A False Heiress's Guide to Love and Power

“Did I hear you took York out for some fun?”

It was nine in the evening when Max called. A quick mental calculation–he must be calling from his side of the world, where it was just nine in the morning.

At that very moment, Max stood next to a floor–to–ceiling window, gazing down at the traffic below. From up there, the cars looked no bigger than toy models. He held a mug of coffee in one hand, the phone in the other, sleeves casually rolled up to reveal a watch worth more than most people’s cars. Everything about him radiated a polished, refined elegance.

“Word travels fast, huh? You must have ears everywhere,” Alessia replied, unsurprised Max was already in the loop.

“Just making sure you’re not left in the dark. Thought I’d give you a call, little troublemaker.” A half–smile played on Max’s lips; his voice, especially the last word, carried a teasing fondness.

“Didn’t realize there was something I didn’t know.” Alessia tossed her towel onto the chair and leaned against the headboard.

“While you were out, Mae broke her wrist. She’s probably been discharged by now. Dawson gave her a month off and compensated her, but Mae said she had nowhere to go, so she asked the butler not to give her the time off.”

“A broken wrist? Was it Ileana again?” Alessia sat up, worry flickering across her

face.

was a reason. He wanted to see how

actually cared about. Honest and reliable, meticulous in her work, Mae was one of the rare souls in that house who truly looked out for her. Alessia couldn’t help

smart enough to dash back inside, Mae stepped in to protect it, things got physical, and she tumbled down the front steps and broke

if a broken bone was nothing more than a scraped knee. In truth,

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Tates, after all, were cold

Alessia’s expression darkened instantly.

brother‘ and I’ll have her thrown out of

lounged back in his chair, utterly

depended on his mood

“I’ll handle this myself.”

had expected nothing

yourself. The front door’s still

things never change.” Alessia knew that whatever she