Chapter 6

A yellow taxi jerked to a stop in front of the grand, illuminated entrance of The Plaza Hotel.

Audie pushed the heavy door open and stepped out onto the pavement.

She was wearing a vintage, floor-length black couture gown she had borrowed from her best friend, Freddie.

The dress had zero embellishments. No lace, no sequins.

Just pure, heavy silk that clung to her curves and fell to the floor like liquid obsidian.

Against her pale skin, the stark black fabric made her look like a devastatingly beautiful black swan.

The uniformed doorman took one look at her cold, sharp expression and immediately pulled open the gold-leafed glass doors.

Audie stepped inside, her black stilettos sinking slightly into the plush red carpet leading to the grand ballroom.

She reached the entrance and handed her thick, embossed invitation card to the attendant holding the guest list.

The young man glanced down at the name Audie Bell, his eyes widening slightly in recognition of the gossip, before he quickly pulled open the heavy double doors.

Audie stepped into the blinding light of the ballroom.

The room was a chaotic blur of vibrant colors, pastel gowns, and clinking champagne glasses.

The moment she walked in, the sheer contrast of her funeral-black dress drew every eye in her immediate vicinity.

Conversations died out. Heads turned.

A few yards away, Tatum was clinging to Ryder's arm, laughing loudly with a group of guests.

Tatum's eyes flicked over, and the laugh died in her throat.

A flash of pure, unadulterated jealousy twisted Tatum's features.

Audie didn't even look at them.

She kept her chin high and walked straight toward the marble bar, ordering a club soda with lime.

"Audie? Oh, sweetheart, is that you?"

A warm, gentle voice broke through the tension behind her.

Audie turned and saw Marion Cole, Ryder's mother, rushing toward her.

Before Audie could speak, Marion threw her arms around her in a tight, genuine hug, completely ignoring her actual future daughter-in-law standing across the room.

Arthur Cole, Ryder's father, walked up right behind his wife.

He held a glass of scotch and offered Audie a wide, respectful smile.

"Audie," Arthur said, his tone entirely different from the way he spoke to Tatum. He spoke to Audie like an equal. "I was hoping you'd be here. Tell me, what's your read on the tech sector volatility this week? Are we looking at a bubble?"

Audie straightened her spine.

She seamlessly slipped into her Wall Street persona, breaking down the market trends with sharp, precise data points.

Arthur nodded along, highly impressed, occasionally asking a sharp follow-up question.

The sight of the Cole patriarch ignoring the bride-to-be to talk finance with the adopted sister sent ripples through the surrounding Manhattan socialites.

Whispers broke out like wildfire.

Tatum, standing a few feet away, squeezed her hands into fists so tight she crushed the delicate macaron she was holding.

She spun around and furiously whispered something into her mother's ear.

Eleanor Bell's face darkened.

She gripped her champagne flute and marched aggressively across the ballroom floor toward Audie.

Eleanor shoved her way into the small circle, slapping a fake, tight smile onto her face.

"Arthur, Marion," Eleanor interrupted loudly. "I see you've found our little Audie."

Eleanor turned her sharp gaze to Audie, looking her up and down with obvious disdain.

"Audie, darling, black? To an engagement party?" Eleanor tsked loudly. "It's a bit morbid, don't you think?"

Audie didn't flinch.

She offered Eleanor a cool, polite smile.

"Black is the most classic color in New York, Eleanor," Audie said smoothly. "It never goes out of style. Unlike some trends."

Marion immediately chimed in. "I completely agree. Audie looks incredibly elegant. She always has such impeccable taste."

Eleanor's face flushed a deep, ugly shade of mottled red.

Arthur cleared his throat, sensing the hostility. "Excuse us, Eleanor. I need to introduce Marion to the board members."

The Coles walked away, leaving Eleanor standing alone with Audie.

The fake smile instantly dropped from Eleanor's face.

She leaned in close, her voice dropping to a venomous hiss. "Do not try to ruin this night, Audie."

Audie stared down at her adoptive mother.

"Are you nervous, Eleanor?" Audie asked softly.

Eleanor's mouth opened, but no sound came out. She spun on her heel and stormed away.