Adeline stepped out onto the sunlit pavement outside the Strong Group building. She raised her hand, flagging down a passing yellow cab.

She slid into the back seat and pulled out her phone. She dialed the number Alistair had sent her.

"Elena speaking," a crisp, professional female voice answered on the first ring.

"Clear my afternoon," Adeline said. "I need a fitting."

Thirty minutes later, the cab pulled up to an unmarked, frosted-glass storefront on Fifth Avenue. A woman in a sharp gray suit stood by the door, flanked by two men with earpieces. Elena stepped forward and opened the cab door.

"Miss Stafford. Right this way."

Elena led Adeline through a private elevator up to the penthouse styling suite. The space was massive, lined with mirrors and racks of clothing that had not yet hit the runways.

The head stylist, a man who usually only worked with royalty, gasped when he saw Adeline. He bowed his head respectfully.

Adeline dropped her bag on a velvet sofa. "I need armor. I am destroying a party tonight."

The styling team moved like a military unit. They rolled out three racks of haute couture. Adeline dismissed the lace, the tulle, the pastels. Her eyes locked onto a gown hanging in the back.

It was midnight-blue velvet. The cut was ruthless—a plunging V-neck that dipped to the sternum, with a completely open back.

Adeline took the dress into the fitting room. The heavy velvet slid over her skin, molding perfectly to her hips and waist. It felt like liquid night. When she stepped out, the entire room fell silent.

Elena let out a low breath. "It is a weapon."

The stylist pulled her hair up into a sleek, tight twist, exposing the long line of her neck. He opened a leather box and lifted out a necklace. It was a string of flawless, pigeon-blood rubies that rested heavy and cold against her collarbones.

Adeline stared at her reflection. The woman looking back was sharp, dangerous, and dripping with wealth. The ghost of the meek girlfriend was dead.

She walked to the counter. She pulled out the solid black metal card. The stylist swiped it through the terminal. The machine beeped instantly. Seven figures vanished from her account without a second of delay.

Miles away, in his glass-walled office, Evan's phone buzzed. He looked at the screen. It was an alert from his secondary credit card—the one Adeline had drained the day prior.

Transaction Declined: Insufficient Funds. Attempted purchase: $6.50 at Starbucks.

Evan stared at the notification, his jaw working. The image of Adeline stuffing the stacks of hundred-dollar bills into her bag burned behind his eyes. She had two hundred thousand dollars of his cash. She was not broke—she was walking around with his money, and the thought made his fingers curl white around the phone. He threw his head back and forced a sharp, bitter laugh. He locked the phone and tossed it onto his desk. He looked over at Piper, who was admiring a basic designer dress in the mirror.

"She took my cash and burned my card," Evan said, his voice a raw scrape. "Tonight, she will show up wearing stolen money. I am going to have security drag her out by her hair the moment she steps foot inside."

Back in the styling suite, Adeline sat at the vanity mirror. She pulled a slim satellite phone from her bag—the device Alistair had left in her possession, its number known only to a handful of operatives. The screen lit up with an incoming text.

Heard you are crashing a party tonight. Need a plus one? - C

Adeline stared at the screen. Her thumb rubbed against her index finger. Cade Kramer had eyes everywhere—and clearly, Alistair had passed along her contact.

She set the phone face down. She let the makeup artist apply a coat of deep, blood-red lipstick.

Ten minutes later, the satellite phone buzzed again.

I am downstairs. Black Maybach.

Adeline smiled. She typed back: Wait for me.

She draped a black blazer over her shoulders and walked out of the suite, the rubies cold against her skin.

The black Maybach idled at the curb. The rear window rolled down halfway. Cade sat in the back, his face half-hidden in the shadows. He turned his head as Adeline approached.

His eyes swept over her, taking in the velvet, the rubies, the red lips. The muscles in his jaw tightened visibly. A dark, possessive heat flared in his pupils.

Cade pushed the heavy door open and stepped out onto the pavement. He stood in front of her, his tall frame blocking out the streetlights.

He leaned down, his mouth inches from her ear. "You look like a vampire ready to feed."

Adeline did not step back. She reached up and adjusted the lapel of his dark suit. "I hope the prey is delicious tonight."

Cade's hand shot out. He wrapped his fingers around hers, his grip firm and hot. He guided her into the back seat of the Maybach.

The door slammed shut, sealing them inside the soundproof cabin. The air instantly grew heavy, thick with the smell of expensive leather and Cade's cedar cologne.

The Maybach pulled away from the curb, gliding silently through the Manhattan night, heading straight for the Waldorf Astoria.

The black Maybach slowed as it approached the red carpet rolled out in front of the Waldorf Astoria. The flashbulbs of the paparazzi popped like strobe lights, blinding the street.

