Aurora’s POV
“Clean it up, Rose,” Sophie whispered, her breath hot on my ear. “Scrub my shoes.”
The whole ballroom was watching.
My fingers gripped the wet cloth. Every part of me wanted to shove the dirty rag into Sophie’s laughing face. But Nathan Brooks sat three feet away, holding all the power in the city. If I fought back, they would throw me in jail, and Maya and Leo would be left all alone in our dark room.
I swallowed the fire in my chest.
I bent my head lower. With steady hands, I wiped the red wine off Sophie’s shoes until the silver buckles were clean.
A soft giggle came from Sophie’s throat. “Good girl,” she whispered.
She pulled her feet back, stood up from her chair, and smoothed her stained gown.
“Asher, darling,” Sophie said, her voice sweet and tearful for the roo
