Chapter 4

Kelsi sat on the plush velvet sofa in Gisele's living room. She held a mug of hot tea between her palms, letting the warmth seep into her cold skin.

Slowly, methodically, she told Gisele everything. She told her about the Vera Wang fitting room. She told her about the agonizing pain on the floor. She told her about the phone call, and Seraphina's voice in the background.

As Kelsi spoke, Gisele's face morphed from shock, to disbelief, to pure, unadulterated rage.

Gisele slammed her hand down on the coffee table. The tea in Kelsi's mug sloshed over the rim.

"He did WHAT?" Gisele screamed, jumping to her feet. She began pacing the room, her hands gesturing wildly. "That bastard! That absolute piece of trash! I'm going to his office right now and I'm going to kill him!"

Kelsi offered a small, tired smile. "It's not worth it, Gisele. I've already made my decision."

Gisele stopped pacing. She looked at Kelsi, taking in her pale face and the way she was carefully holding her stomach. Gisele took a deep breath, walked over, and sat down next to her. She grabbed Kelsi's hand and squeezed it hard.

"Okay. You're right," Gisele said fiercely. "He's not worth the jail time. I support you, one hundred percent. We are getting your stuff right now. You are not leaving a single pair of socks in that apartment for him." "Thank you," Kelsi murmured, a sudden clarity settling over her. "I need to get my life back in order, starting with my own finances. I've already scheduled a meeting with my family lawyer to review everything my uncle handled. No more loose ends."

They took Gisele's Range Rover to the Hampton penthouse.

Jeb wasn't home. Kelsi used her key to unlock the door. She stood in the entryway, looking at the expensive modern furniture and the sweeping view of the city. It looked like a magazine cover. It didn't look like a home. She felt absolutely nothing.

They worked like a military strike team. Within two hours, Kelsi's clothes, toiletries, and personal documents were packed into four large suitcases.

Gisele picked up a pair of Jeb's limited-edition sneakers. "Can I throw these in the toilet?"

"Leave them," Kelsi said, shaking her head.

Before they walked out the door, Kelsi walked over to the sleek console table in the foyer. Sitting right in the center was a massive, obnoxious bouquet of red roses. Jeb's assistant had been fast.

Kelsi pulled the three-carat diamond engagement ring off her finger. She placed it carefully on the table, right next to the roses. She dropped her apartment keys next to the ring.

The metal clinked against the wood. It sounded like a period at the end of a very long, very bad sentence.

By 8:00 PM, Kelsi's suitcases were piled in the corner of Gisele's guest room.

Kelsi was sitting on the edge of the bed in sweatpants, staring blankly at the wall.

Gisele walked into the room and threw a flowing, black silk A-line dress onto Kelsi's lap.

"Get up. Put that on. We are going out."

Kelsi frowned, looking down at the silk fabric. "Gisele, I just had surgery yesterday. I'm in pain, and I really don't have the energy."

"You don't need energy, you need a distraction," Gisele said, crossing her arms. "You are not sitting in my guest room moping over a man who chose his sister-in-law over you. Trust me. I know a place. It's exactly what you need."

An hour later, their Uber pulled up directly in front of a discreet, unmarked door in the Meatpacking District. Gisele carefully helped Kelsi out of the car, supporting her weight as they stepped onto the sidewalk, stopping in front of a dirty, abandoned-looking phone booth.

Gisele picked up the heavy receiver and spoke one word into the mouthpiece. "Valhalla."

The back wall of the phone booth slid open silently, revealing a dimly lit staircase. The low, thumping bass of jazz music drifted up from the dark.

It was a speakeasy. An exclusive, members-only underground club.

Kelsi followed Gisele down the stairs. The interior was stunning. Exposed brick walls, plush leather booths, and crystal chandeliers casting a warm, amber glow over the crowd. The air smelled of expensive bourbon and expensive perfume.

"Welcome to the cure," Gisele winked. "Your only job tonight is to drink a strong cocktail, look at beautiful men, and delete the name Jeb Harrington from your brain."

Kelsi sighed, but a small smile finally touched her lips.

Gisele led her to a corner booth and immediately ordered a round of drinks.

What Kelsi didn't know was that on the second floor, in a private VIP section overlooking the main bar, a man was standing by the railing.

He held a glass of whiskey in his hand. His dark, piercing eyes were locked directly on Kelsi.

He had been watching her since the moment she walked down the stairs.

He set his glass down on a passing waiter's tray. He turned to the man sitting on the sofa behind him.

"Excuse me for a moment," he said, his voice a low, smooth baritone.

He turned and began walking toward the stairs, his eyes never leaving the woman in the black dress.