The valet rushed forward and pulled the rear door open.

Cade stepped out first. He wore a bespoke charcoal suit with a subtle pinstripe. The moment his custom leather shoes hit the pavement, the shouting of the press died down into a confused murmur. Cade Kramer did not attend engagement parties for mid-level corporate executives.

Cade ignored the cameras. He turned back to the car and held out his right hand.

Adeline placed her hand in his. The black velvet glove she wore contrasted sharply against his bare skin. She stepped out of the car, the heavy midnight-blue velvet of her dress pooling around her ankles.

The silence lasted exactly three seconds. Then, the flashbulbs erupted in a violent frenzy.

Adeline slipped her hand through Cade's arm. She stood tall, her chin lifted, the pigeon-blood rubies catching the light and throwing red sparks across her collarbones. Beside her, Cade looked like a warlord guarding his treasure.

Inside the grand ballroom, the string quartet played a soft waltz. Evan stood near the center ice sculpture, a glass of champagne in his hand, his arm tightly wrapped around Piper's waist.

The heavy mahogany double doors of the ballroom swung open.

The sudden influx of cold air made several guests turn their heads. The music seemed to falter as the musicians lost their focus.

Adeline and Cade walked through the doors. The crystal chandeliers bathed them in a harsh, brilliant light. The crowd parted instinctively, stepping back to create a wide path.

Near the buffet, Sarah Jennings dropped her champagne flute. The glass shattered against the marble floor, the liquid splashing onto her shoes. She stared at Adeline, her mouth hanging open in pure shock.

Evan heard the glass break. He turned his head, a condescending smile on his face, ready to reprimand whoever made the mess.

The smile froze. The blood drained from Evan's face so fast he looked like a corpse. His pupils dilated in absolute horror.

He stared at the velvet dress. He stared at the rubies. Then, his eyes locked onto Adeline's hand, resting comfortably in the crook of Cade's arm.

A sickening wave of jealousy and rage hit Evan's stomach. His fingers spasmed. He dropped his arm from Piper's waist, practically shoving her aside.

Piper stumbled, her pink dress swishing awkwardly. She followed Evan's gaze. When she saw the rubies around Adeline's neck, her face twisted into an ugly mask of pure envy.

Cade led Adeline straight toward the center of the room. Businessmen bowed their heads as Cade passed. Cade offered nothing but cold nods, his eyes fixed entirely on Adeline, playing the role of a man utterly captivated.

They stopped two feet in front of Evan.

Adeline smiled. It was a slow, devastating curve of her red lips. "Good evening, Evan."

Evan's chest heaved. He stared at her, his voice a tight, venomous hiss. "What are you doing here? Who did you steal that dress from?"

Before Adeline could speak, Cade moved. He slid his hand from her arm down to her waist. He pulled her flush against his side, his fingers pressing firmly into the velvet at her hip.

Cade stared at Evan, his eyes black and dead. "Watch your tone when you speak to the woman who is with me."

The declaration dropped like a bomb. The surrounding guests gasped. Whispers ripped through the crowd like wildfire.

Evan felt the floor tilt beneath him. The humiliation burned his throat. He pointed a shaking finger at Adeline. "Cade, she is a fraud! She is a broke, lying whore! She cannot even afford a cup of coffee!"

Cade let out a short, brutal laugh. He looked at Evan as if he were a cockroach.

"Are you losing your mind along with your company, Evan?" Cade's voice carried across the silent room. "She is with me. Do you think a woman under my protection needs to worry about money?"

Evan's mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. His entire worldview fractured. He had convinced himself she was starving in the streets, and instead, she was standing here, untouchable, claimed by the one man Evan could never defeat.

Piper stepped forward, her face flushed red. "I am the one connected to the Stafford family! You cannot speak to us like this!"

Cade did not even look at her. He kept his eyes on Evan and let out a single, sharp word. "Leave."

Piper flinched as if she had been slapped. She shrank back, terrified by the sheer violence in his tone.

Adeline lifted her crystal glass of champagne. She reached out and tapped the rim against Evan's frozen glass. A sharp, clear clink rang out in the quiet room.

She turned away, leaving Evan standing in the wreckage of his own pride, and let Cade lead her toward the VIP tables.

The air in the ballroom felt thick and suffocating. Adeline leaned slightly toward Cade, her lips brushing near his ear.

"I need to fix my lipstick," she murmured.

Cade looked down at her. His eyes darkened as he tracked the movement of her red lips. He nodded once, his hand lingering on her waist for a second longer than necessary before letting her go.

Adeline turned and walked toward the heavy oak doors leading to the corridor. Cade picked up a fresh glass of bourbon. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Evan's rigid back as the man broke away from the crowd and slipped out a side exit, following her path. Cade's jaw clenched, but he stayed planted.

