Jacquelyn Spencer POV:
The private dining room at Éclat was opulent, as expected. Crystal chandeliers dripped from the ceiling, reflecting off the polished crimson walls. My best friends, Clara and Mia, were already seated, their faces alight with laughter. Fay, ever the pragmatic one, was nursing a glass of sparkling water, a knowing look in her eyes.
"Look who finally decided to join us!" Clara teased, her gaze sweeping past me to Harrison, who entered just behind me. "We thought Harrison had you locked away in a gilded cage."
"He never lets her out of his sight anymore," Mia chimed in, a playful smirk on her face. "Ever since the pregnancy news, he's become even more possessive, if that's possible."
Harrison, ever the charmer, laughed easily, taking a seat beside me. "Can you blame me? My wife is the most beautiful, brilliant woman in the world. And she's carrying my heir. I have to protect my treasures." He winked, then pulled several small, elegantly wrapped boxes from his coat pockets.
"For my favorite ladies," he announced, distributing them with a flourish.
Fay raised an eyebrow, but Clara and Mia gasped as they unwrapped their gifts. Delicate diamond necklaces, each glittering under the soft light.
"Harrison, these are… insane!" Clara breathed, her fingers tracing the intricate design. "They must cost a fortune."
"Only the best for my wife's closest friends," he replied smoothly, radiating an aura of effortless generosity. "You keep Jacquelyn happy, and I'll make sure you're well taken care of."
"You're too kind, Harrison," Mia gushed, already fastening her necklace around her throat. "Jacquelyn, you're so lucky to have him. We're lucky to know you!"
I offered them a polite smile, one that didn't quite reach my eyes. Lucky. The word tasted like ash in my mouth. He wasn't doing this for them. He was doing this for himself. To secure his image, to buy their loyalty, to ensure they continued to believe his perfect façade.
"Jacquelyn's happiness is my life," he said, his hand finding mine under the table, squeezing it possessively. The irony was so sharp, it almost made me laugh.
Clara and Mia chimed in with more praises, declaring me the luckiest woman alive. I just nodded, a hollow echo in my chest, feeling my "luck" slipping away like sand through my fingers.
Just then, the door to our private room swung open, revealing a figure silhouetted against the bright hallway lights.
Britt Bradshaw.
She stood there, a vision in a scarlet dress that clung to her curves, her blonde hair perfectly styled, her smile predatory. She looked around the room, her gaze lingering on each of us, a calculated pause before she spoke.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," she purred, her voice dripping with faux innocence. "Wrong room, I suppose. I thought this was the Ellis corporate meeting." Her eyes, however, were fixed on me, a triumphant glint in their depths.
Clara and Mia exchanged uneasy glances. They knew Britt. Everyone in our social circle did, at least superficially. The air in the room instantly thickened, heavy with unspoken tension. Britt, however, seemed utterly unfazed. She simply glided into the room, a venomous snake entering a birdcage.
She settled herself into the empty chair directly opposite me at the table, crossing her legs, her gaze sweeping over the diamond necklaces still clutched in Clara and Mia's hands.
"Ah, Bijoux Étoile," she said, her voice lilting, recognizing the brand instantly. She picked up one of the empty boxes, turning it over in her manicured fingers. "Such exquisite pieces. My favorite. After all, it's my company, isn't it?"
My breath hitched. Bijoux Étoile. Harrison had invested heavily in a boutique jewelry line a few years ago. He had always said it was a smart, diversified investment. He' d even presented me with some of its designs, claiming they were the first prototypes.
"Harrison has been such a wonderful partner," Britt continued, her eyes briefly meeting his, a fleeting spark of shared conspiracy passing between them. Then her gaze snapped back to mine, her smile sharp, exposing teeth. "The best partner. He truly values my vision."
The room tilted. My chest constricted, a vice grip tightening around my lungs. The air seemed to vanish, leaving me gasping for breath, unable to move, unable to speak. The world blurred around the edges, and I felt the familiar darkness threatening to claim me once more.
