She narrows her gaze. “Because you’re a bitch and have been since high school. You don’t remember me from then even though you were picked for the trip to France for the cultural exchange program and I wasn’t.”
What?! She’s going back to a high school gripe? “It was chosen by grades. How can that be my fault?” I ask.
“You always come out on top! It’s not fair. Every time I go for something, you win!” She’s yelling as she speaks, her cheeks turning red.
She’s irrational but she keeps talking. “I encouraged Gregory Attwater to complain publicly about anything and everything.Luckily, it wasn’t hard since nothing makes the man happy, but you rebuilt after that. It’s like you never go away!”
I blink in stunned silence as she continues to incriminate herself.
“Everything good falls in your lap. Then this party. You’re a Dare, so of course you got the Thunder party bid!”
Staying calm isn’t easy, but I manage. “Blaire, I had a solid presentation. They liked my ideas, that’s all. I know for a fact nobody in my family pushed for me to get this job.”
She rolls her eyes. “Keep telling yourself that,” she mutters loudly.
“And the brick?” I ask, because I need to know.
“I threw it in frustration. And I sabotaged this party, and I’ll keep trying to ruin you until my company is the only one people will use. And nobody will ever know what I did because it’s your word against mine.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” I tell her, flipping over my phone and pointing to the red screen. “I’ve been recording you this whole time. From vandalism to stalking, I have your admission of criminal activity. I’m sure the police will love to listen.”
Blaire’s cheeks are already red. Now, tears form in her eyes.
The door bursts open and Kaylee rushes in, Lucas and my father close behind. “Rainey? Are you okay?” my best friend asks.
“I wasn’t waiting another second,” Lucas tells me, his gaze holding mine.
“I’m fine.” Shaking, but fine. I didn’t realize how much adrenaline the confrontation took until now.
Blaire looks to each person in the room, and I almost feel sorry for how humiliated she must be. Almost.
Without another word, she runs from the room.
My father’s jaw is clenched tight. “Go after her,” he tells Lucas.
I shake my head. “It’s not like there’s anything we can do about her actions. I’ll turn the information over to the police and let them deal with her.”
Despite his hesitation, he agrees.
“Dad? I’m sorry this happened at your party.”
He shrugs. “A party will never be more important than you. As far as the guests go, nobody knows a thing.”
I smile at him, grateful I have him as my father. It takes a while, but I manage to convince everyone to go back to the main event. Despite wanting to be alone with Lucas, I have an event to run. We all exit the office and return to the party.
Microphone in my hand, I step onto the stage where the speeches will take place. “Can I have everyone’s attention?” I ask, and wait until things quiet down. “It’s time for the speeches, so I’m going to turn the microphone over to the president of the Miami Thunder, Ian Dare.”
My father accepts the microphone, and I slip away from the crowd and find Lucas hovering by the hallway entrance. He snags my hand and leads me back to his office where he shuts and locks the door.
Two steps and I’m where I need to be, in his arms. I soak in his warmth and the strength of his embrace, allowing myself to fall apart for the first time. My body shakes but I hold back tears, knowing I’ll need to return to the other room looking professional.
“I can’t get over the fact that she hates me so much she’d go to those extreme lengths to destroy me and my business,” I say.
He places a hand beneath my chin and tips my head up to face him. “I don’t think she dislikes you as much as she does herself. It’s sad,” he says.
I nod. “A part of me doesn’t want to go to the police. I feel sorry for Ashlynn and Blaire obviously has issues.”
“My concern is if she’s unhinged enough to throw the brick just because you won the bid on this event, what will she do next? Maybe if the police get involved, it’ll scare her enough to leave you alone.”
