Chapter 217

Harrison lay curled on her side, her back turned away from Nathaniel. He sat rigidly on the bed's edge, the tension between them thick enough to slice with a knife. They could have been mistaken for any married couple in the midst of a devastating fight.

Nathaniel's hands clenched into white-knuckled fists. After what felt like an eternity, he finally ground out a single syllable. "Fine."

He rose abruptly and strode out without another word.

Just like that, he was gone.

Tears Harrison had been desperately holding back now spilled freely down her cheeks. She yanked the blanket over her tear-streaked face, trying to smother the pain. It meant nothing. Just one terrible night. If he didn't care for her, she'd pretend it never happened.

Yet her heart shattered all the same. The ache was unbearable.

Deep down, Harrison knew the painful truth - she still loved Nathaniel.

With every fiber of her being.

From that day forward, an icy silence settled between them. Meanwhile, the media's spotlight had shifted entirely to Daphne Sinclair.

Daphne had unexpectedly joined one of the hottest reality shows, her popularity exploding overnight. With her girl-next-door charm and angelic smile, she amassed millions of adoring fans. Almost instantly, she became the entertainment industry's newest darling.

Whispers circulated that Daphne had secured the lead role in "Golden Years," a major motion picture directed by an Oscar-winning filmmaker. Simultaneously, she'd landed five high-profile magazine covers and lucrative endorsement deals. Overnight, she'd achieved what took others decades - becoming a bona fide superstar.

One evening, Harrison and Rosalind visited The Grand Celeste for dinner. As they approached the entrance, a swarm of bodyguards suddenly descended, barking orders. "Clear the way! Move aside!"

One guard roughly shoved Harrison and Rosalind against a wall before erecting a barrier.

Rosalind nearly toppled over, but Harrison caught her just in time. "What the hell?" Rosalind snapped. "Who exactly are we in the way of?"

The guard sneered. "Don't tell me you've never heard of Ms. Daphne Sinclair?"

Daphne?

Just then, a sleek black limousine pulled up. An assistant sprang to open the door as Daphne's high-powered manager, Genevieve, helped her out.

It had been months since Harrison and Rosalind had seen Daphne in person. Sure, they'd watched her meteoric rise on television, but face-to-face, she was nearly unrecognizable.

The transformation was staggering. Dressed head-to-toe in haute couture, her delicate features hidden behind oversized sunglasses, Daphne moved with the effortless grace of Hollywood royalty. A small army of assistants and stylists orbited around her.

"Ms. Sinclair, what an honor!" The hotel manager gushed, practically tripping over himself to greet her.

Not long ago, Daphne had worked here as a server. Now, she commanded the kind of reverence reserved for A-list celebrities.

Removing her sunglasses, Daphne revealed a flawlessly contoured "natural" makeup look. Her already striking features now glowed with an otherworldly radiance. "Mr. Whitmore," she purred with a playful smile, "how nostalgic. I used to wait tables here."

"An absolute privilege, Ms. Sinclair! My deepest apologies for not recognizing your star quality sooner. Your penthouse suite is prepared. Right this way."

With her entourage in tow, Daphne swept inside like visiting royalty.

Rosalind stood frozen. "Harrison...is that really Daphne? She's like a completely different person!"

Harrison studied Daphne's face, where innocence had been replaced by something harder, more calculating. She frowned slightly. "Yes...she's changed."

At that precise moment, Daphne turned - and locked eyes with Harrison and Rosalind.