Chapter 4
Richard introduced me to each person beside him.
“This is Evelyn Vale.”
Not Dominic’s wife.
Not Mrs. Vale.
Just Evelyn.
The distinction seemed small, but it changed the way I stood.
I had forgotten what it felt like to be introduced as a person before being identified by a marriage.
At the edge of the ballroom, I saw Dominic.
He stood near the bar with Vanessa Quinn, one hand resting against the small of her back. She wore a pale gold gown that suited her perfectly. Her dark hair fell in smooth waves over one shoulder, and the diamond bracelet on her wrist looked familiar.
I realized it was the bracelet Dominic had given me on our fifth anniversary.
I had returned it to him two years ago after he said he needed to borrow it for a “private client dinner.”
Apparently, it had never been his to give back.
Vanessa saw me first.
Her expression changed, not with triumph, but discomfort.
Dominic turned.
For several seconds, he simply stared.
The music seemed to recede around us.
His gaze moved from my face to the dress, then to Richard standing beside me.
Richard offered a courteous nod.
“Dominic.”
“Richard.”
They had met many times over the years, but never warmly.
Dominic’s face remained composed. Only the slight tightening around his mouth revealed that my presence had unsettled him.
“You came,” he said to me.
“You told me to leave,” I replied. “You didn’t say I couldn’t attend the gala.”
His eyes flicked toward Richard.
“I assumed you understood the invitation was not for you.”
“I did.”
The answer seemed to catch him off guard.
Richard stepped forward.
“She is my guest.”
“I can see that.”
“You may also see that she is welcome.”
Dominic’s jaw moved once.
Vanessa touched his arm.
“Dominic, the Harringtons are waiting.”
She did not look at me when she said it.
I wondered whether she had expected him to arrive alone. Perhaps she had believed the evening would be simpler if I disappeared quietly, as he had instructed.
Dominic looked at me again.
“We need to speak.”
“Not tonight.”
“This concerns our marriage.”
“Our marriage ended in the bedroom.”
A flicker of shame crossed his face. It was gone so quickly that I almost doubted it.
Richard placed a gentle hand near my elbow.
“Evelyn, the trustees are gathered near the stage. They’ve been waiting to see you.”