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"He’ll be ready to settle doith you in a few years, my dear Men are basically animals until they hit thirty It’s a well-known fact," the housekeeper said to the lovely creature, sounding kindly

Her eyes weren’t kindly as they sized et a very sick feeling in the pit of my stomach I looked at the lovely woman dumbly for a moment, then made myself ask "Who are you?" My voice was small and pitiful I really didn’t want to hear the answer, but I had to ask

The woic Either she was a consummate actress, or she had suddenly decided that she likedon the former

"I’m Jules Phillips"

"Are you related to Ja at straws, I knew

She laughed, and it was a warht I ht on her perfect red stilettos

"No If I were a relative, the things that Jaal I’ me to a charity ball It’s for a charity our , did he not tell you about me? He can have a one-trackedof his peculiar…whiered a necklace at her throat, eying up my own bared collar, where I had left the top few buttons undone Hers was a diamond collar, not so very different froenerous enough to make it hile," she continued, "as I’m sure you know"

That did it I barely an to vomit

Julesusted noise

"Toomy hair There was a bite to her question that she probably thought I wouldn’t pick up

She was a worim certainty

I brushed her off

"Please, give htened, wipingin ht I had fallen in love with a perfect lie I had shared myself with a beautiful liar I felt laid bare

I have to get out of here

I lurched out of the kitchen I would rather be sick in the street than spend another second in his ho the button

I felt Jules hovering behind ether?" I asked her, without turning

The other woman didn’t answer, and I assumed the worst

There was a table by the elevator I re hands I laid the sound

I couldn’t get into the elevator fast enough when it finally opened It was only then that I turned

On a landing above, I saw that Jaed from his bedroom, immaculately dressed for his date He was frozen in place, taking in the sight of the two of us below He see in my face

"Bianca, wait," he said, panic in his voice, his eyes gone wild He was running down the stairs in a frantic burst as the the elevator doors sliddeep breaths, trying not to be sick again It would be too hu with ht

When I reached the street level, I nearly ran fro moment, disoriented

"Ms Karlsson?" A voice called froht, concern in the voice

I turned and saw Clark approaching h afraid I would bolt into the street

"Let ive you a ride, Miss Karlsson Please You look upset" He spoke quietly, his voice kind and worried "I’ll call Mr Cavendish, and he’ll take care of whatever is troubling you"

At the mention of the name, I did bolt

I ran across the crowded street without even looking, propelled by panic I didn’t want to see him Horns honked, but I didn’t care A taxi had to careen to a halt lanced inside It was e in beside me I directed the driver to my hotel

He looked at , fished out my wallet, and thrust a twenty at hiodly expensive way to get around But at that et away I wanted to get to my room and curl into a ball

I knew Stephan would still be out I debated calling hi and come back to comfort me I wanted that But I dismissed the idea almost immediately It was a selfish instinct; to pull hiot gracelessly out of the cab when it stopped I felt around for my room key, relieved when I found the card still in a pocket I didn’t want to talk to anyone, not even the the friendly hotel staff

I nodded at the girlI didn’t recognize her through h she called me by name

I moved quickly to the elevator