Chapter 26

• I inhaled slowly, letting Manny’s words settle in my mind. I had never met Twila or Jareth Lockhart, but I’d certainly heard of them. Theron’s father had a reputation that preceded him ruthless in business, sharp as a blade. He was known to devour smaller companies to expand his empire, often with no hint of remorse. A true titan, feared and revered.
• His mother, on the other hand, had always been a mystery. I hadn’t even known her name until I signed the contract with Theron and did a bit of digging into the Lockhart family. Eventually, I stumbled across a few old magazine spreads elegant galas, velvet gowns, diamond smiles. Twila Lockhart, standing poised beside her husband, looked like she belonged in a timeless painting. She was the kind of woman who wore secrets like perfume ageless, refined, and always hiding a hint of something behind that delicate, unreadable smile.
• “Is Jareth Lockhart as terrifying as people say?” I asked.