Harding flicked his wrist. The bodyguards dragged Connor backward. Connor screamed, his heels draggingacross the marble, while Beatrice ‘wailed on the floor. They hauled him out the heavy oak doors, and the heavy thud of the doors closing severed his existence from the room. The ballroom was as silent as a graveyard. The guests looked at Anissa with a mixture of profound awe and absolute terror.
Harding tumed hisback to the doors. He reached into the innerpocket of his tuxedo jacket and pulled out a flat, black velvet box.
He pressed the hidden latch. The box popped open.
A collective gasp, louder than any before, ripped through the room. Resting on the black velvet was a necklace composed of dozens of massive, flawless Burmese pigeon blood rubies connected by intricate ‘webs of diamonds. It pulsed under the lights like a living bleeding heart. It was "The Phoenix" The legendary crown jewel of the Snow empire It had been locked ina vault for thirty years, waiting for a woman powerful enoughto bear its weight.
Harding st epped behind Anissa. He gently sw ept her heavy dark hair over her shoulder, exposingthe bare, pale skinof her neck
386%. 0047 wm
SG #4 +120 Points at most He lowered the necklace. The cold, heavy stones settled against her collarbones. Harding fastened the clasp. As he did, the warm pads of his fingers brushed against the sensitive skin of her nape, sendinga violent shiver down her spine
Harding placed both of hislarge hands on her bare shoulders. He looked out at the sea of terrified, silent faces
"Anissa Snow is my only wife Harding's voice boomed, carrying the weight of an absolute decree. ‘She is the sole, legitimate Matriarch of this family. To look at heris to look at me. To disrespect heris to declare war on me."
For three seconds, nobody moved.
Then, someone started clapping Within seconds, the entire ballroom erupted into thunderous desperate applause. They were bowingto their new queen.
Anissa reached up and touched the cold, heavy rubies at her throat. A breathtaking predatory smile curved her lips. She had reached the absolute summit.
100.0% 0942 mm
< Marrying My Ecs Powerlui Bl Wonare Un. = 1190 Points at most The chaotic aftermath of the confrontation dissolved into the highly orchestrated rhythm of the formal dinner.
Anissa was guided to the very center of the main table, seated at the righthand of the patriarch's empty chair, with Harding a solid, immovable presence beside her.
The dynamic of the room had violently shifted. The guests who had been whisperinginsults thirty minutes ago were now liningup to approach the table. They held their wine glasses with trembling hands, their faces stretched into grotesque masks of flattery
Anissa maintained a flawless, porcelain smile. She took tiny sips of her champagne her sharp eyes cataloging every fake compliment and forced laugh
Beside her, Harding was playing the role of the devoted husband with terrifying perfection.
When the main course was served, Harding didn't touch his own food. He picked up his heavy silver knife and fork, reached over, and began cutting Anissa’s portion of the Beef Wellington
“You burned a lot of energy earlier," Harding murmured, his voice a low, intimate hummeant only for her, He placed a perfectly cut piece of beef onher plate. ‘Eat
Anissa turned her head. Their eyes locked. To the dozens of people watching them, it looked like a moment of profound, sickeningly sweet romance, Only Anissa knew the dangerous, electric tension vibrating beneath the surface.
Decidingto play the game, Anissa pickedup her silver fork. She pierceda small, dark slice of black truffle from her plate
Instead of eating it, she slowly raised the fork and offered it to Harding's lips.
Harding's eyes darkened instantly. The gray-blue irises seemed to swallow the light. He didn't hesitate. He leaned forward, his gaze fixed intensely on her mouth, and parted his lips.
He took the truffle, his teeth lightly scrapingagainst the metal tines of. her fork.
The gesture was so intensely intimate, so saturated with raw sexual tension, that several Wall Street executives sitting across the table an na na me"
Simieda 3 +120 Points at most suddenly found their own plates fascinating, awkwardly cleaning their throats and lookingaway.
Just then, Pippa and Sterling Snow-two cousins from a minor branch of the family-approached the table
Pippa, a notorious social climber, leaned in with a dazzling smile. Her eyes were glued to Anissa's chest.
“Oh, Anissa, darling!" Pippa gushed clasping her hands together, “That necklace! The Phoenix is absolutely breathtaking on you. It's so much better than letting it gather dust inthe vauit. It was literally made for you." Anissa smiled politely, her eyes cold. "Thank you, Pippa. Beautiful things require an owner who knows how to carry their weight”
The subtle warning hit its mark. Pippa blinked rapidly and 100 k a st ep. back
Sterling. heavily flushed from too much wine. leaned heavily on the back of a chair. He let out a loud, braying laugh.
“God, Connor is such a blind idiot,” Sterling slurred, shaking his head. “Throwingaway a diamond to pickupa piece of trash. Did you hear? That actress of his, Seraphina? She's already texting half the guys at my country club, looking for a new sugar daddy now that Connorsbroke*
A ripple of cruel laughter moved through the nearby tables. Connor was nolonger a tragedy; he was a punchline
Anissa listened to the mockery, her stomach chumingslightly. She knew these people. Today they were laughing at Connor. Tomorrow, If she. showed a single moment of weakness, they would tear her apart just as gleefully.
She felt a sudden pressureon her left hand, whichwas restingon herlap. Harding's large, warm hand enveloped hers beneath the heavy tablecloth _ He intertwined their fingers, his gripfirm and grounding His thumb began to slowly, rhythmically stroke the sensitive skinon the back of her hand. The skinon-skin contact sent a jolt of electricity straight to her chest. Her breath hitched She stared straight ahead, trying to decipher if this touch was part of the performance, or something dangerously real. Before she could pull away, a prominent New York Senator approached the table. He bowed slightly and handed Anissa a thick, gold-embossed card.
"Mrs. Snow," the Senator said smoothly. "My charity foundation is hosting a gala next week. We would be incredibly honored if you would jointhe board of directors."
Anissa took the card. She r eplied in flawless, unaccented French discussingthe foundation's recent work in Paris. "My grandmother was 348% 0650 wm
SC Chmmere D +4 +120 Points at most Parisian, and she was quite strict about my education,” Anissa added with a polite, measured smile, seamlessly covering her tracks. Anissa effortlessly d eployed the elegant backstory, a social armor she had leamed to craft in her previous life by observing countless high society women. A fabricated past was often more useful than a real one. The Senator's eyes widened in pleasant surprise
Harding watched the exchange His jaw tightened The possessive beast insidehim flared to life. He didn't like the way the Senator was lookingat her, and he didn't like sharing her attention.
Harding stood up abruptly, his chair scraping against the marble. He placed a heavy hand on Anissa's waist. 1
My wife is exhausted,” Harding announcedto the table, histone leaving absolutely no room for argument. "We are retiring for the evening”
The guests immediately scrambled to their feet, bowing and offering a chorus of "Goodnightsˆ
Anissa let Harding lead her away. As they walked toward the exit, she cast one final glance over her shoulder.
The spot where Connor had crashed into the cocktail table was. completely spotless. The glass was sw ept away, the floor mopped dry. It was as if he had never existed. The first phase of her revenge was f Nawlessly complete.
< Marrying My Exs Powerful Bllonaie Un. #% 4120 Points at most