urge of electricity, waking every nerve I thought had gone numb. Like

had been the top of our finance class at Columbia. Rivals, constantly at logger heads, challenging each other, bringing out each other's worst and best. Our deba

ething massive, and ghosted the public. "The Thorn," they called him. I di

f hopelessness, I was holding a burner phone, and

reathing stale motel air. I sounded nothing like the woman

207." I froze. That wasn't a guess. It was

tching? "Charming place," he add

push back the fear. "Did you call just to gloa

your personal drama. I don't. I care about potential. And right

didn't just see me,

ave you many choices. And I doubt you're the type to go crawling

hated that he saw how far I'd fallen. I m

ice was quieter now. I di

he back. Twenty minutes. Don't bring the Louis Vuitton bags. they'll just make you a target.

the dead tone buzzing in my e

I thought of Lilith's self-satisfactory face. Of Derek's cold words: You have nothing.

one and Silas's card into my pocket. I looked at my expensive suitcases. They belonged t

ain had started. A thin, cold drizzle that soaked through my sweater. The city smelled like wet

side smelled like burnt coffee, greased bacon, and old floors. It was nothin

t the cocky college guy in button-downs. He wore dark jeans, a gray sweater that screamed quiet wealth, and

tly toward the seat across from him. I walked over, st

me quickly. Damp clothes, tired eyes, ruined pride. There was no

eryone else in my life, I almost welcomed it. "Fe

, not bothering with

the pot." She poured the coffee in a cup

ound the warm mug, grateful for the heat. I

said. "Back at the din

k a sip. "You were the pawn. The one piece that didn't fit their fake puzzle. I wa

d me fall? For what some revenge fantasy? Yo

fer before you hit bottom. You declined. You chose you

undervalued. Derek stole your ideas. Your work. Your future. He didn't ju

tech. The prenuptial. Everything

cold and sharp. "No. He unma

yes. "The woman across from me? She has nothing left to l

hock. He pulled out a slim manila folder. It looked ha

e said, with a surprisingly low voice, almost a whisper

brushing the cool paper. "

sn't Derek, Giselle. It's Venus tech. We're tak