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The crystal chandelier overhead hummed with a low, electric frequency that vibrated straight through Evelyn’s teeth. Below, the ballroom was a sea of glittering silk, pressed linen, and expensive champagne. Two hundred guests—her colleagues, her father’s business associates, people who had sent silver trays and crystal decanters—were laughing, turning their heads expectantly toward the grand staircase. / Chapter 28 / 30

Chapter 28 - The Legacy of Carter & VanceFive years after the day her life fell apart at the altar, Evelyn Carter stood on the balcony of her penthouse apartment, looking out over the glittering winter wonderland of downtown Chicago.

The snow fell in thick, silent flakes, turning the skyline into a pale silver haze—the exact same view she had looked out upon on the morning of her ruined wedding.

Only this time, everything was different.

She wasn't trapped in a structured ivory silk dress that squeezed the breath out of her lungs. She wore a comfortable cashmere sweater, her posture relaxed, her heart entirely at peace.

Inside the apartment, soft jazz played from the stereo, and the rich scent of dinner filled the air. Footsteps approached softly from behind, and a pair of warm arms wrapped gently around her waist, pulling her close against a solid, comforting chest.

Marcus rested his chin gently on her shoulder, looking out at the snowy Chicago skyline with her.

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“Cold?” Marcus murmured softly against her ear.

“Not at all,” Evelyn smiled, leaning back into his embrace, placing her hands over his. “I’ve never felt warmer.”

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