Chapter 8 8

The dining room of Le Bernardin was a masterpiece of hushed elegance. Crystal chandeliers cast a warm glow over the white tablecloths.

Cilla sat by the window, cutting into a perfectly seared piece of Wagyu beef.

Lena sat across from her, holding a glass of expensive red wine.

"They are absolute idiots," Lena said, taking a large gulp of wine. "Giving up your shares? Fine. We'll start our own tech firm. You have the brains, I have the capital. We'll crush Hudson Tech in a year."

Cilla smiled, chewing her food slowly. The knot in her stomach that had been there for years was finally gone.

Suddenly, a loud burst of laughter shattered the quiet atmosphere of the restaurant.

Cilla looked up. Her brow furrowed.

Walking through the entrance was Jace, Carolyn, and a group of Jace's wealthy, obnoxious friends.

The maître d' led the loud group toward a large round table right in the center of the room.

Carolyn was clinging to Jace's arm. She turned her head and her eyes locked onto Cilla.

Carolyn immediately tugged on Jace's sleeve and whispered in his ear.

Jace turned. When he saw Cilla, his face darkened. He clearly thought she was stalking him.

Kade Vance, Jace's loudest and most arrogant friend, followed their gaze.

Kade let out a booming, mocking laugh that made several other diners turn their heads.

"Well, well, well," Kade said loudly, walking toward Cilla's table. "Look who decided to spend her alimony check all in one place."

Jace and Carolyn followed Kade, standing near the edge of Cilla's table.

"How did someone from a no-name state school even get a reservation here?" Kade sneered, looking Cilla up and down. "Look who's spending Jace's money. I'm surprised they let your kind in here without a leash. Did you have to wash dishes in the back to pay for the appetizers?"

Lena slammed her wine glass down on the table. The dark liquid sloshed over the rim.

Lena opened her mouth to scream at Kade, but Cilla reached across the table and clamped her hand firmly over Lena's wrist.

Cilla shook her head slightly, her eyes perfectly calm.

Carolyn stepped forward, tilting her head in a display of fake sympathy.

"Cilla, if you're struggling financially now that you're on your own, you can tell us," Carolyn said sweetly. "My airline is always hiring janitorial staff. I could put in a good word for you."

Kade burst into laughter again. "Yeah, that's about the speed for someone with her background."

Jace stood there with his hands in his pockets. He didn't say a word to stop them. He just watched, letting his friends humiliate her.

Cilla calmly set her knife and fork down. She picked up her linen napkin and dabbed the corners of her mouth.

She looked up at Carolyn. "Do you really think being a commercial pilot makes you elite, Carolyn?"

Carolyn puffed out her chest, a smug smile on her face. "I am a captain. I represent the top tier of aviation professionals."

Lena couldn't take it anymore. She yanked her wrist out of Cilla's grip and stood up.

"You people are so stupid it physically hurts!" Lena yelled. "Cilla's resume would make you all look like toddlers playing in a sandbox!"

Kade wiped a tear of laughter from his eye. "Oh really? What is she? A Harvard graduate?"

"She graduated from West Point!" Lena shouted, her voice echoing off the wood-paneled walls.

For a split second, there was silence.

Then, Kade, Carolyn, and the rest of the group erupted into howling laughter.

Carolyn covered her mouth, giggling uncontrollably. "West Point? That is the most pathetic, desperate lie I have ever heard."

Kade pointed a finger at Cilla's slender frame. "Look at her! She couldn't even pass a basic fitness test, let alone survive a military academy."

Jace stepped forward, his face flushed with embarrassment.

"Stop this, Cilla," Jace demanded, his voice hard. "You're making a fool of yourself. Stop lying to make yourself look important."

Before Cilla could respond, the scraping of a heavy wooden chair sounded from the table next to them.

An elderly man with silver hair and a sharp, commanding presence stood up.