Veronica's POV
Whitney and Caspian rushed away to welcome the arriving guests, leaving me standing there.
Alonzo approached me with a wine glass in hand, his swagger unmistakable. He positioned himself directly in front of me, his eyes boldly scanning my body from head to toe. That familiar smirk played on his lips as he attempted to break the ice.
"Veronica, it's been ages. You look like you're thriving these days."
Alonzo avoided any reference to our history, clearly believing I remained clueless about the arson he'd committed years back. My transformation had obviously caught his attention—the new me had apparently become too tempting to ignore.
"Alonzo," I responded, my smile razor-sharp, "flirting with me so openly in front of everyone—won't Liana get upset? Aren't you concerned about what people might say?"
