Chapter 4

Friday night. The Whitmore estate was lit up end to end, and every name in New York politics and finance was inside.

I'd revoked his invitation, but Hunter showed up anyway in an expensive tux, working the room like the son-in-law-to-be, accepting congratulations. As far as he was concerned, the last week had been me playing hard to get. In front of this crowd, he figured I'd fall in line and finish the performance.

When I came into the hall with security around me, he walked over with a drink in his hand.

"All right, I already chewed Sienna out about the dress." He kept his voice low and used that fatherly tone he loved. "Don't make a scene up there. Be good now and I can still forgive the last few days."

I didn't give him so much as a glance.

The music stopped. My father and our chief counsel took the stage and the lights swung to them.

My father looked out over the room. "Thank you all for coming. While I have you — my daughter Clara is going to tell you herself who she's chosen to marry, and who Whitmore Group's exclusive strategic partner will be for the next ten years."

Applause. Every eye in the room went to me and Hunter.

He adjusted his tie and let a smile form. He took a step forward, ready to collect his moment.

I walked right past him without a word.

I went instead to the gold doors at the far end of the hall, which had just opened. Out of that silence a man came in from the night — tall, and impossible to ignore. Black hand-tailored suit. A face that made it clear he'd already decided how the evening was going to go.

In front of everyone, I took Adrian Frost's arm and walked up to the stage beside him.

Hunter's expression cracked open. Shock, disbelief, humiliation, all at once.

I stepped to the microphone and looked out past him.

"The man I've chosen is Adrian Frost."

"And Whitmore Group's strategic partner for the next ten years will be Frost Global."

The room exploded. The flashes came like daylight.