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ONE

MACALISTER

FRUSTRATION TWISTED MY MUSCLES INTO CORDS,my clasped hands ache Before the darkest day of my life, the one where I’d made a terriblewithto sit in on conference calls while they were in labor or waiting for surgery

Today, Stephen Alby was eight insulting e of how little he respected me,he was late I was beginning to wonder if he would est client, and if this was hoas going to treat me, perhaps I needed to take my money elsewhere

I refused to let any of my irritation bleed out onto my face and held my posture neutral since I was out in public It was noon, and the private penthouse restaurant was fully booked for lunch, and although the dining rooe, every person in the space are of my infamous presence Conversations had paused at ed aardly as I was seated at my table

It wasn’t the one I preferred, the one by the hich boasted a view of the harbor and its position of status to the rest of the rooer ated to the smallest table by the door, away from the center where the most influential executives in Boston took their power lunches during the week Like es My h to keep uest list and earn me a seat in the room, but scandal had driven me to the outskirts

The din of conversation dropped once more as someone else unexpected appeared at the entryway and spoke with the maître d’

Clearly, the woman had never been here before It wasn’t the way her curious gaze took in the floating chandelier at the center of the rooave it away—it was the soft smile that teased her lips If she’d taken lunch here before, she’d know this wasn’t a place for happy, friendly sras and scallops Careers were made and broken by Boston’s elite while seated at these tables covered in fine white linens

Once upon a ti of this town, and I held court in this room

It seeue had continued in my absence, but I was desperate to climb back onto ame with everyone else

The young wo the waves of her blonde hair shih it had been years since I’d seen her, it took irl Last time, she’d worn a pale pink brides Today, it was a cashmere sweater dress in navy that covered her fra provocatively to her breakneck curves