Isabella attends a high-society luncheon hosted by Lady Eleanor Vance, where she observes the intricate, unspoken power dynamics among Ashbourne's elite, making her painfully aware of her outsider status and the formidable influence of the old money families. During a seemingly innocuous conversation about old Ashbourne families, Lady Eleanor subtly mentions, 'Some secrets are woven into the very foundations of this city, Isabella. And some betrayals are merely tests.'

A Web of Old Money