Cassidy and Hayden walked out of the gallery and into the high-end boutique coffee shop on the corner.
Hayden marched straight to the back, demanding the most private booth from the waiter.
They sat down. Hayden ordered a black Americano. Cassidy ordered a decaf latte. The stark difference in their orders hung between them.
The waiter left. Hayden leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. She stared directly into Cassidy's eyes.
"Time flies," Hayden said, her voice dripping with fake nostalgia. "I never thought Cristian would actually marry someone outside our circle."
Cassidy picked up her spoon and slowly stirred the foam in her cup. "Life is unpredictable."
Hayden let out a sharp laugh. She leaned back and started talking. She talked about the Ivy League. She talked about the parties. She talked about how Cristian used to get into fistfights just because someone looked at her the wrong way.
She was trying to paint a picture of an unbreakable bond, trying to make Cassidy feel like an intruder in her own marriage.
Cassidy sat perfectly still. She listened. She did not frown. She did not cry. She just nodded slightly.
Her heart beat a little faster, but Cristian's voice from last night echoed in her head: "Recycling garbage." That single phrase was her armor.
Hayden saw that her words were not working. Her jaw tightened in frustration. She reached into her Birkin bag and pulled out a black velvet box.
She slid the box across the table until it hit Cassidy's saucer. She smiled, a predatory gleam in her eye. "A little welcome gift. Since I will be staying in New York permanently."
Cassidy did not touch the box. She stared at it. "What is this?"
Hayden reached over and flipped the lid open.
Inside, resting on white satin, was a massive, flawless Paraiba tourmaline necklace. The neon blue-green stone was blinding.
It was not a gift. It was a weapon. It was a multi-million dollar display of dominance and wealth.
"I hope we can be friends," Hayden said, her tone dripping with condescension.
Cassidy understood the trap instantly. If she refused it, she looked insecure and petty. If she accepted it, she was bowing down to Hayden's superiority.
Cassidy's brain worked furiously. She looked at the stone, then looked up at Hayden.
She reached out and snapped the velvet box shut. She pulled it toward her side of the table and smiled brightly. "Thank you, Miss Blevins. This is stunning," Cassidy said, her voice light and perfectly polite. "But it is far too grand for my simple style. Perhaps I will donate it to the gallery's next charity auction in your name? It would surely raise a significant amount for a good cause."
Hayden's mouth fell open. The fake smile shattered completely. She stared at Cassidy in absolute shock.
Cassidy checked her watch. She stood up. "I have to get back to the gallery. Enjoy your coffee."
She picked up the velvet box, holding it loosely in her hand like a piece of trash, and walked out of the shop.
She left Hayden sitting alone in the booth, her hands shaking with rage next to her cooling black coffee.
That evening, Cassidy walked into the penthouse. She was exhausted. Fighting a psychological war took a physical toll.
She walked straight into the master closet. She tossed the velvet box onto the corner of her vanity table, not even bothering to open it again.
She stripped off her suit, grabbed a silk robe, and walked into the bathroom. She turned the faucet on high, letting the hot water fill the massive tub. She added a few drops of rose oil.
The loud rushing of the water echoed off the tile walls, completely masking the sound of the front door opening in the hallway.