Adeline pushed through the door of the women's restroom. The space was a cavern of white marble and gold fixtures. She walked to the massive mirror, unclasped her clutch, and pulled out her lipstick.

She uncapped the gold tube.

A violent crash echoed behind her. The heavy wooden door slammed open, hitting the wall stop with a sickening thud.

Evan stormed inside. He slammed the heavy door shut and pressed his entire body weight against the wood, his broad shoulders blocking the only exit. He reached up and violently smashed the electronic sensor panel with his fist, shattering the plastic casing and tearing the wires so the door could not be opened by badge swipe. Only a physical key could override it now. His eyes were bloodshot, his chest heaving under his tailored suit. He looked completely unhinged.

Adeline did not turn around. She met his eyes in the mirror and calmly raised the lipstick to her mouth, applying a fresh coat.

The dismissal snapped the last thread of Evan's sanity. He lunged across the room. He grabbed Adeline's wrist with brutal force, twisting her arm and slamming her back against the marble counter.

The lipstick dropped from her hand, snapping in two on the floor. The cold edge of the counter dug into Adeline's spine.

"How did you do it?" Evan spat, his face inches from hers, his breath smelling of sour champagne. "How did you get him into your bed? Did you get down on your knees and beg?"

Adeline let out a cold, sharp laugh. "Cade is ten times the man you are, Evan. In the boardroom, and everywhere else."

The insult hit its mark. Evan roared in anger. He let go of her wrist and grabbed the plunging neckline of her velvet dress, his knuckles brushing roughly against her skin as he tried to rip the fabric.

Adeline's eyes turned to ice. Her free hand shot out, her fingers wrapping around the heavy, solid brass soap dispenser sitting on the counter.

Without hesitating, she swung it upward in a vicious arc.

The heavy brass cracked hard against Evan's forehead.

Evan screamed. He stumbled backward, his hands flying to his face. Thick, dark blood instantly welled up between his fingers, dripping down the bridge of his nose.

Adeline did not pause. She reached into her clutch, her fingers finding the smooth glass of her phone. She pressed the side button three times in rapid succession—a shortcut she had programmed earlier, after pulling Piper's private number from the company's HR directory. A pre-written text with her GPS location shot out to Piper's phone.

Evan wiped the blood from his eyes. His face contorted into a mask of pure rage. He lowered his head and charged at her, aiming to tackle her to the floor.

The brass doorknob rattled violently.

"Evan! Open this door!" Piper's shrill voice pierced the heavy oak.

Evan froze mid-step. The rage vanished from his eyes, replaced instantly by blind panic. He looked at the locked door, then down at his bloody hands and ruined shirt.

Adeline moved fast. She reached up and violently messed up her own hair. She grabbed the fabric at her shoulder and yanked it sideways, baring her shoulder. She let her knees give out, sliding down the marble cabinet to the floor, pulling her knees to her chest.

A heavy thud shook the door. The hotel security guard had shoved a manual master key into the lock cylinder and wrenched it open. The door burst open.

Piper rushed in, followed by three other socialites and a security guard.

They stopped dead in their tracks. Evan was standing in the middle of the room, bleeding and disheveled. Adeline was huddled on the floor, trembling violently, her dress torn.

"You bastard!" Piper shrieked. She threw herself at Evan, her manicured nails digging into his face. "You were trying to sleep with her at our engagement party!"

"No! Piper, listen to me, she hit me!" Evan yelled, trying to shield his face from her blows.

Adeline buried her face in her hands, forcing out a realistic, terrified sob.

The crowd in the doorway was suddenly shoved aside with brutal force.

Cade stepped into the restroom. The temperature in the room plummeted. He took one look at Adeline on the floor, and his eyes turned murderous.

He shrugged off his custom suit jacket. He walked over to Adeline, knelt down, and wrapped the warm, heavy wool tightly around her shoulders, completely hiding her exposed skin.

Cade stood up, pulling Adeline against his side. He looked at Evan.

"My lawyers will file the bankruptcy liquidation papers for Strong Group at 8:00 AM tomorrow," Cade said. His voice was completely devoid of emotion, a death sentence delivered in a whisper.

Evan's knees buckled. He collapsed against the sink, his bloody hands gripping the porcelain as he hyperventilated. Piper continued to scream at him, the entire scene devolving into a pathetic circus.

Cade turned his back on them. He kept his arm tight around Adeline and walked her out of the restroom, the security guards parting to let them through.

They walked out of the hotel and into the cool night air.

As soon as the doors closed behind them, Adeline stopped trembling. She lifted her head from Cade's chest. The terrified victim vanished, replaced by a cold, triumphant smile.

"Pleasure doing business with you," Adeline whispered.