Chapter 4

Over the next month.

Word of it tore through the circle.

Some sent messages to check on me. Some came just to twist the knife.

An old rival of mine texted first.

"So you're finally getting yours. Though this Gilbert really did go too far."

"You just don't touch a friend's woman, do you."

Several of the major projects I'd taken on stalled out when the clients suddenly pulled their funding.

Every partner I had wanted nothing to do with me.

Overnight, the whole company lost its footing.

Even Greta Finch, who'd fought her way up through the years right beside me, handed in her resignation with her whole team.

"Audrey, I'm sorry." She couldn't meet my eyes.

"Gilbert's offering triple the salary, and he's promised me equity.

My son's going overseas. My family needs the money."

I looked at her. Back when the company hit its cash crisis, her mother had fallen gravely ill.

I was the one who'd advanced her six months of pay so her mother could have the surgery.

My voice came out hoarse.

"That project we pulled three all-nighters to win. You're planning to take that over too?"

Her face went pale, and she stumbled over her words.

"Audrey, people go where the opportunity is. Don't hold it against me.

Without Gilbert, this company of yours is going to be an empty shell sooner or later. We've got to look out for ourselves."

I nodded.

"Go handle the handover."

Olivia Dickerson rushed in, watching Greta lead her people out the door, shaking with anger.

"Ms. Delgado! This is too much! They're nothing but backstabbing traitors!"

"And there's this too. Look."

She held out her phone. Jacob had posted a video going public with Valerie.

The comments underneath were all the same:

"A perfect match, no surprise there!"

"Looking at this one, she's a big step up from that Delgado woman!"

"Faking your own death to get out of it? I've only ever seen that on a soap opera!"

Olivia's eyes went red.

"Ms. Delgado, if we don't figure something out, we won't be able to make payroll next month."

"Sanchez is putting a lot of pressure on our partners, and right now everyone in the circle is treating us like..."

I patted her on the shoulder and tried to reassure her.

"I'll think of something. Go on, get back to work."

But Jacob had miscalculated. I was never some caged canary living off a man.

I'd clawed my way out of the mud before. I could stand on my own two feet again on my own merit.

I sold off every asset in my name to cover the funding gap, and I gritted my teeth and held on.

Right up until their engagement invitation arrived, my heart still gave a hard twist.

I stared at that piece of paper for a long time.

Until a message popped up on my phone.

"Everything's ready."

I replied okay and shut off the screen.

The day of the engagement party, I arrived right on time.

Jacob was in a custom-tailored suit, striking and polished.

Valerie, her belly slightly rounded, stood tucked against his side like a delicate little bird.

At a glance, they really did look the part, well matched, the two of them.

The moment they saw me, the smiles on Jacob's and Valerie's faces froze.

The room fell silent at once, and countless eyes swung toward me together.

The whispering started through the crowd.

"She actually showed up?"

"Ugh, I told you. Walking around with that gloomy face all day, what man would ever want her?"

Jacob instinctively pulled Valerie behind him.

Valerie looked at me, her eyes reddening.

"Audrey... you really came..."

"I knew it..."

I slowly curved my lips and cut her off.

"A moment this important. How could I possibly miss it?"

The words had barely left my mouth when the doors of the banquet hall were pushed open.

Funeral wreaths were wheeled in and set out in a row.

And the screen behind Jacob went dark.