The black Rolls-Royce Phantom idled outside the wrought-iron gates of St. Jude's Prep School.
Ariel stepped out. She smoothed down her plaid uniform skirt. She looked at the sea of designer bags and luxury cars.
This is literally Gossip Girl, Ariel thought. I hate it here.
Cherilyn slid out of the car. Her face transformed instantly. A perfect, radiant smile stretched across her lips. She linked her arm through Ariel's.
Get your hands off me, you snake, Ariel thought.Two days ago you tried to poison my breakfast, and now you’re playing sweet sister? What fresh hell is this?
In a boardroom on Wall Street, Jonas stopped mid-sentence.
In an art gallery in SoHo, Eleanor dropped her catalog.
They both heard the warning. Their muscles tensed.
Cherilyn pulled Ariel into the VIP cloakroom. The heavy oak door clicked shut. They were alone.
Cherilyn dropped Ariel's arm. The smile vanished from her face.
She opened her Hermes Birkin bag. She pulled out a limited-edition Tom Ford lipstick. She turned to the mirror and slowly applied it.
"Ariel," Cherilyn said. Her voice was smooth, cold, and dripping with venom. "Do you really think you can just walk into this family and replace me?"
Ariel leaned against the metal lockers. She lowered her head, pretending to look terrified.
Replace you? Ariel thought. I just want to grab some cash and run away before you all end up in jail.
Cherilyn turned around. She stepped into Ariel's personal space.
"I am the queen of this school," Cherilyn whispered. "You are going to be a ghost. You will not speak. You will not look at my friends."
Yeah, okay, Ariel thought. You're the queen. And you're going to get arrested for hiring a hitman right after the Pierce acquisition fails later this year.
On a movie set in Hollywood, Greggory choked on his Perrier water. He coughed violently, waving off his makeup artist.
Cherilyn reached out and adjusted Ariel's collar. Her fingers brushed Ariel's neck. It was a threat.
"If you cross me," Cherilyn said softly, "I will socially execute you. You will have nothing."
Ariel shivered visibly. "I understand, sister."
Your friends? Ariel mocked in her mind. You mean Paige? The one who is sleeping with your fiancé every weekend in his penthouse?
The bomb dropped.
Every single Washington family member stopped breathing. The sheer magnitude of the scandal echoed in their skulls.
Cherilyn smirked. She patted Ariel's cheek, turned on her Christian Louboutin heels, and walked out of the cloakroom.
Ariel let out a long breath. She opened her locker and grabbed her history textbook.
She walked out into the main hallway.
A group of girls walked toward her. They looked like clones in high-end couture.
Kendall Finch, Cherilyn's top minion, led the pack. She locked eyes with Ariel. A nasty smirk played on her lips.
Kendall sped up. She slammed her shoulder hard into Ariel's chest.
The impact knocked the wind out of Ariel. Her textbook and pens scattered across the marble floor.
"Oops," Kendall said loudly. Her voice echoed down the hall. "Sorry, new girl. Didn't see you down there."
The hallway erupted in low, cruel laughter. Dozens of students stopped to watch the show.
Ariel rubbed her shoulder. She squatted down to pick up her pens.
This is elementary school bullying, Ariel thought. Are these really Manhattan elites?
She picked up a yellow pencil.
Laugh all you want, Kendall, Ariel thought. Your dad's hedge fund is getting raided by the SEC tomorrow for insider trading. You're going to be bankrupt by Friday.
In his office, Devontae's eyes widened. He slammed his hands onto his keyboard. He immediately pulled up the Finch hedge fund. He started aggressively shorting their stock.
At the end of the hallway, Cherilyn gasped dramatically. She rushed forward, playing the role of the concerned sister.
Here comes the white lotus, Ariel thought. Someone get me a barf bag.
In his Wall Street office, Jonas's face turned into a mask of pure rage. He slammed his fist onto the intercom.
"Get my helicopter ready," Jonas roared at his assistant. "Now."
