“Rosemary? You actually came to this event?” Cassandra’s voice rang out, sharp as a dagger, drawing several guests who were enjoying the banquet to turn and stare.

Rosemary stood in the doorway of the hotel ballroom. Her simple dress contrasted with the expensive designer gowns worn by the socialites, yet her gaze was sharp and full of courage.

“I didn’t come for the party,” Rosemary replied calmly. “I came to reclaim my dignity.”

Cassandra snorted with contempt and glided forward with an elegant but arrogant stride. “Your dignity? How sad—people already know who you are. The woman abandoned by her husband for an affair. The woman who shamed her grandfather...