Chapter 4

Ellery arrived at the upscale French café downtown ten minutes early. She chose a secluded booth in the far back corner, away from the windows.

She ordered a black coffee. She took off her coat and deliberately placed her mid-tier, three-hundred-dollar leather handbag right in the center of the table, making sure the logo was facing the empty seat across from her.

Twenty minutes later, Kendal finally strolled in. She was wearing a beige designer trench coat that Ellery had paid for two Christmases ago.

Kendal slid into the booth. Her eyes immediately darted to Ellery's handbag, then scanned Ellery's plain sweater, her lips curling into a faint sneer of superiority.

Ellery casually reached into her pocket and pulled out the premium black velvet box. She slid it across the table, stopping it right next to her coffee cup.

"So?" Kendal demanded, not even bothering to say hello. She leaned forward, her eyes wide with greed. "How much are we up? Dad is freaking out. He wants to know when we can pull the cash out."

Ellery took a slow sip of her black coffee. The bitter liquid burned her tongue.

"The crypto exchange is doing a scheduled weekend maintenance," Ellery lied smoothly, not breaking eye contact. "But the profits are locked in. It doubled again."

Kendal let out a loud, breathless squeal, falling back into the leather booth. Her shoulders dropped in relief. But then, her eyes locked onto the black velvet box.

Without asking, Kendal reached her hand across the table, her manicured fingers clawing toward the box.

Ellery reacted instantly. She slammed her hand down on top of the velvet, pinning it to the table. She widened her eyes, putting on a flawless performance of a woman caught hiding something expensive.

"What is that?" Kendal asked, her voice dropping an octave, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

Ellery hesitated. She slowly lifted her hand and cracked the lid of the box open just a fraction of an inch.

The bright, warm light from the café's crystal chandelier hit the massive cubic zirconia dead center. The fake diamond fractured the light, shooting blinding, rainbow-colored sparks across the table.

Kendal gasped loudly. Her jaw literally dropped. She stared at the stone like she had been hypnotized.

"It's... it's a gift," Ellery stammered, acting deeply uncomfortable. "From that Wall Street whale I told you about. A thank-you for managing his portfolio."

Ellery let out a heavy, dramatic sigh and snapped the box shut. "It's way too flashy for me. It looks ridiculous. I'm taking it to the pawnshop on 4th Avenue this afternoon to liquidate it for cash."

Kendal's body lunged forward. Her chest pressed against the edge of the table. Pure, unfiltered jealousy radiated from her pores.

"Are you insane?" Kendal shrieked softly. "You can't pawn that! It's gorgeous! Ellery, please. Give it to me. It perfectly matches the gala dress I just bought."

Ellery frowned, shaking her head firmly. "No, Kendal. I need the cash. I'm putting together some... special emergency supplies. I need the liquidity."

Kendal rolled her eyes so hard she practically looked at her own brain. "You and your stupid doomsday prepper garbage. You're a paranoid freak, Ellery."

Ellery's eyes flashed. She pointed a finger straight at Kendal's chest. Specifically, at the dull, tarnished gold chain resting against her collarbone.

"You want it?" Ellery asked, her voice turning sharp and unreasonable. "Fine. Trade me. Give me back my orphanage necklace."

Kendal froze. She looked down at her chest, then back at Ellery like she was looking at a mental patient.

"I'm serious," Ellery pushed, leaning in. "If the world is going to hell, I want the only thing that actually belongs to me. The only thing I have from my real parents. Give me the old chain, and you can have the diamond."

Kendal let out a sharp, mocking laugh. She didn't hesitate for a single second. Her hands flew to the back of her neck. She fumbled with the clasp, her fingers trembling with excitement.

She yanked the dull gold necklace off and tossed it onto the wooden table like it was a piece of garbage. It landed with a soft metallic clink.

Ellery's heart slammed against her ribs. She forced her breathing to remain steady. She slowly reached out and curled her fingers around the cold metal.

She pushed the velvet box across the table.

Kendal snatched it. She ripped the box open, pulled out the fake diamond, and immediately fastened it around her neck. She pulled out her phone, opened her front-facing camera, and started taking rapid-fire selfies, completely ignoring Ellery.

The moment the real gold necklace rested in Ellery's palm, a faint, microscopic jolt of electricity zapped her fingertips. It was the physical signature of the space.

Ellery stood up abruptly. She pulled a crisp twenty-dollar bill from her wallet and threw it on the table to cover the coffee.

"I have to go," Ellery said coldly.

Before Kendal could even look up from her phone screen, Ellery turned on her heel and walked out of the café.

She pushed through the glass doors, the cold wind hitting her face. She practically ran to her car. She threw herself into the driver's seat, locked the doors, and gripped the steering wheel with white knuckles. She had it. She finally had her lifeline.