Chapter 219
Chapter 219:
“He’s afraid of the crossfire, Ms. Sterling,” Felix said. “Victoria has to be convincing, and Liam is unpredictable. It’s a volatile mix. Alistair is trying to extract Victoria from Liam’s grip without blowing the operation p>
“That sounds like his problem, Felix,” Skye said, applying mascara. “Tell Mr. Thorne I’ll see him there. And tell him not to stand too close to the blast zone.” She hung up.
She looked at herself in the mirror. The gold dress shimmered.
She looked expensive, untouchable, and dangerous.
“You look like an award,” Harper said admiringly.
“No,” Skye said, picking up her clutch, which contained a small taser and a voice recorder. “I look like the hunter p>
The Kensington Pictures Gala was held at the Grand Opera House. It was a desperate display of opulence, Liam trying to prove he wasn’t broke.
Skye arrived in a Sterling Corp limousine. When she stepped onto the red carpet, the flashbulbs went crazy.
“Ms. Sterling! Over here p>
“Is it true you took over your father’s company p>
“What about the kidnapping p>
Skye smiled—a practiced, cold smile. She didn’t answer. She glided up the stairs, the gold dress flowing like water.
Inside, the ballroom was packed. Liam was not holding court in the center of the room—his legal standing was too precarious for that. Instead, he was ensconced in a private VIP box overlooking the dance floor, surrounded by a phalanx of lawyers and private security. He looked pale, his arm in a sling, his face heavily made up to hide the bruising, but the desperation in his eyes was impossible to conceal. He was technically free on bond, but the police were stationed at every exit, waiting for him to slip up.
Standing next to him was Victoria Hayes.
She was wearing white—always white, the color of innocence. She looked ethereal, fragile, and beautiful.
No 𝗆𝗂ѕ𝗌𝗶𝘯𝗀 𝗰𝗁a𝘱t𝘦𝗋𝘀 оո be.𝖼о𝘮
Alistair was there too. He stood a few feet away from Victoria, looking like a bodyguard in a tuxedo. His eyes scanned the room constantly. When they landed on Skye, he froze.
He started walking toward her.
Skye ignored him. She walked straight to the bar.
“Champagne,” she ordered.
“Skye p>
Victoria Hayes was standing next to her.
Up close, Skye could see the cracks in the porcelain. Victoria’s eyes were dilated, frantic. It was a perfect performance of a woman on the edge.
“You came,” Victoria whispered. “Why can’t you leave us alone p>
“I was invited,” Skye said, taking her glass. “By your new business partner p>
“Liam understands me,” Victoria said. “He knows what it’s like to love someone who belongs to you, but is being stolen by a… a thief p>
Skye turned to face her. “Alistair is not a possession, Victoria. And Liam doesn’t understand love. He understands ownership p>