Chapter 6

The next afternoon, the sun beat down on the glass roof of the Kerrwood estate greenhouse.

Alondra wore a simple, perfectly tailored silk dress. She followed Ivor through the humid air, the scent of rare orchids thick in her lungs.

Victoria Kerr, the terrifying matriarch of the family, sat in a wicker chair.

She was drinking afternoon tea. Sitting next to her were Alondra's aunt, Janice, and her cousin, Tinsley. They were laughing quietly.

The moment Alondra stepped into the clearing, the laughter died.

Three pairs of eyes locked onto her, scanning her up and down with intense, physical disgust.

Alondra didn't flinch.

She walked forward smoothly. She stopped exactly three feet away, placed one foot behind the other, and executed a flawless, deep European court curtsy.

Victoria didn't tell her to rise.

The old woman deliberately picked up her teacup, blew on the hot liquid, and took a slow sip.

Alondra held the physically demanding pose for a full sixty seconds. Her thigh muscles burned, but her face remained a mask of perfect calm.

Finally, Victoria set the cup down.

"You may sit," Victoria said, her voice dripping with condescension.

Janice covered her mouth with a lace handkerchief.

"That dress," Janice sneered, her eyes raking over Alondra's silk gown. "It looks like a vintage piece. Did you dig it out of a thrift store bin?"

Tinsley rolled her eyes aggressively.

"What do you expect, Mom? People from trailer parks think polyester is high fashion."

Alondra straightened her spine.

She didn't get angry. She gave Tinsley a slow, deliberate blink. The corners of her mouth lifted into a polite, terrifying smile.

She ignored the two women entirely and looked directly at the antique cup in Victoria's hand.

"Meissen porcelain," Alondra noted, her tone conversational but lethal. "Beautiful. But the calcium-rich glaze composition reacts poorly with the tannins in Darjeeling tea. It kills the aromatic finish and leaves a bitter aftertaste on the palate."

Victoria's hand jerked.

The tea sloshed onto the saucer. That specific pairing was her private habit, something no one else ever noticed or dared to critique.

Alondra didn't stop.

She switched effortlessly to fluent, aristocratic French. She recited an 18th-century text from the Court of Versailles detailing the exact chemical reactions between porcelain and tea leaves.

The rapid, beautiful French syllables filled the greenhouse.

Janice and Tinsley stared at her with blank, stupid expressions. They didn't understand a single word. They shifted uncomfortably in their seats.

Victoria understood perfectly.

Her wrinkled face tightened. The absolute disdain in her eyes cracked, replaced by profound shock. This girl had no formal education, yet she spoke like royalty.

Alondra stepped forward to the tea cart.

Her hands moved with fluid, hypnotic grace. She selected a different pot, adjusted the water temperature, and poured a fresh cup. The movements were a masterclass in elegance.

She handed the new cup to Victoria.

"True old money makes the rules serve their pleasure," Alondra smiled softly. "Only the newly rich let the rules bind them."

It was a brutal, verbal slap to the face.

She had just called Janice and Tinsley uncultured peasants pretending to be rich.

Janice's face turned a violent shade of purple.

She gripped the arms of her chair, ready to scream, but Victoria shot her a lethal glare that froze her in place.

Victoria brought the new cup to her lips.

She tasted the tea. Her eyes widened. The flavor was infinitely deeper and richer than before.

Victoria slowly lowered the cup.

She looked at Alondra. The hostility was gone, replaced by a sharp, calculating respect. She pointed a bony finger at the empty chair next to her. It was an invitation to the inner circle.

Tinsley gripped her silk scarf, twisting it until her knuckles turned white.

She glared at Alondra with pure hatred.

"We are hosting a massive banquet tonight," Tinsley announced loudly, her voice shaking with rage. "To introduce you to New York society."

Tinsley leaned forward, her eyes narrowing.

"Try not to embarrass us in front of the Wall Street billionaires tonight. They don't tolerate trash."

Alondra picked up her own cup.

She blew a stray tea leaf away from the edge. "I am more concerned about you embarrassing yourself in front of me."

Tinsley gasped, her face flushing hot.

She stood up so fast her chair scraped loudly against the stone floor. She stormed out of the greenhouse, her heels clicking furiously.

Alondra finished her tea and walked out into the cool air.

Her phone vibrated against her hip.

She pulled it out. It was a text from Sterling. He wanted her in his private study immediately. He had something important to give her.