“Just who do you think you are?”
I point to the cover. “The tech mogul’s ex-wife. See, it says it right here—”
“Don’t be cute with me.” She snatches the magazine and flips through the pages before slapping it back on the reception desk. “I’m talking about this.” She points at the story taking up page six.
This is the first time I’ve seen the final article. I refused to pose for any over-styled photos staring pensively at the ocean, but apparently theNow Weeklyphotographer had more than enough shots of me wandering on the beach and at the charity auction to fill the page.
“Um…” I stall for time. Of course, I know what she’s angry about, but instead, I play dumb and start reading the article out loud from the beginning. “One year after her bitter divorce was finalized—”
“Not that. I don’t give a shit about your sob story. Here.” Another jab of Kristen’s finger points to a paragraph near the end. “This.”
“Oh…” I read out the passage.
The seaside town Elsie now calls home was rocked by the revelation of her true identity at a recent star-studded charity auction. According to one insider, a local real estate agent deliberately chose what she hoped would be Elsie’s most humiliating moment to expose the truth about her divorce.
“It felt calculated,” the source says. “She knew exactly what she was doing.”
The move backfired spectacularly. Rather than crumble, Elsie met the catty confrontation head-on, winning over the crowd and proving she’s far tougher than her critics imagined.
“I’m staying,” Elsie told us.
“Howdareyou?” Kristen hisses.
“Me? That says, ‘an insider.’”
“Oh, fuck off. That’s you, honey. You’re the insider.” She hangs further over the desk. “So, you ran off crying to this trashmagazine because you’re too spineless to stand up and face me yourself?”
The new leather squeaks when I push up out of the chair, and a waiting room full of eyes darts away from me to the TV. This fresh gossip will spread like a bushfire on a dry summer afternoon. I don’t care.
“You tried to humiliate me in front of two hundred people,” I say to Kristen. “I never got the chance to tell my side of the story that night because I had to be the bigger person. But I’m not scared to face you. In fact…”
I step out from behind the desk and stand in front of Kristen toe-to-toe. She’s in her clicky four-inch heels, but I put my shoulders back and straighten my spine to my full height. Today, I’m the one looking down on her.
“Wh–what are you doing?” She shrinks.
“You’ve said so many horrible things about me. Behind my back. Even to my face. That ends today.”
“I was beingniceto you.” She scoffs, but it’s bluster. “Lookat you. What even is…this…” She waves a hand at my outfit.
Taunts about my clothes won’t derail me this time. “All these mean comments, the way you talk to me—you don’t fool me anymore. It’s all bravado, Kristen. You hide behind your money and your expensive clothes because you hope they mask the real you…the one who’s still scared she hasn’t really made it.”
She snaps, “Oh fuck off with the amateur counseling session,” but the corner of her lip quivers.
I’m right. I press harder. “I don’t know why I threaten you, but maybe it’s because you’re…you’re jealous.”
“Ofyou?Not likely, honey.”
“Because Sawyer likes me.”
She splutters an indignant sound. “That’s only because you’re so useless. That man is too kind for his own good. He always has been. But he’s a king who deserves arealwoman who will fightfor the important things in life. I came from nothing. Look at me. Self-made. I’m not hiding from anything or anyone. You’re the helpless baby bird that constantly needs rescuing.”
“Any rescuing I need is usually from you.”
“All’s fair in love and war, honey. You didn’t see him in those weeks after his last breakup, but I did. I won’t stand around and do nothing if he’s about to make the same mistake. I’ve been waiting a long time for him to be ready to date again, and now, I’m making sure he notices me. So, when you started hanging around the wharf…” She smirks. “That’swhat taking control looks like.That’show you win your man.”
“But you didn’t. At all. Every attempt you made to insert yourself into his life just looked desperate.”
“You think you can talk to me like that because you went to university? Had a rich husband?”
