehicles were unloaded.The sunlight glinted off the amethyst finish of my new Bentley, fuck you to everyone who thought I was down for the count.Behind me, the new domestic staff stood in a perfect obedient line. I turned slowly, my eyes scanning their faces with coldness like I was a general."Listen closely," I said, my voice low and sharp. "I run this house. My needs, my schedule, and my reputation are the only priorities here. If Mr. Kensington asks for something that conflicts with my orders, you come to me first. Is that understood?""Yes, Madam," they chimed in unison, bowing their heads."Good. I’ve invited the ladies of the estate for a tea gathering. I want the terrace prepped immediately—nothing but the finest porcelain and the most expensive blends. You have twenty minute
ALEC KENSINGTONS I stood in the doorway of the foyer, my head spinning as I watched Cierra pace across the marble floor. The house, which had been a tomb of silence only yesterday, was suddenly alive with the frantic energy of Cierra who had just struck gold suddenly, I'm still in disbelief, "Yes, the amethyst metallic finish for the Bentley. I want it delivered by tomorrow morning," Cierra said into her phone, her voice dripping with an arrogance I hadn't heard before… normally she was always over me, wanting me to make the calls and call the shots… now she acted like I wasn't even here at all, because the money is all on her foundation.. she just used my name, but only she has access to it."And tell the agency I need a full staff. Two chefs, four housekeepers, and a personal valet. I don't care about the premium; just get them here."I felt a cold, hollow sensation in the pit of my stomach. Just twenty-four hours ago, I had been the one making the grim calls—firing the maids,
CHELLEY MORETTI I stood before the press and denied these allegations whilst Cassian stood somewhere in the back room waiting… at least I have his backing, and that he trusts I wouldn't do something despicable.Though my denial still didn't stop the noise, the public needs proper proof to back up my claim and I assured them that it would be properly investigated.We got back to the new heir's residence and the air in the penthouse was thick enough to choke on. The roar of the press still echoed in my ears—the flashing lights, the shouting, the way Cassian’s arm felt like a steel band around my waist before I stood before the world and denied being a monster.But as the elevator doors opened into our private sanctuary, the silence that met us was even more violent.Standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows, draped in a charcoal-colored silk that looked like armor, was Lady Dowager Claudia. I thought she had fainted and was still bedridden after I exposed her fraud. She suddenly had
CHELLEY MORETTI The world outside that bedroom door could have been ending, and I wouldn't have cared. In the darkness, lit only by the golden glow of the city skyline through the floor-to-ceiling windows, there was only the sound of our breathing and the rhythmic creak of the bed.But then, the silence of the suite was shattered.From the nightstand, my phone began to blare up, I turned my gaze to see that it was from Jules, why's Jules calling? Cassian stiffened, his movements slowing as he buried his face in the crook of my neck, letting out a frustrated, guttural growl. He tried to ignore it, his thrusts becoming harder, more desperate, as if he could drown out the digital intrusion with sheer will.But the phone didn't stop. It buzzed against the wood, why would Jules be calling so frantically when I'm literally in the building.If it's not an emergency, and the frantic vibration seemed to pulse in time with the panic I had seen on Jared’s face earlier.I tried to move toward







