INICIAR SESIÓNStep by step Kennedy and Shannon reached the bottom of the staircase. The applause refused to die. Several guests were openly wiping tears from their eyes, even reporters had momentarily forgotten they were supposed to remain professional.One photographer quietly whispered to another, "...This is bigger than business."The other nodded. "This is history."Kennedy finally reached the stage with Shannon beside him. Instead of immediately taking the microphone he turned toward her. For several seconds he simply looked at her almost as though reassuring himself she was really there, that this wasn't another dream, then he gently kissed her forehead.The simple gesture broke whatever emotional restraint remained in the ballroom. More applause, louder than before continued.Kennedy accepted the microphone once again. His voice was noticeably less steady. "Ladies and gentlemen..." He looked at Shannon then back toward the crowd. "I have negotiated billion dollar contracts." Soft laughter e
Mrs. Whitmore followed his gaze toward the staircase and her own face changed. "That's..." She couldn't finish.Shannon, the daughter in law she'd spent years telling wasn't worthy of the Whitmore family, the orphan she'd looked down on, the woman she'd accused of chasing Rowan for money, was standing at the top of the staircase as the sole heiress to an empire that made the then Whitmore fortune look painfully small.Mrs. Whitmore slowly covered her mouth. "Oh my God."Edward Vale's expression hardened immediately.Mrs. Vale beside him went completely still.They had already known but seeing Shannon standing there publicly, seeing hundreds of cameras capturing her made the truth feel different.The daughter they believed had died twenty seven years ago was now standing before the entire country and Kennedy was preparing to give her everything.Noella's gaze moved away from Shannon instead she looked at Sean then followed the direction of his eyes. He was smiling, not politely, not ca
Meanwhile Rowan remained silent. His earlier confusion had only grown. Aria wasn't the heiress, he had known that much, but Kennedy had called her his daughter's best friend.Rowan slowly looked toward Aria again. His daughter's best friend. Something about that phrasing bothered him.Aria, Shannon, the two were close, very close. He remembered seeing them together and even Kennedy looked somewhat familiar. He just couldn't name where he had seen him. But he remembered Aria standing beside Shannon during the mall confrontation.He remembered how naturally Shannon had moved around her, then there was Sean, the mysterious man beside Aria, the same man Shannon had been with.Rowan's eyes slowly narrowed, no. He was connecting unrelated things, that had to be it. There were thousands of women in the country, millions. There was absolutely no reason his mind should even be heading in that direction, yet something inside him refused to settle.Mrs. Whitmore noticed his expression. "Rowan?"
Cameras exploded with flashes.Aria's eyes widened. "No, no..." She immediately raised both hands but from below it looked like a wave which made the applause even louder.Sean slowly covered his face with one hand. "...Oh my God." His sister, his ridiculous sister had somehow managed to hijack the biggest reveal of the night.Evelyn's champagne stopped halfway to her lips as her eyes widened. "...Her?"Julian stared. "The fat girl?"Rowan frowned deeply, no, that couldn't be right. He knew Aria not well but he knew she had something to do with Shannon. She wasn't Kennedy Miles' daughter was she?The MC looked confused.Kennedy looked even more confused.Aria hurried toward the staircase. "No!" She called down.The microphone didn't catch her as the applause continued. Some guests had already begun standing as Aria descended faster, her eyes fixed on Kennedy. She finally reached the ballroom floor before making a straight line toward him.The entire room watched. Kennedy stared at he
The ballroom settled. The MC continued speaking as she quietly headed toward a side staircase. "Tonight is not simply another gathering. This evening marks a moment that Chairman Miles and the entire Miles organization have waited many years to celebrate."Whispers immediately began. The hidden heiress, the mysterious daughter, everyone had been speculating for days. Who was she? Where had she been? Why had Kennedy kept her hidden?Aria reached the upper floor without much difficulty. Most security officers recognized her from earlier and knew she was Shannon's guest.She glanced down one corridor then another. "...Shannon?"Nothing.She continued walking. "Shannon?"A maid passing nearby stopped. "Miss Vale?""Do you know where Shannon is?"The maid pointed toward the eastern wing. "Miss Miles is preparing in the second dressing suite.""Thank you." Aria hurried away.Back downstairs the MC smiled before gesturing toward the edge of the stage. "And now please welcome the man responsi
Sean and Aria walked away without another glance behind them. As the siblings crossed the ballroom, several guests naturally stepped aside, curiosity followed them wherever they went."...They're heading toward the VIP section.""I knew it. They have to be important.""They've barely spoken all evening.""They're definitely old money."Within moments, Sean and Aria reached a smaller gathering near one of the grand pillars. Chairman Edward Vale, Mrs. Vale, several long time family friends and a handful of influential business leaders.The moment Sean arrived, Mrs. Vale smiled. "There you are."Aria immediately hugged her mother. "Mom."Mrs. Vale laughed. "I've been looking everywhere for you.""We were sightseeing." Sean answered casually.Mrs. Vale simply smiled knowingly. A few seconds later Noella approached the group. Her gown shimmered beneath the ballroom lights as she greeted everyone politely. "Chairman, Mrs. Vale."Edward nodded warmly. "Noella."Mrs. Vale smiled. "You look b
The guest room was at the end of the hall.Shannon paused at the doorway, her fingers resting lightly against the frame before she stepped in.It used to be a storage room now it was neat, cleaned and prepared.A bed, fresh sheets and a wardrobe that looked barely used.Shannon exhaled slowly and s
The hospital discharged them the next day.Shannon didn’t know whether that was fate or cruelty.She stood just outside the building, her fingers gripping the thin discharge papers in her hand as the sunlight hit her face. Too bright. Like the world hadn’t just ended for her.A few steps ahead Rowa
Shannon’s knees weakened beneath her. Three months of silence. Three months of absence. Three months where she wasn’t there. Her breathing grew uneven. Three months where someone else was. Her gaze slowly shifted back to Rowan. And this time she understood. Rowan watched her, something sharp
Rowan sat on the bed, his arm wrapped loosely around Evelyn.Evelyn stood close, too close, and Rowan leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek like it was the most natural thing in the world.Like he had done it a hundred times.Like it belonged there.“Stop!”The word tore out of Shannon befor







