Having forgotten her history with Dylan and firmly deciding to move on, Harper found herself completely unmoved by the gossip swirling around her.
Whoever Dylan loved or married had zero relevance to her life anymore.
she quietly stood in the shadows during the birthday song, and when she glanced up afterward, she accidentally locked eyes with Dylan across the crowded
room.
His expression immediately hardened. He leaned over and muttered something to Jemma, who scanned the crowd until spotting Harper, then broke away from her admirers
“Hupert You made it!” Jemina exclaimed, throwing her arms around her friend. Harper hugged her hack and slipped the carefully wrapped gift into her handi.
“Happy birthday, rockstar. Wouldn’t miss it.“]
Jemma, who’d clearly been waiting for her all night, tried dragging her toward the massive cake. “Come on, there’s champagne and dad ordered that chocolate panache thing you love-
Harper gently resisted. “It’s a complete zoo over there. You go do your birthday queen thing. I’ll hang in your room–1 actually need to talk to you about spmething important.]
Jemma hesitated, clearly concerned about leaving Harper alone, but nodded. “Give me twenty minutes to cut the cake and I’ll sneak away.
Avoiding the dusters of Manhattan’s elite, Harper navigated to Jemma’s third–floor bedroom, a path she could walk blindfolded after all these years.]]
After waiting nearly forty minutes on the plush window seat, exhaustion hit her like a wave. She leaned her head back, just for a moment..]
The sound of the door dicking open roused her. “Jemma?” she mumbled sleepily
But when her vision cleared, she found herself staring at Ruby instead
Ruby stood rigidly in the doorway, her perfect features contorted with barely contained tury
“What part of the doesn’t want you don’t you understand?” she demanded. I thought you said you were over him. So why do you keep showing up everywhere Dylan ? Let me spell it out for you–he only has eyes for me. You can pull all the desperate little stunts you want, but he’s never going to pick you. You couldn’t compete with me in college, and you sure as hell can’t now.”
Blindsided by this ambush, Harper needed a moment to process
I’m literally just here for Jemma’s birthday,” she replied evenly. I’m leaving town tomorrow anyway.”
At this, Ruby’s expression only hardened, disgust twisting her features]
For years you’ve thrown yourself at Dylan like some pathetic groupie with zero self–respect. Your whole strategy!
ry has been manipulating Jemma and playing the sad Lest friend card. Dylan’s stuck with such a clueless, disloyal sister–talk about damaged goods.
Harper could handle whatever venom Ruby spewed about her personally.
But the instant is attacked Jenima, something cold and hard sealed in Harper’s chest ||
“Does Dylan know you trash talk his sister behind his back?” she asked quietly.
Faced with this challenge, Ruby let out a caustic laugh. “Dylan would walk through fire for me. I can say whatever the hell i want She tossed her hair back. “Besides, you and Jemuns are Loth trashy social climbers–no class, no boundaries. Am I wrong? You’re only getting defensive because 1 hit a nerve, right“|||
“Seven years ago, you ghosted him without warning and fled to Europe. He pearly drank himself to death. Jemina was devastated for her brother, but she never said a single bad word about you.” Harper’s voice grew trailer. “Now you’re back trying to pick up where you left off bat behind closed doors you’re trashing his only sister? Who’s the toxic one here?”
Ruby hadn’t expected such direct pushback. With a strangled sound of rage, she slapped Harper hard across the face
Harper didit hesitate. She returned the slap with equal force, the track echoing in the room.]
“Yos psycho Litch!” Ruby shrieked, lunging forward and grading a fistful of Harper’s hair.||
Harper fought back, tangling her fingers in Ruby’s perfect blowout and yanking bat
In their struggle, they crashed into jemina’s side table, knocking over a high end essential oil diffuser with an open flause]
The firứ caught the edge of the divet, then raced across to the antique mig, surrounding them with terrifying speed |
By the time they broke apart and noticed, thick smoke was already filling the room
Harper staggered toward the door, but Ruby showed her violently from behind, sending her sprawling dangerously close to the intensifying flames ||
Searing pain shot through Harper’s arm as her sleeve cought fire, She screamed, frantically trying to extinguish 11 ||
Through her panic, the brand the bedroom door crash open ||
Dylan burst in, his expression wild with fear. For a split second, their eyes met–Harper’s pleading, his alarmsed.
Tut his gaze immediately locked unto Rury instead.
He rushed straight to her, scooping her up protectively against his chiest||
Choking on the thickening smoke, Harper’s vision began to blur. Desperate, she reached out with her burned hand, clutching weakly an Dylan’s pant leg
He glanced down coldly, deliberately shook her off, and strunde mit with Baby in his arms.
As his silhouette disappeared into the smoke filled hallway, Harper’s consciousness ally slipped into darkness…]
an
