Seeing that she had Noreen''s attention, Tiana curled her bright red lips into a triumphant smile. "Perry tried to cross a line with you in the past, right?"


    "Yes."


    "That''s why Seth crippled him. Because he dared toy a hand on you. And that''s not all. Seth pulled strings with the Rivercrest Chamber of Commerce to get Perry permanently cklisted from the maind market. That''s why he''s been stuck operating around Harborview and Portside City all these years, unable to grow his business."


    Tiana''s husband was a local businessman, so she heard all the juicy gossip circting among the wealthy wives in Harborview.


    Perry''s wife, Mrs. Chase, used to have a miserable time dealing with his rampant cheating.


    But after the incident in Rivercrest City left him permanently impotent, her life turnedpletely around.


    Perry only had one son, and Mrs. Chase was the mother.


    The son was incredibly protective of her, which forced Perry to treat his wife with absolute respect. He was terrified she would pack up, take the boy, and leave him without an heir.


    With all the power in the marriage, Mrs. Chase had be quite the diva in social circles.


    She even secretly kept a few younger boyfriends on the side.


    When the other wives asked if she was worried Perry would find out and divorce her, she brushed it off.


    After a few drinks, she spilled the beans about his "condition."


    She imed Perry already knew about her affairs and just turned a blind eye.


    As long as she didn''t rub it in his face, he was perfectly happy to y dumb.


    Every socialite in the loop knew the story, Tiana included.


    Noreen waspletely floored.


    When Perry had mysteriously pulled all his operations out of the maind years ago, she had been baffled.


    She never imagined that the entire fallout was because of her!


    And she certainly never expected that Seth had done so much behind the scenes.


    When she wandered back out to the banquet hall in a daze, Seth was nowhere to be found.


    Did he leave?


    Just like that?


    It was the first time since their breakup that she felt a hollow pang of disappointment over his sudden absence.


    During thetter half of the g, Leonardo finally had some free time, so he invited Noreen to a private lounge to discuss business.


    Noreen brought the technology and the talent.


    Leonardo had the resources and thework.


    If they finalized the partnership, it would be a massive win-win.


    Leonardo had entirely abandoned his previous reservations about her, praising her relentlessly.


    He never expected a young woman to possess such sharp business acumen and foresight.


    The conversation went remarkably well, and inevitably, they ended up sharing several drinks.


    Leonardo''s daughter, Cecilia, popped in to remind him not to overindulge.


    She also enthusiastically announced that she had just run into a man who made her heart skip a beat!


    Leonardoughed. "You''ve always had incredibly high standards. If he managed to catch your eye he must be very handsome.


    Feeling it wasn''t her ce to eavesdrop on a young woman''s crush, Noreen stood up to excuse herself.


    Leonardo offered to have his assistant escort her.


    Noreen politely declined.


    Stepping out of the lounge, it finally hit her just how tipsy she actually was.


    Her legs felt unusually heavy as she walked.


    The g was winding down, and the guests were in high spirits.


    Men and women in haute couture mingled, the silk andce of


    uning t


    soft


    chandeliers Content theimet


    Diamond earrings sparkled with every elegantugh.


    the to


    Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windowsy Harborview''s famous skyline.


    The bay looked like a massive,


    rippling sheet of ck velvet,


    wrapping the glittering city lights


    SWl


    into its embrace


    She heard someone sigh nearby. "Harborview is perfect in every way. It''s just a shame it never snows."


    That was probably the coastal city''s only w.


    When Dariel called, Noreen was already waiting by the curb.


    She had left the hotel early, hoping the cool night breeze would sober her up.


    But she had severely underestimated the wine. Instead of clearing her head, she felt even dizzier.


    Her grip slipped, and her phone ttered onto the pavement.


    She bent down to grab it.


    A well-defined hand beat her to it.


    And right in the center of that palm was a square surgical dressing.