rely slept

event hall, the necklace everyone believed she had stolen, and the

ubled her more th

tioned her father in

oked so serious when he

t contained the few things her father had left behind before he died five years ago: an ol

ade sure she felt loved. He used to tell her that poverty was not a pers

ed him t

graph, Jessica whispered, "Daddy,

interrupted

out here!" Mar

d the photograph to the

lway, dressed beautifully,

at people are saying abo

d. "What did I

exander Blackwood! Do you know how many people woul

k him to bri

have at least b

aling a necklace I never touched. I spent the whole night worrying about wh

's face

se your vo

ating me like

t, neither

before. She was frightened, but she was also tired o

stepped

ike you don't belong in Alexander Blackwood's w

owed the pain

, but at least I haven't forgotten

ck into her room before

ars, she did not apologi

kwood stood in his private offi

sistant, Daniel, h

d something,

r did no

ll

almost eight years. He was one of the co

s expressi

he sca

pened th

m a development project. Several documents were altered, a

e conv

stigation was completed. Your father publicly denied know

r's jaw

ever told me

financial records show that David Carter attempt

looked u

sho

efore David Ca

filled t

ehind a company worth billions and a family name that everyone respected. Yet there

he ordered. "I want the names o

s,

vestigation. She doesn't need to kn

el n

lexander looked down at Jess

her father being connected to his family's dark

ica received a phone call

el

h Miss Jessica Car

Who is

more. We met briefly at

stomach

owned the mi

u want from

you an

ca bl

sor

happened. I allowed my anger to cloud my judgment,

sat down

u for say

need yo

he

they knew who really took my necklace. They also s

heart bega

nt the

When I replied, the nu

give you

me to check the sec

the red dress and the suspicious

told the

ackwood gave me his number, and I contacted him th

osed her e

berately tried t

t

ietly. "I don't know who is doing this to m

," Eleanor replied. "Tomorro

eed, and th

ained still, trying to under

phone r

, it was

e answered. "I hear Mrs. W

eone claims to know w

oing to investig

helping me,

out before she c

lent for

n't believe y

t's

do you want

almost

t a billionaire would spend so much

ot as heartles

"But don't expect me to

le came throu

n't drea

e scandal began, Jessica fe

er's voice g

d to ask you somethi

le disa

abou

ion a man named R

ca fr

ood? No

cords. Your father worked wi

ca st

never tol

t want to make assumption

hat exactly a

and my family's past may be connecte

rs tightened ar

me my father did

. "I'm telling you that I inte

sica returned to the wood

d letter her fathe

ding his final words felt too painful. But now she won

g fingers, sh

the ink had faded. Still, she

rest J

begun to surface. There are things I wanted to tell you,

ed breathing

d the n

ckwood family blind

s began

everyone else accused her, and he was the first person

had warned her

h

he page, despera

had been

rds remained

d the original ledger. It will

at the letter,

simply died and lef

t her with

Blackwood's world, the an

her phon

ared from an u

ter. Your father paid for his mistake

s blood

reply, another

h of Alexander entering

t were fi

elping yo

d at the scre

s watching

about her fat

as had just made

as no long

ing for bo