Charles stepped into the hotel lobby when ra suddenly cling to his arm with a dramatic gasp.
She nearly toppled over, pretending to lose her bnce.
"Ouch-I''m feeling a bit faint," she murmured, batting her eyshes. "My blood pressure just dropped out of nowhere. Can you help me? I promise it''ll only be a few minutes."
Charles steadied her, concern tightening his features. "Are you okay?"
"It usually never happens," ra replied, leaning in closer
"Just give me a minute or two to rest." She pressed herself against him as if she couldn''t stand on her own, making sure everyone in the room could see how intimately she was hanging on.
Sophia, standing a step away, rolled her eyes.
ra saw that and pounced on the opportunity.
"Sophia, you said you needed to meet someone important about those connections you were making? Don''t let me keep you," she cooed.
Sophia shrugged. "Sure, I''ll be upstairs in the banquet hall. Without further ado, she exited.
ra didn''t even watch her go; she was far too busy tightening her grip on Charles''s arm, relishing the attention from onlookers who had started crowding around him.
He was from the Kingston family-big money, bigger status.
ra, with a triumphant smirk, basked in the whispers.
She was putting on a show: leaning her head against Charles''s shoulder, tossing her hair, shing sweet, doe-eyed smiles.
A few men ventured forward to chat her up, but she cut each one down with practiced flirt-and-dismiss. She knew the game: y hard to get and watch them chase.
Suddenly, an excited group of women fluttered in.
"Wow, that ne is stunning!" one gasped.
"Where did you buy it?" another joined in.
"I''ve never seen anything so perfect," someone else chimed in.
ra''s face lit up. Nothing drew a crowd quite like jewelry. She pretended to protest, but practically sparkled with pride.
"This ne? Oh, Charles gave it to me. It''s custom-made-there''s literally no other one in the world. As for the price... it''s really not that big of a deal. A million or two, tops.''
Her feigned modesty only made the crowd buzz louder. 1
"A million or two, and you call that cheap?"
"Charles must think you''re pretty special if he''s dropping that kind of cash," a woman sniffed, cle. envious.
"It''s not even about the price how romantic for it to be one of a kind!"
ra beamed from all the gushing.
She loved that surge of envy and admiration.
She was so preupied with ying the queen bee that she barely noticed the suddenmotion at the entrance.
A hush swept through the lobby like someone truly important had arrived. Heads turned. Be Kane strode in, surrounded by an entourage that parted the crowd for her like she was a superstar on the red carpet.
People mored to greet her. This was Jericho Kane''s daughter-the Be Kane.
Everyone flocked her way, and even the gathering around Charles and ra dispersed.
Charles looked tempted to go over but stopped himself, ncing at the chaos. "Not worth fighting through that mob," he muttered.
ra, on the other hand, felt a pang of envy.
Be Kane was the star of the day, overshadowing her big moment.
ra couldn''t help but notice that Be was glowering at the way she wastched onto Charles.
Be stalked across the lobby and nted herself before them.
"Charles, I''ve been looking for you. Didn''t think I''d find you pinned under someone else''s ws." Her voice was
ice.
Charles offered a polite nod. "Just got here, actually."
Be''s gaze dropped to ra''s hands still clinging to Charles''s arm. "And who might this be?" she asked, her
tone curt.
ra released Charles and stepped forward, all false politeness.
"I''m ra Steel, Miss Kane. It''s an honor to finally meet you." She extended a hand in greeting.
Be didn''t take it. Her cold stare remained pinned on ra. "Do you mind giving me a word with our mutual friend here-woman to woman?"
Charles caught the tension and quickly excused himself. "Sure. I... I''ll go find someone I know."
Without missing a beat, Be pivoted on her heel.
"Follow me." She didn''t wait to see if ra obeyed. She strode to a smaller private room, and ra scrambled after her, heart pounding yet brimming with excitement.
A private audience with Be Kane-something others could only fantasize about.
ra was convinced this was her chance to forge a genuine bond. If she yed her cards right, perhaps Be woulde to see her as a kindred spirit-maybe a sister.
And from there, her rise to the top would be unstoppable.
Be spun around, eyes dark with contempt. "Those jewels are real nice. Where''d you snag them?"
ra, trying to keep herposure, shed the most gracious smile she could manage.
Charles gave them to me. Special order, so you won''t find another set like it anywhere. But if they catch your eye, "Miss Kane, I''d be happy to give it to you." "Give it to me?" Be''s voice dropped, dangerously quiet. What am I, a beggar?" ra nched. "No, of course not. I just- I only meant that"
The blow came out of nowhere. Be snatched a decorative candlestick from a side table and cracked ra across
the face.
The sound was sharp, echoing off the walls. ra staggered back, hand flying to her cheek.
"Miss Kane-w-why?" ra managed to stutter, tears of shock pricking her eyes.
Be''s fury radiated off her in waves. "What''s your rtionship with Charles? I''m not stupid. Nobody tosses around million-dor gifts for ''just a friend.'' Spill it, or so help me, you''ll regret breathing by sunrise."
Her lip curled in disgust. "And don''t pretend you don''t know he''s my fiancé."
ra''s heart nearly stopped.
She hadn''t realized Be had a im that solid-or that Be would be so... violent. “Miss Kane, there must be a misunderstanding. There''s nothing between Charles and me-honestly!"
Without warning, Be raised the candlestick again and mmed it into ra''s temple.
ra copsed to her knees, dizzy with pain. Her ears rang, and her voice trembled. “Stop, please!"
Be sneered. "You expect me to believe Charles hands out million-dor nes to random groupies? You think I''m clueless? He''s mine, and so''s his money. You''re a nobody who sold yourself to him, you pathetic whore." She dared a nce up at the woman ring down at her-the woman who, if the rumors were true, practically owned half the city through her father''s empire. ''Beware of the flower that blooms too bright-for it drinks blood beneath the roots.''
In that moment, ra realized she was just a cheap sparkle in a bigger world of ruthless power, and Be Kane wouldn''t hesitate to crush her like an insect.
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