In truth, everything had gone just as Joanna Jacobs predicted: Nancy Nash had indeed seized the opportunity. But the result was something she had not anticipated at all.
Nancy Nash and Liam Valerius suffered a crushing defeat, while Aurora Sterling was completely unscathed.
It was only then that Joanna Jacobs understood. It had all been a trap set by Damien Valerius for Nancy Nash and Liam Valerius.
Because of this, Joanna Jacobs had, for a time, believed that Damien Valerius had made a point of taking Aurora Sterling to Portcove purely to lure Nancy Nash and Liam Valerius into his trap. That thought had brought her a sense of peace, believing that Aurora Sterling was nothing more than a tool for Damien to use. 'Just a tool. Why should I even care?'
But gradually, the reports she received from Portcove indicated that Damien Valerius had handed all business matters over to Sean Carter, while he himself spent every day taking Aurora Sterling out to have fun.
