Page 64 of Bound By Crimson
And she wouldn’t let anyone steal it.
---
Back at the penthouse, Lyric paused before the vast windows, staring out across the skyline. The world felt endless. Her future, limitless.
She didn’t yet realize how fragile it all was.
Chapter Eighteen
The Silent Guest
The weeks after the Winter Gala unfolded like a dream—but dreams, Lyric realized, had a way of blurring at the edges.
From the outside, her life was perfect.
Galas beneath crystal chandeliers.
Broadway premieres where flashbulbs still chased her like starlight.
Private dinners at rooftop restaurants where the skyline glittered just for them.
Her name continued to ripple across society pages and blogs.
“Kai Thorn’s captivating partner.”
“A modern-day fairy tale.”
People approached her now. Smiles too perfect. Voices too sweet.
And always—the questions.
Where had she come from?
Who were her parents?
What was her family’s history?
Lyric deflected gracefully. At first.
But as the months stretched on, the curiosity felt more like a blade than polite conversation.
---
Kai worked long hours.
He left early. Came home late.
“It’s temporary,” he promised. “The firm is expanding. This won’t last forever.”
She believed him. Of course she did.
But the penthouse, once a palace, had begun to feel like a gilded cage.
And the glittering crowd they danced among felt more like masked strangers than friends.
Valentine’s Day had been flawless.
Roses in every shade. A box of truffles from Belgium flown in that morning. Dinner reservations at a rooftop restaurant with a violinist who played just for them. Kai had slipped a diamond bracelet onto her wrist between the dessert and the wine.
