The banquet hall glittered with light. The moment Asher walked in holding my hand, every eye in the room turned to us.
A second later, Winifred appeared in a white cocktail dress, eyes rimmed red, walking quickly toward me. In front of everyone, she dipped into a small bow.
"Mrs. Sanchez, I'm so sorry. Last time I was thoughtless and rode in Mr. Sanchez's car. It won't happen again. Please don't be angry with me."
She made herself as small as possible, the picture of a girl who'd been wronged yet was graciously taking the blame. Sympathetic glances from the crowd landed on her immediately.
But my gaze drifted downward, and the blood in my veins turned to ice.
Around her neck hung a necklace.
The pendant was a tiny crescent moon, and on the inside was engraved a single letter: P.
It was the only thing my parents had left me before the car accident that killed them both. The Pruitt family heirloom necklace.
The chain had broken a while back, and Asher had found the best jeweler in the city. He promised he'd have it restored to perfect condition.
That repair had stretched on for the better part of a year. I'd assumed it was the complexity of the craftsmanship, the jeweler's packed schedule.