She blamed him for choosing Marina over her.
She blamed him for kicking her when she was down, piling on when the rumors were swirling.
She blamed him for never reaching out a hand to steady her struggling little studio.
She blamed him for so many things.
But most of all-
She blamed him for not recognizing that she was Rina, the girl from all those years
ago.
Niamh held Jonathan’s gaze for a moment, her smile twisting into something sharp and mocking.
“You really do think the world revolves around you, don’t you?” she said quietly.
Once upon a time, she had blamed him for everything.
But not anymore.
Because holding onto that blame only made the cracks in her already shattered heart run deeper.
If anyone deserved her anger, it was herself–for being so utterly blind.
- up. She Just then, someone came bustling into the grand lobby, and Niamh’s face lit hurried to meet them, leaving Jonathan standing there, his hand twitching at his side, uncertain.
He had a strange feeling–that even if he reached out, he’d never be able to hold onto her.
Preston Winslow swept into the gilded foyer of the Grand Riverview Hotel, surprised to find not only Niamh and the Queen of Frostvale with her bodyguard, but also Jonathan, Marina, and Susy gathered together.
He mouthed at Niamh across the room: “Are you setting me up here?”
Niamh had told him on the phone that there was a big job–providing
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Chapter 355
accommodation and security for the Queen of Frostvale.
But she’d never mentioned that this job originally belonged to the Thomases and the Frasers.
Now, thanks to her, he’d managed to offend both families in one fell swoop.
It wasn’t that Niamh had meant to get Preston into trouble. It was just that, of all the people she knew, only Preston could provide the kind of place and protection worthy of Queen Elizabeth.
She remembered how, back when Flynn Sinclair tried to meet her at a hotel, it was
Preston who had burst in and chased him off.
That old place, The Violet Majestic–Preston had told her it belonged to his family.
Preston reached Niamh’s side and, though awkward, managed a polite greeting to Jonathan, Marina, and Susy across from them. Looking at where he stood now, it was obvious: he’d thrown in his lot with Niamh, setting himself up in opposition to both the Thomas and Fraser families.
Niamh could read the worry on his face.
“Sorry,” she whispered, “if this puts you in a tough spot, just pretend I never called you.”
“You think that makes it better?” Preston exclaimed.
He’d meant to keep his voice down, but he was never good at quiet–his booming reply echoed through the entire hall./
Marina couldn’t help but laugh to herself.
She was laughing at Niamh.
All this time, she’d expected Niamh to pull some impressive strings, but it turned out her big contact was just Preston–an old acquaintance of hers and Jonathan’s. Lately, Marina had noticed Preston’s interest had shifted away from her. Still, no
- matter what, he was Jonathan’s sidekick, practically Thomas Group’s la There was no way he’d dare poach this project, even if he had a hundred times the
nerve.
“Preston…” Niamh started, wanting to ask if he had a place suitable for Queen Elizabeth, but Preston, ever the gentleman, bowed grandly before the Queen.
“Your Majesty, the Winslow family’s Violet Majestic would be honored to serve you.”
09:20
Niamh couldn’t help but blurt out, “Didn’t you just say you were in a tough spot?”
Preston grinned. “Better me than Her Majesty, don’t you think?”
Somehow, Niamh wasn’t convinced by his logic.
And so, with Niamh and Preston accompanying her, Queen Elizabeth left the Grand Riverview Hotel. Not once did Preston meet Jonathan or Marina’s eyes as he departed.
“Niamh’s something else, isn’t she…” Marina remarked softly to Jonathan, genuine awe in her voice. “Not only did she win over Queen Elizabeth with a single meal and secure herself a project, but with just a few words, she managed to pull Preston to her side as well… Looks like we were all fooled by her. She’s not nearly as naïve as she seems. Maybe after the divorce, she lost her financial support, and now she’s clinging to Preston just to keep living the high life.”
