“No, I’ve just made different choices,” I calmly say. “I don’t think I’m better than you, Deanna. We were never in competition for anything in this life.”
“Keep telling yourself that,” she scoffs and rolls her eyes. “But all is fair in love and war, and I suppose you’ve won this round.”
“I’m not sure I understand?—”
“Spare me! You won, okay? You got your grubby, chubby, little fingers on Alex, Max, and my darling Vincent. Congratulations. But beware, it’s not going to end well,” she hisses. “In my line of work, I meet a lot of people, all kinds of people, and I know your species all too well, Raina. You’re not cut out for those three. They’ll use you up and toss you aside.”
My stomach is tied up in knots. Part of me fears she may be right, another part of me wants me to fight her with everything I’ve got. But as I glance down at her suitcases, I’m reminded of a very simple, unassailable truth: She’s going away, somewhere far away from me. I’m headed back toPortland with Alex, Vincent, and Max, who have given me everything and more than I thought I deserved.
Deanna is already dead wrong. And I think, deep down, she knows it. She just can’t voice it because her ego won’t allow it.
“I think we each carve our own path in life,” I tell her. “The choices we make, the people we surround ourselves with, they all lead us precisely where we need to be.”
“Thank you for the wisdom.” Deanna rolls her eyes. “But if that’s what you tell yourself to sleep at night, whatever. I’m happy with my choices. My choices are taking me to Aruba for the weekend.”
“At what cost, though?”
“Whatever,” she snaps. “Have your fun while it lasts, you fat bitch.” She gets up, red-faced and furious, but Alex’s voice rings out, stopping her dead in her tracks.
“You know, we held off on firing you in order to respect our contracts,” he says.
“Alex!” Deanna gasps.
He walks out of the office, his hands in his pockets, casually half smiling as he looks at me. “I told you we’d take care of those bags for you, darling.”
“You did. I’m just eager to head back to Portland,” I reply. “There’s still the heaviest one upstairs for you, though. I saved the best for last.”
“Good,” he says, then looks at Deanna. “You’ve been warned one too many times, Deanna. It didn’t stick.”
“I’m entitled to my opinions even here!” she says.
“You’re not entitled to any disrespect toward other employees or collaborators of Haus of Sin, though,” Alex replies, the softness from his features melting away. His gaze darkens, and his eyebrows furrow as he frowns. “That is a clear breach of contract. This was your last season with us, Deanna. Our collaboration ends here.”
“I’m your best host. You can’t do that.”
“Oh, but I can. You’re not irreplaceable. I’ve made that clear more than once. Again, you wanted to call my bluff.”
“She’s too busy hating a woman who’s actually happy with herself and has everything,” Vincent chimes in as he joins us in the lobby.
Deanna tries to laugh it off. “What does Raina have that I could possibly want?”
“Me, for starters,” Vincent says, “plus respect, appreciation, and success. But here’s the thing, Deanna, Raina actually works hard for all of it. You chose a different way, and now, you’re mad because a woman came along and showed you what you could’ve been, if only you hadn’t forsaken your soul and your dignity in the process.”
Deanna shakes her head. “I don’t have to listen to any of this.”
“The door is right there,” Alex says. “You are not welcome at Haus of Sin anymore.”
She stares at him for the longest second, then Max. She can’t even look Vincent in the eyes. Her lower lip quivers as she looks at me, hatred burning bright green in her gaze. I don’t hate her, but I can’t bring myself to wish her well either. She’s the kind of person who hurts other people simply because she can.
“Good luck finding a replacement for the Fox,” Deanna says. “Your clients won’t like it, not one bit.”
“As it happens, we’ve got Sashi coming in from Tokyo next winter,” Max replies with a casual shrug. “You’ve heard of her, right? The White Fox of Tokyo’s Haus of Sin counterpart, Den of Fantasies?”
“You got Sashi?” Deanna almost whispers, the horror deeply imprinted upon her face as she realizes that she is and always was replaceable. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“She’ll be next winter’s sensation,” Vincent replies.
“It wasn’t easy getting her out of her Den of Fantasies contract, but she likes what we’ve been doing over here, and we offered her an enticing package,” Alex adds. “So yes, Deanna, as I said, pack your shit and go.”
