Chapter 4
The office fell dead silent.
I could hear my own heart shattering.
‘Riley Thompson, I cut you slack before because I thought you were grieving Matt’s death, so I didn’t make you apologize to my client. But today you’ve crossed very line. Even if you two are friends outside of this, right now I need you to apologize to my client.”
Assault and battery-1 have every right to press charges against you!”
he shouting drew a crowd of law firm employees.
veryone gathered in the doorway, pointing and whispering about me.
Wait, I know this bitch! Isn’t she that sick freak’s sister? The one who claimed the victim seduced her brother?”
esus Christ, the nerve! Her brother’s dead and she’s still walking around like nothing happened?”
Talk about shameless. What a pathetic waste of space. Let’s record this shit and post it online-everyone needs to see what this psycho looks like!”
hey could trash me all they wanted, but I couldn’t stand hearing them insult my brother anymore.
y stubborn spine bent, inch by inch, until it was broken. When I looked up again, my eyes were bloodshot.
‘m sorry, Miss Sophie.”
s that enough for you?”
efore Sophie could respond, Adrian’s face went ice-cold.
What kind of attitude is that?”
e moved toward me like he was going to drag me out, but Sophie stopped him.
t’s okay, it’s okay. Riley’s been through so much lately. I know she doesn’t mean any harm.”
hen she looked at me with gentle, forgiving eyes.
tiley, I know you’re not a bad person. I truly believe that once this all blows over, we can go back to how things used to be.”
We’re best friends, right?”
flashed a cold smile, my face twisting with pure mockery.
Best friends? Don’t make me fucking sick!”
efore she could react, I stormed out and headed downstairs.
ut Adrian chased after me. He grabbed my wrist, his eyes flickering with something that looked almost like pleading.
Riley, I had no choice back there. This case-I had to give Sophie some closure, or the firm would’ve gone under.”
Come on, don’t be mad at me, okay? Here, hit me a couple times if it’ll make you feel better.”
le actually tried to guide my hand toward his face.
shoved him away hard, my voice eerily calm even to my own ears.
‘Don’t bother. There’s nothing to be mad about.”
Adrian visibly relaxed with relief.
“God, Riley, I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”
“Once this whole mess blows over, I promise 111 throw you the most amazing wedding ever.”
He personally walked me to my car.
On the drive home, I got a text from him.
“My buddies are throwing us a joint bachelor/bachelorette party tonight. Sophie’s gonna be there too-perfect chance for you two to make up. Don’t leave me stuck in the middle, okay? Just do this for me, babe.”
I didn’t reply.
My phone buzzed with a membership points notification.
It was for a limited-edition Chanel cocktail dress.
I figured it was his way of apologizing.
But that night, Sophie was wearing that exact dress.
