Juliette
He warned me we were doomed from the start, and I should have listened. But some fires burn too hot to resist.
Now, I'm trapped in a vicious cycle of desire, tangled up in Areston's dangerous world. Every kiss, every touch pulls me deeper...
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Note: We are 9 chapters away from a stormy climax. If you're enjoying the chapters, let me know! As I always say, I need as much help getting this right as I can. Many readers choose not to criticize or give me their feedback because they fear they might get bullied by other readers, but I am here to assure you that this is a misconception and will never happen. All my readers here understand how much it means to me. So, feel free to be as bold as you can. Your feedback will be constructive for me and will help me steer in the right direction.
Having said that, I have already started working on The Scent and The Sapphire. Wish me luck!
"I love what she has done to this place." I murmur a praise, sipping from the champagne as I look around the garden located in the middle of the building that is basically a 180-foot tall atrium with hundreds of varieties of shrubs, vines, and trees.
The Manhattan headquarters for The Rothschild Foundation Center for Social Justice is a slice of Eden tucked away from the public eye in the middle of the city. Established in 1923 and designated a New York City landmark in 1984, this building is where my Bubbeh spends most of her time since my mother took the reins of the business empire from her.
For a century, this place has remained strictly accessible only to employees and prohibited to the general public. Bubbeh shut it down for two years and had a makeover done and decided to open it to the public as a part of the legacy building's 100th birthday celebration. There's a reflecting pool, a water spring, and so on. It's like an oasis amidst the Sahara.
The place is flooded with the crème-de-la-crème of the American and British high society all having flocked together to the black-tie masquerade gala to please Elizabeth Rothschild and continue being in her good books.
"What a sheer waste of $300 million." My brother appears beside me, his tall and broad-shouldered physique clad in a custom black tux and a golden Venetian mask covering his eyes and forehead, and his hands shoved in his pants and shoulders squared, emphasizing his frame.
"What are you doing here? You said you weren't coming?"
"Don't ask."
"Let me guess. To keep an eye on Inessa?" I stop a passing server to accept a glass of champagne and hand it to my brother.
"She and I are not together anymore."
"That didn't keep you from skipping this... what did you call it this morning? God awful mass-gathering of peasants eager to please their lord Satan Elizabeth."
"I needed to see Senator Brown. He begged me to give him time. This is the only time I was available."
"So, you decided to bless him with your presence instead of having him run to you as you generally prefer. How very benevolent of you."
