Chapter 1: The Grand Affair Eleanor Hawthorne knew how to orchestrate an entrance. She stood at the top of the grand staircase of Hawthorne Manor, bathed in the warm glow of the chandelier above, surveying the guests milling below like a queen observing her court. She thrived in moments like this, where the night shimmered with elegance, and every eye lingered on her just a second too long. Clad in