The next morning, Eliana was greeted by Luca bursting into her office, dramatic as ever, draped in sequins at ten in the morning.
"Darling, we are going out tonight. No excuses." He tossed a glittery invitation onto her desk, nearly spilling her coffee. "A party. The event of the season. Champagne, chandeliers, the Parisian elite. You cannot possibly deny me."
Eliana blinked. "A party?"
"Yes, a party. You have been cooped up here and in that mausoleum of a penthouse for too long. You need to live again. We'll dazzle them, darling. Who needs Nicholas when you've got me?"
She gave a weak smile. "Luca, I don't know…"
"You do know." He leaned over her desk, eyes blazing with energy. "You're coming. And you will wear something sinful. Something daring and something that reminds the world why I keep you close."
Eliana hesitated, but the thought of another lonely night gnawed at her. "Fine. I'll go."
