The Perfect Betrayal: My Best Friend's Revenge

lexandr

g is good, but I've spent my entire career proving that beauty l

's engagement part

ers glistening gold, and a string quartet playing something delicate enough to make people think t

oman who'd rather be c

ushing forward in a cloud of silk and perfume. Her eyes sp

," I said honestly. "C

y hand like a lifeline. "He's here

g me across the marble floor, through clusters of laughing,

n there

an C

his tailored suit screaming quiet authority. He stood with a kind of contained ener

my name. Dark eyes, unreadable and slow-movi

is my best friend, Alexandra Vaughn

ifying, hmm? That's a rar

h, the kind that could ma

dy. The briefest touch but it li

replied, meeting hi

m of electricity, curiosity, danger. Then Lydia la

e said. "Come, they're annou

es. Too-perfect smiles. Lydia was radiant as Damian raised his

control is overrated," he said,

but the words sank deep

is ove

ge. Later, when the music softened and the guests began drifting to the dance floor, I

opened

cap

in; low, measu

ust avoiding

His cologne :clean, understated hit me first. Then th

em like a man

hed his mouth. "Yo

y profe

quietly. "I've fol

me. "You've fol

rister I've seen dismantle a courtroom like a su

ed politely and walked away. Instead, I felt som

his observation, I felt seen, not as the legend people whi

n for appla

t think

t awkward. It was charged like

ght and innocent. I forced myself to look awa

id, my tone even. "

immediately. "She

ct one. And yet... something in the

paused at the door. "It was goo

se," I

far too long, glass in hand, pulse unstead

rst time in years,

I hat

poured another glass of wine and stood by the wi

yes, that infuriating calm. I told myself it

repeated it, I couldn't silence

ike he'd seen str

looked away, did