The room was drenched in luxury. Plush sofas were placed around low marble tables, which were packed to the brim with stacks of champagne bottles and rich cigars. The entire room was drenched in the warm golden light from antique chandeliers. Thick velvet drapes muffled the world beyond, leaving only the scent of cigar smoke, citrus, and expensive perfume.
Maximilian Vice lounged across a cream-colored sofa while having one arm draped along the backrest and the other resting possessively on Alexandra's breast. She sat there like a prize, pale skin pressed to him, eyes glossy and empty. Alexandra had once been Nyx's closest friend, a bright girl with grandiose dreams and a cheery personality that could match even Nyx's chaos. But now, she was something else entirely: a conquered piece in the collection of a man she hated more than anything.
