Calling the Shots

Nadine leaned in close to her stepdaughter. The opulent crystal chandelier overhead cast harsh shadows across her face. Her eyes scanned Cecelia’s features for the slightest sign that the lucrative alliance with Desmond Croft had been restored. Imagining the boundless luxury and high-society standing that would flood back into her grasp, the older woman beamed with hungry anticipation.

"I knew it