Page 61 of Rush
If I learned only one thing from this fucking mess, it was that I was never going to be anyone’s second choice. Not anymore.
23
Jade
Aweekafter I’d called Hunter, money appeared in my bank account along with a message from his assistant.
Hello, Jade, I’ve transferred a sum of money to you as per your request. I’ve made arrangements for you to leave the ring at the Melbourne Tiffany & Co store. They are expecting you. Mary Dean, assistant to Hunter Ballinger LLM.
I didn’t hear a single peep out of Hunter, but I wasn’t expecting a miracle. He’d cut all ties and severed me out of his life, and now it was like I’d never been a part of it at all. A relationship we’d been in and out of since we were fifteen—twelve years of our lives—was just…gone. It was all wrapped up with a little bow on top…put there by hisassistant.
My entire existence was erased, and the only thing I had left was the poisonous friendship of Margaret Anastas and her posse.
Another Saturday meant another brunch at the Langham. Sitting next to Margaret at the table, I peered at Belinda and Heather before filling my cup with tea. No one had said anything to me yet, which hopefully meant no one knew about my current lack of employment. It was only a matter of time, but I didn’t want it to be today. Not when talk about Margaret’s conquest of Ryan was imminent.
We went through the motions, which meant I sat back silently as Margaret ripped through the latest roundup of local gossip with Belinda and Heather throwing in their own snide observations. It seemed they were over the swimwear debacle and had moved on to some screenshot from someone’s private Facebook message that was full of some duplicitous scandal.
I should’ve left ages ago, and I wasn’t referring to today’s brunch. I was referring to our collective friendship. I should’ve just faded away into the background.
Turning to me, Margaret smiled, her eyes flashing with a malicious gleam. “Jade, when were you going to tell us you were fired from Slattery?”
I stared at her, my embarrassment and humiliation heating my cheeks. What was I saying about fading into the background before it was too late? Yeah…too late.
“We both work in publishing, Jade,” she said, forcing back her laughter. “Like I wouldn’t find out.”
I’d never thought I was capable of completely snapping. I’d read books where the main characters would break apart and explode their emotions all over the place. Flipping tables and breaking mirrors kind of messy. In Alexis Storm’s last release,Fighting Desire, the hero was driven to breaking point by the bad guys looking to tear him down, and he went on a rampage, unable to stop until the heroine turned up and calmed the raging beast inside him. Except there was no one here to settle the hurricane that was brewing in my heart. The only person who probably could was Ryan, and he didn’t want anything to do with me.
So, I pretty much exploded. And boy, was that shit messy.
“I’ve had enough of your bullshit,” I exclaimed, rising to my feet.
“Excuse me?” Margaret placed her hand over her heart like I’d mortally wounded her upper-class, false do-gooder mentality.
“Don’t play the victim, Margaret,” I snapped. “We all know you’re the biggest bitch of the century. You gossip about everyone, tear apart their reputations, and spread nasty falsehoods all because you’ve decided they looked at you funny that one time. Don’t even get me started on the shit you’ve said behind my back. You’re not as clever as you think you are. You’re nothing but a cold, heartless moron, who will never be content with what she has. You only give a fuck about taking from others so you feel better about the fact thatno one loves you.”
The entire restaurant seemed to fall silent, or it could’ve been the bubble of rage that had just inflated around me, but no sound permeated our table. Margaret stared at me, her expression cold, and Belinda and Heather looked utterly scandalized. For a full minute, no one said anything, let alone moved.
“Well,” Margaret finally declared, dabbing the napkin at the corners of her mouth. “Are you quite finished?” Not waiting for me to respond, she looked me straight in the eye and said, “When will you admit to yourself you have a problem, Jade?”
“My problem was that I fell for fake bitches and the fake shit they were selling. Fake bitches like you,” I replied without missing a beat.
“Oh, Jade,” she said in a quiet voice. “Don’t you see? You’re the fakest of us all.”
“The difference between you and me…” I stared her down, my lip curling. “Is that I work for everything I have.”
“Had,” she said, snarling. “Or have you forgotten your fiancé cheated, and you lost your precious job. I can’t see that you have anything. Lashing out is not going to do you any good.”
“I think it was past due, don’t you? You knew Hunter was cheating on me months before I found out. I overheard the things you said to them.” I jabbed a finger at Belinda and Heather, who’d fallen silent like the lambs to the slaughter they were. “You went after Ryan, knowing full well I cared about him. I would never have done those things to you. Friends don’t drag friends down. They’re supposed tohelp them,not laugh behind their backs when they’re on hard times.”
Margaret stared at me, her lips pursed. She looked like she was about to blow, but she still clung onto the facade she’d built around her rotten, jealous heart. She ruled with fear, and by standing up to her, I was threatening her very reputation.
“You’ll regret this,” she said with a hiss, finally breaking her silence.
“You’ve spent your life putting people down because it makes you feel better about the fact you’re mediocre,” I went on, ignoring her threat. “You bullshit your way through life, sliding by with your looks and money. I know the only reason your clients do well is because you buy thousands of copies with your husband’s money to bump up your numbers. What would your boss say when he finds out? Superstar Margaret is nothing but a fraud.”
“You wouldn’t!” she exclaimed.
“That’s the difference between you and me, Margaret…” I snatched up my bag, then picked up a serviette and claimed a macaroon for the road. “I wouldn’t.” Glancing at the other two women at the table, I nodded. “Belinda. Heather. Go choke on a giant cock.”
