Chapter 7

Haley Dickerson POV:

The night air was crisp, carrying the distant hum of the city that I was slowly learning to reclaim as my own. Arlena had insisted on a quiet dinner at home, a brief respite before the "important event" she'd hinted at. But my mind was a whirlwind of Karly's smug posts and Devin's sickening public display of fatherhood.

"They're mocking me," I said, pushing the delicate fork across my plate of untouched food. "Flaunting their stolen happiness."

Arlena, elegant even in a simple black dress, looked up from her own plate. "Let them. The higher they fly, the harder they fall. Their arrogance will be their undoing."

"But my baby, Mother," I whispered, the pain a raw knot in my throat. "They took my baby."

Her gaze softened, a rare, tender expression crossing her features. "I know, my love. And for that, there is no forgiveness. We will ensure they pay for every tear, every ounce of grief." Her voice hardened again, the matriarch re-emerging. "But you must not let their actions consume you. Channel that pain, Haley. Turn it into power."

Later, as Arlena's personal stylist worked on my hair and makeup, transforming me into someone I barely recognized, my new phone buzzed again. It was a notification from a celebrity gossip site. Karly McLaughlin's official birthday bash. Live streamed, of course. The article included a sneering quote from Karly about "leaving the past behind" and "embracing genuine connections."

I ignored it, allowing the professionals to work their magic. I was no longer the naive project manager who meticulously tracked every detail of Devin's life. I was Haley Dickerson, and my attention was now focused on a different kind of project: their destruction.

Meanwhile, at "The Zenith," an exclusive rooftop venue, the party was in full swing. Devin, looking impeccably groomed, stood beside Karly, forcing a smile for the cameras. But his eyes darted nervously around the room, a furrow in his brow.

"Relax, darling," Karly purred, noticing his unease. "It's my birthday! Smile for the cameras! Show them how happy we are!"

Devin managed a tight smile, but his unease persisted. He pulled out his phone, scrolling through his contacts. He found my old number. Tried it. Straight to voicemail. Tried my new, temporary number, which Arlena's people had somehow linked to his contacts. No answer.

"Still trying to reach your 'old friend'?" Karly's voice was laced with venom. "She's probably still wallowing in self-pity in her pathetic apartment, crying over her imaginary baby."

"She's not pathetic, Karly," Devin retorted, a flash of defensiveness in his eyes. "She was... she was good to me."

"Good?" Karly scoffed. "She was a doormat! A nobody! You only kept her around because she was convenient. Now you have me. Someone with real connections, real influence!" She squeezed his arm, forcing him to smile for another round of photos. "Remember, darling, our image is everything."

Devin nodded mechanically, but his gaze still scanned the crowd, a knot of anxiety tightening in his stomach. Where was Haley? This sudden silence from her was unsettling.

Karly's best friend, Tiffany, a perpetually self-absorbed influencer, sidled up to them, a look of faux concern on her face. "Karly, darling, are you alright? You look a bit... pale." She whispered conspiratorially, "Is it the baby?"

Karly put a hand on her belly, a forced smile on her face. "Just a bit overwhelmed, darling. All this love! It's just so much!" She glanced at Devin, but his eyes were still scanning the room, a worried frown on his face.

Tiffany leaned in closer, whispering. "Are you sure she's not coming? The, you know, the ex? Everyone's been talking about her. That scene at the office..."

Karly's eyes narrowed. "Of course she's not coming! She knows her place! She's probably too ashamed to show her face here." A flash of fear crossed her face, quickly masked by a predatory grin. "Unless... unless she's here to cause trouble. But then, she wouldn't be able to get in, would she? Security is tight."

An idea sparked in Karly's mind, a malicious glint in her eyes. "Devin, darling," she said, her voice sugary sweet. "My grandmother's antique emerald brooch. I left it in the VIP lounge. It's irreplaceable! I just have to have it for my grand entrance."

Devin looked at her, distracted. "Can't one of the staff get it?"

"Oh, no, darling! It's far too precious! Only you know exactly where it is. And I'm far too delicate right now." She gave him a dramatic sigh. "It's the baby, you see. So emotional."

Devin, ever eager to please, nodded. "Of course, baby. I'll go get it."

Karly gave Tiffany a knowing wink as Devin walked away. "Now," she said, her voice dropping, "I have an even better idea. Tiffany, darling, go tell everyone the brooch is missing! And that we need everyone to look for it. Especially in the 'staff only' areas. You know, where the 'unwanted guests' might be lurking." She gave a sinister chuckle. "Let's see if our little Haley makes an appearance after all."

Tiffany's eyes lit up with mischief. "Oh, Karly, you're brilliant!" She scurried off, eager to spread the gossip.

The whispers began to spread throughout the opulent ballroom. "Karly's brooch is missing! A priceless heirloom!" "Could it be... an intruder?" The atmosphere shifted from celebratory to tense, filled with a delicious undercurrent of scandal.

Karly watched, a triumphant smirk on her face. She knew Haley. She knew Haley couldn't resist the urge to cause trouble, to seek revenge. And now, she had set a perfect trap. She envisioned Haley, caught red-handed, humiliated in front of the entire city. It would be the ultimate revenge.

Devin returned, the emerald brooch clasped in his hand. "Got it, baby. Everything's fine."

"Oh, you're such a hero, darling!" Karly gushed, kissing his cheek. Her eyes, however, were fixed on the entrance to the ballroom. Her trap was set. She just needed her prey to walk into it.

Suddenly, a hush fell over the crowd. All eyes turned to the grand staircase, usually reserved for the evening's main presenters. A figure began to descend, bathed in a soft, ethereal light. Not the usual celebrity, not a familiar face. But undeniably, breathtakingly, magnificent.

My silhouette appeared at the top of the marble staircase, bathed in the soft glow of the chandeliers. I was a vision in a sapphire blue gown, custom-made, shimmering like moonlight on water. My hair, styled into elegant waves, framed a face that was both regal and ethereal. My eyes, once dull with sorrow, now glittered with a dangerous, exhilarating fire. I carried myself with an undeniable grace, a quiet power that radiated from within.

Every head turned. Every conversation died. A wave of stunned silence washed over the room. I descended the stairs, each step a deliberate, defiant statement. I wasn't just walking into a party. I was walking back into my life. And I was coming for everything they took.