Noreen answered immediately.


    ...


    Bianca was in high spirits. The news article hadpletely turned the tide. After a continuous decline, Ascendancy Group''s stock had surged and was still climbing. The shareholders who had been so critical of her were now silent. Even Mr. Prescott, the man who had dodged her meeting yesterday, called to reschedule. His tone was apologetic and deferential, iming he had just returned from his business trip and was so sorry to have missed her.


    Bianca knew it was all a game, but she yed along, graciously inviting him to dinner. He epted at once. On a whim, she also invited Henry, remembering her promise from the day before. Let Mr. Prescott see that she was not someone to be trifled with, that she had connections and resources to spare.


    Even Yvonne was inundated with invitations from the very society wives who had snubbed her. Mrs. Naylor was not among them, but Yvonne didn''t care. She was happily getting ready for an outing when her husband, Forrest Lowell, walked in.<fn2c1e> Updates are released by Find?Novel</fn2c1e>


    "I thought you weren''ting back until tomorrow," Yvonne said, surprised.


    "I finished my work early," Forrest replied, tucking two financial magazines under his arm. He looked at his wife''s attire. "Going out?"


    "Yes, I''m having tea with Mrs. Chase and the others," she said, fluffing her hair.


    "Have fun, then." Forrest changed his shoes and went straight upstairs.


    "I''ll have the housekeeper make you dinnerter!" she called after him.


    "I heard you!"


    In his study, Forrest ced the magazines on his desk. The cover


    subject of both was Noreen. He одос carefully read through the interviews, focusing only on the parts about her. When he was done, he smoothed the magazines t, went to his bookshelf, and removed a row of heavy volumes. He ced the new magazines in the space behind them, where several other magazines all with with


    oreen on the


    Cover-were already hidden. He then carefully reced the books, making sure his collection waspletely concealed.


    Bianca''s dinner was scheduled for two o''clock at The Eastern Gardens, an extravagant choice. Henry arrived early, his heart a mix of excitement and mncholy. He hadn''t seen Bianca in a while, and although he knew she was engaged to Seth, he couldn''t help the pang disappointment. He had resigned himself to being a spectator in her


    life, but it still hurt.


    When she walked in, he pushed his feelings aside, stood to greet her, and pulled out her chair.


    "I''m so sorry I''mte," she apologized.


    "Not at all. I was early." After she was seated, Henry presented her with a small, elegantly wrapped box. "A little something for your engagement."


    "Thank you, Bianca said, epting it without opening it. She knew it would be something expensive also invited Mr. Press?tt from AeroLink. I hope you don''t mind."


    "Of course not."


    Bianca checked her watch. "He should be here any minute." She had spoken to him just before arriving, and he had imed to be just down the street.


    But ten minutes and two cups of teater, there was still no sign of him. Bianca tried calling his phone, but it went straight to voicemail.


    "That''s odd. I wonder if something happened," she mused. Just then, her own phone rang. It was Yvonne.


    "Have you seen the press conference?" Yvonne''s voice was shrill with panic. Bianca frowned. "What press conference?"