Page 46 of Spearcrest Queen

“Of all the people I expected to see tonight,” she says. “Sophie Sutton.”

I shrug. “It’s a Harvard Law School alums’ event. I’m a Harvard Law School student.”

“God, you were bad enough in Spearcrest,” Seraphina says with an amused scoff. “You’re going to be unbearable now you’re in Harvard.”

“I hope so.”

“Ugh.” She laughs. “You haven’t changed one bit.” She looks me up and down again. “You’re still the same stone-cold bitch.” And then she raises her glass up to mine. “You’re going to make a killer lawyer.”

I laugh, too, tapping my glass to hers. As we drink, a young man steps up behind Seraphina. He’s dark-haired, grey-eyed, broad, rough around the edges—someone who doesn’t belong here but doesn’t care one bit.

The tux he’s wearing fits him well, but it doesn’t soften him. He’s got the build of a fighter, big shoulders and lazy confidence, knuckles rough and a faint purple bruise circling his left eye.

So this ishim, the infamous amateur boxer that almost cost Seraphina her pristine reputation.

She turns slightly when she feels him, her manicured hand gliding up and down his arm like a princess acknowledging a loyal knight.

“Sophie, this is Noah Watson,” she says, eyes flashing up to mine. “Noah, Sophie Sutton.”

I glance between them, noting the way her fingers curl against his wrist, scratching slightly, the way his other hand rests against the small of her back, protective yet affectionate.

“Nice to meet you, Noah.” I extend my hand. “You caused quite the scandal at Spearcrest.”

“Yeah.” Noah snorts a laugh and shakes my hand. “I heard.”

His grip is firm and warm; there’s something inherently friendly about him, but also supremely laid-back, like he’s completely certain of his place in the world and feels no need to justify himself or his existence.

Seraphina, on the other hand, rolls her eyes at me. “Like you didn’t have plenty of scandals of your own.”

“Well, it paid off in the end, didn’t it?” I glance from Seraphina to Noah, and back to her. “For the both of us, it looks like.”

“Definitely paid off forme,” Noah interjects with a grin.

And he curls his arm around Seraphina’s waist and hauls her up to him, forcing her to hold on to his shoulder, rosé splashing over the rim of her glass. He kisses her full on the mouth and she gasps and melts into laughter, girlish giggles so profoundly embarrassing I have the total certainty Seraphina Rosenthal is hopelessly, disgustingly in love.

“Nice to meet you,” Noah tells me before turning away, Seraphina still pressed up to him. “Come on, princess,” he mutters roughly as he strides away. “Remember the promise you made me? Time to pay up.”

“Not here!” I hear Seraphina giggle. “No way!”

“We’ll see,” is the last thing I hear Noah say before the two of them disappear through the crowd.

I only realise I’mstill smiling to myself when the quiet jazz fades and a microphone crackles to life, bringing me back to the moment.

A polite chime rings through the ballroom, calling for attention. The murmurs hush, glasses are lowered. The host, a white-blonde woman in a sequined dress the palest shade of violet, steps onto the stage.

“And now,” she announces, “we’d like to take a moment to express our gratitude to the generous benefactors whose contributions have made this evening so impactful. These pledges will help fund scholarships, legal aid initiatives, and opportunities for students who, like so many in this room, are dedicated to the pursuit of justice.”

Alice rolls her eyes at me. I smile, half-listening as the donations are announced, amounts of money that don’t even feel real, punctuated by bursts of polite clapping.

“$100,000 from Robert Rosenthal. $250,000 from Holloway & Finch. $500,000 from the Knight Family Foundation.”

“Your boyfriend should recommend me to his family’s PR team,” Alice murmurs in my ear. “They’re good.”

This time, it’s my turn to roll my eyes ather.

Then the host’s voice rings out again, clear and bright.

“And we have an incredibly generous pledge from first-time donor Miss Sophie Sutton—$50,000! Thank you so much for your generosity, Miss Sutton!”

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