I shook my head.
“You’re making me regret asking.”
“Good. At least you’re thinking.”
We laughed, and for a while the conversation felt harmless.
Then Beatrice’s expression became more serious.
“Helen, there are wealthy men who pay for companionship. Some want someone to accompany them to events. Others want private arrangements. Some are generous, and some are selfish. The mistake is believing that expensive clothes and a charming smile tell you which kind of man you’re dealing with.”
“Are you saying you know people like that?”
She held my gaze.
“I’m saying I know this world better than you do.”
“And you think I should enter it?”
“I think you should understand your choices before you judge them.”
That answer sounded reasonable.
At the time, I didn’t realize that a reasonable-sounding argument could still lead me somewhere dangerous.
The Invitation That Changed Everything
Three nights later, Beatrice invited me to a private party at a mansion outside the city.
