Julia stared at the invitation as if it might ignite on its own. The embossed Hughes crest glinted under the kitchen light, stark and cold. “He wants dinner,” she whispered, pulse tapping wildly against her throat. The room felt too small, too bright. Brandon stood across from her, hands braced on the counter, jaw carved in hard lines. “Then we’re going,” he said. “All of us.” The certainty in his voice was meant to steady her — but it shook her instead.Evelyn entered the room slowly, still pale from the night in the hospital, but there was a set to her shoulders that warned Julia the invitation had woken a dormant fire. “If Richard Hughes wants a performance, I’ll give him one,” she announced. Brandon winced. “It’s not a performance.” Evelyn raised an eyebrow. “For him, everything is.” Julia squeezed the lette
Last Updated : 2026-01-03 Read more