Chapter 5

Aidan walked down the long hallway. His leather shoes made no sound on the thick Persian carpet.

Hallie floated right behind him. The oil paintings of the past Monroe leaders stared down from the walls.

Aidan stopped at the heavy oak doors at the end of the hall. He knocked twice.

"Come in," a deep voice called out.

Aidan opened the door. The smell of Cuban cigars and expensive scotch hit the air.

Governor Monroe sat behind a massive wooden desk. He held a crystal glass in his hand.

Jacquelin Monroe, Aidan's mother, sat on the leather sofa. She wore a perfect silk dress. She was flipping through a fashion magazine.

Aidan walked in and shut the door. Hallie passed through the wood and floated near the ceiling.

Jacquelin closed the magazine. She looked at Aidan with sharp eyes. "Is Cecile calm now?"

Aidan walked to the bar. He poured himself a drink. "She is resting. She was very scared."

Jacquelin let out a harsh scoff. "Hallie is a gutter rat. She only knows how to use cheap tricks to get attention."

Hallie heard the words. Her chest felt tight, but the pain was quickly replaced by a cold numbness.

The Governor put his glass down. He looked at Aidan. "What is the status of the prenup enforcement?"

Aidan took a sip of scotch. "The legal team has the papers ready. When she shows her face, I will force her to sign."

The Governor hit the desk with his knuckles. "I do not just want her signature. I want her stripped of everything. Not one share of Monroe Group goes to that outsider."

Jacquelin stood up. She walked to Aidan and touched his arm. "You need to understand, Aidan. Cecile is the only woman fit for this family."

Hallie stared down at them. Her eyes widened. She thought they just hated her because she was poor. She did not know they had chosen Cecile from the start.

"Cecile has class," Jacquelin continued. "She knows how to protect the family name. Hallie is an embarrassment."

Aidan rubbed his jaw. "I know. But Hallie is hiding right now. It delays the process."

"Then freeze her bank accounts," the Governor ordered. "Cancel all her credit cards. Cut off her air supply. She will crawl back begging."

Hallie listened to the three most powerful people in New York plan to destroy her. It felt completely unreal.

Jacquelin twisted the large ruby ring on her finger. "Cecile's debut art show in Paris is next month. It is her entry into high society."

"We must erase Hallie before then," Jacquelin said. "I will not let the media call Cecile a homewrecker."

Aidan nodded. "I will use the PR team to bury Hallie. Cecile will be protected."

A hot, violent rage exploded inside Hallie. Her three years of pain meant nothing. They were going to step on her dead body to lift Cecile up.

The energy in the room spiked. The air grew freezing cold.

A loud crack echoed in the corner of the room. A large, antique blue-and-white vase split right down the middle.

All three of them turned their heads.

The Governor stared at the fractured porcelain, his eyes narrowing. "Have the house checked for structural vibrations," he commanded, his voice low. "And get this cleaned up. I don't want to see it again."

Aidan put his glass down. He checked his watch. "I am going to check on Cecile."

He walked out of the study. Hallie followed him. The sadness was gone. Only pure hatred remained.