Chapter 2 - THE EARRING THAT WAS NEVER LOST
Lana stared at Tony.
For a moment, she seemed incapable of speaking.
Then she laughed nervously.
“Tony, darling, I must have found it earlier.”
He looked at her.
“When?”
She swallowed.
“I don't remember.”
Tony's eyes darkened.
“You sent Clara outside.”
Lana looked away.
“Mrs. Gable handled it.”
Tony turned toward the housekeeper.
“Did you lock the doors?”
Mrs. Gable began shaking.
“Sir…”
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
The word fell into the silence.
Tony closed his eyes.
For one brief moment, the ballroom seemed to disappear.
He remembered Clara's face.
Her frozen eyelashes.
The way her body had barely moved when he lifted her.
Then he opened his eyes.
“Both of you leave my house.”
Lana stared.
“What?”
Tony looked at her.
“Now.”
Her expression twisted.
“You can't be serious.”
He stepped closer.
“I've never been more serious.”
Lana's father, Richard Vance, rose from his chair.
“Tony, this is unnecessary.”
Tony turned.
“Your daughter nearly killed someone.”
Richard frowned.
“It was a misunderstanding.”
Tony's voice became dangerously calm.
“A misunderstanding is forgetting someone's name.”
He looked toward the broken doors.
“Locking a woman outside in a blizzard is something else.”
Richard went pale.
Tony looked at his security chief.
“Escort Miss Vance and Mrs. Gable out of the ballroom. Make sure they have warm transportation. No one else goes outside without proper clothing.”
Then he carried Clara toward the private medical suite.
Behind him, Lana shouted:
“You're choosing a maid over me?”
Tony stopped.
Slowly turned.
May you like
And answered:
“I'm choosing not to marry a woman who thinks another person's life is worth less than an earring.”
