Chapter 14

Alden's birthday celebration was an extravaganza of staggering proportions. The estate had been styled like a medieval royal court. Crystal chandeliers scattered dazzling light across the walls as servers glided through the crowd with flutes of champagne. A live orchestra filled the air with elegant classical pieces. Nearly every influential figure in Blythera had come, eager for a glimpse of the rumored, enigmatic scion. Alden stood on the second-floor balcony with a cigarette smoldering between his fingers. His dark gaze was locked on the estate's entrance. When Seth appeared at the side door of the ballroom, travel-worn and weary, Alden nearly sprinted down the stairs. Seth held out the tablet, hesitation tightening his voice. "You'd better brace yourself." The surveillance footage was grainy, but the back garden from that charity gala three years ago was still clearly visible. In the corner of the garden, a young woman in a white dress stood on her tiptoes, gently settling