The Uber smelled of pine air freshener and stale cigarettes. It was raining, a gray, miserable drizzle that made Manhattan look like a watercolor painting left out in a storm. Harper rested her forehead against the cold glass, watching the city blur by.
They were passing through Chelsea.
Seven years ago, Harper had practically lived on these streets. Her hands were always covered in clay dust or plaster. She had a small studio share on 24th Street. She remembered the smell of the kiln, the heat, the feeling of creating something from nothing.
She saw a poster in a gallery window as the car stopped at a red light. It was a solo exhibition for a man named David Chen. He had been in her graduating class. He wasn't as talented as her. Everyone said so.
But there was his name in bold letters. And here she was, in an Uber, going to try on a dress for a wedding that was a sham.
Her phone pinged. A calendar notification. Pick up wedding bands - Tiffany's - 5th Ave.
She closed her eyes. Even the rings were her responsibility. Archer had just given her his credit card and said, "Get something classic." He couldn't be bothered to choose the symbol of their eternal commitment.
"Miss? We're here," the driver said.
Harper jolted. She looked up. They were in front of the bridal salon. It was an intimidating limestone building with a doorman who looked like he judged people's net worth for a living.
She stepped out into the rain, opening her umbrella. The wind caught it, nearly turning it inside out. She wrestled with it, feeling foolish, before finally getting it under control and hurrying inside.
The salon was a world of white. White carpets, white walls, white flowers. It smelled of expensive candles and money.
"Mrs. Sterling!" the receptionist chirped.
"Ms. Quinn," Harper corrected, sharper than she intended. "I'm not married yet."
"Of course, Ms. Quinn. Is Mr. Sterling joining us?"
"No. He's... detained."
The receptionist's smile didn't falter, but her eyes did a quick scan of the empty space behind Harper. "What a shame. Well, let's get you back. Your mother is on the iPad."
The fitting room was the size of Harper's old studio. There was a podium in the center surrounded by mirrors.
Harper stripped off her black coat and her clothes. She stood in her underwear, feeling exposed. The assistants brought the dress. It was a Vera Wang custom. Strapless, endless layers of tulle, a train that went on for miles. It was beautiful. It was exactly what Archer wanted.
They zipped her in. The bodice was tight. It pushed her ribs in, making it hard to take a deep breath.
"Oh, Harper! You look like a princess!" Her mother's voice tinny and pixelated from the iPad propped on a velvet chair.
"Thanks, Mom," Harper said. She stared at herself. She didn't look like a princess. She looked like a cake topper.
She turned to look at the back view. Her phone, sitting on the velvet bench, lit up.
It was a notification from Instagram.
Mia St. Claire just posted a photo.
Harper's settings were restricted. She shouldn't be seeing Mia's private posts. But somehow, the algorithm-or perhaps the hacker from last night-had pushed it through.
She stepped off the podium, ignoring the assistant's protest about the hem. She picked up the phone.
The photo was arty, black and white. It showed a man's hand on a steering wheel. A Porsche steering wheel. On the wrist was a Patek Philippe watch.
Harper knew that watch. She had spent six months saving up for it. She gave it to Archer for his 30th birthday.
The caption read: My driver for the afternoon. LuckyGirl
Harper's vision blurred. The rage wasn't hot anymore; it was cold. It was ice in her veins. He wasn't in a meeting. He was driving her around in the car Harper helped pick out, wearing the watch Harper bought, while Harper stood here wrapped in fifty yards of tulle like a sacrificial lamb.
"Ms. Quinn? Is everything alright?" the assistant asked, holding a pincushion.
Harper dropped the phone onto the velvet bench. The sound was muffled, but heavy.
"I can't breathe," Harper whispered.
"It is a bit snug, we can let it out-"
"No," Harper said, her voice rising. "I can't breathe in this room."
