bChapter /bb234 /b

    OLIVIA’S POV

    I was reviewing the messages Uncle Jose had been sending me over the past few days, I collected his number from bmy /bdad and decided to text him to myself, and just as expected he hated the fact that I even contacted him, and since then he had been sending me all sorts of threatening messagree, het life threatening but just warnings, I needed to speak to him in person because am finding it hard to believe that this is really my buncle/bb, /bthen ra’s voler broke through the quiet hum of my office.

    “Ms. ke,” she said, her tone lighter than usual. “Stephanie justnded at JFK. She’s already in New York.” ullirolled across the desk. “Stephanie? As in Stephanie Vargasb? /b/li/ul

    My head snapped up so fast that the pen I was holding slipped from my fingers

    ra’s lips curved. “The one and only. She texted me when shended. Said she couldn’t wait to see you.”

    A genuine smile–one I hadn’t worn in weeks–pull

    at my face. “God, it’s been over a month. I thought she wasn’ting until next week

    Thest time I saw Stephanie was back in Mexico, we had coffee, and then work hadn’t given me a free chance to go see her since bthen/bb, /bthen I had toe over here for the auction, and with all this going on I hadn’t had the time to even text her

    “She came early. Something about needing a break

    the chaos back home,” bra /bsaid with a knowing shrug,

    I pushed back my chair and I grabbed my coat from the stand, “watch Charlie for me. Keep him away from anything sugary after six, and make sure he does his reading before bed.”

    ra nodded. “Understood.”

    Minutester, I was in the back of my ck SUV, the city shing by as we headed toward the hotel. The thought of seeing her, of being in her energy again, sent a fizz of excitement through me. We’d been friends for 5 years–through breakups, bad business dealsb, /band scandals. If anyone knew bthe /breal Olivia ke, it was her, and even though I didn’t want to admit it she was basically my only female friend in the world so yes I was always excited to bsee /b

    her anytime I had the opportunity

    When I walked into the hotel lobby, she was already there, leaning against the marble counter in a flowing white blouse tucked into high–waisted jeans, oversized sunsses perched on her head. Her rich brown hair spilled over her shoulders in effortless waves.

    “Olivia!” she squealed the moment she saw me.

    Iughed as we collided in a hug that nearly knocked the wind out of me. “You look incredible. Is that a new bag?b” /b

    She twirled the small leather clutch in her hand. “Straight from Mn, baby. Limited edition. But enough about me–look at you. You’ve been hiding. What happened to my morousb, /bunapologetic partner in crime?”

    I smirked. “Life happened. But tonight? Tonightb, /bwe’re fixing that.”

    “Good,i” /ishe said, eyes sparkling. “Because I didn’t fly all the way from Mexico to drink tea and go to bed early, and also am still vexed at you for not telling me when you were leaving Mexico, what happened to being best friends?” She said with a dramatic tone.

    Trolled my eyes jokingly, Here she goes again “sorry didn’t tell you, I didn’t n to stay here this long, but because of business I have to stay a bit longer.” I said.

    We left the hotel with my security detail trailing discreetly behind. Stephanie eyed them and grinned. “You still travel like a president. bI /bbswear/b, it’s like being in a spy movie with you.”

    “Better safe than sorry, especially now that I am here” I replied, though I tried going anywhere without security sent a chill down my spine.

    bto /bmake it sound casual. I didn’t tell her that bin /bbrecent /bweeksb, /bbthe /bbidea /bbof /b

    “I watched youst week on the news, you finally came bout /bas the CEO” she said.

    bChapter /bb234 /b

    “bWell /bbdad forced /bbme /bbto/b, bhe /bims he needed to show his friends and rivals that he took ban /bhairb” /bI saidb, /braising my bfinger /bto air quote

    bOur /bfirst stop was a private lounge in Midtown–one of those ces where you need both a reservation and the right connections bto /bget in the lightn was low and warm, the air thick with the scent of expensive perfume and champagne. A live jazz trio yed in the corner, their musk weaving through the quiet murmur of conversations.

    We slid into a velvet booth near the back, and within moments, a waiter appeared with two sses of sparkling wine.

    “To us,” Stephanie said, raising her ss. “For surviving another month in this mad world.”

    I clinked mine against hers. “And for making it fabulous while we do.”

    The first sip was like liquid silk, crisp and cold, and for a moment, I let myself sink into the sensation. The stress, the headlines, the bwhispered /bconversations behind closed doors–they all faded.

    Stephanie started telling me about the chaos she’d left behind in Mexico. “Two of my suppliers tried to outbid each other for my business, and in bthe /bprocess, they both nearly destroyed an entire shipment of fabrics. I told them if they didn’t straighten out, I’d take my business to Mn permanently. That shut them up.”

    Iughed. “You always know how to make men sweat.”

    “Please, you’re the one who taught me half my tricksi,/ii” /ishe shot back.

    We ordered a round of tapas–truffle fries, seared scallops, and tiny sliders stacked high with wagyu beef. I couldn’t remember thest time I’d eaten like this without ncing over my shoulder or keeping my phone in hand for urgent calls.

    After an hour, Stephanie leaned in with a mischievous grin. “I know a ce. But you can’t judge me for it.”

    “Have I ever been the judging type?” I asked, though I was already curious.

    “It’s a rooftop club in SoHo. Amazing music, ridiculous cocktails, and the kind of people who don’t care who you are.”

    I considered it for half a second before nodding. “Let’s go.”

    We moved through the city like queens, my SUV gliding through traffic as the night deepened. The rooftop club was alive with energy–neon blights /bcast everything in shades of pink and blue, and the bass from the DJ’s set pulsed through the floor.

    Stephanie pulled me straight to the bar, where we ordered cocktails served in tall crystal sses with sugared rims, I took a sip, and the sweetness exploded over my tongue before the kick of tequ set in.

    “This,” she said over the music, “is what I missed. Us, living like we’re twenty–two again.”

    I smiled, feeling the rhythm of the music pull me in. “You mean reckless and unstoppable?”

    “Exactly.”

    ne, I didn’t mind. I felt We danced. Weughed. At one point, a group of strangers tried to pull us into their circle, and for the first time in ba /bbl /bweightless, the city lights spinning around us, the warm summer air brushing against my skin every time someone opened the rooftop doors.

    Hours passed without me noticing. By the time we slipped back into the SUV, my cheeks ached from smiling.

    “You’re glowing,” Stephanie teased as she fastened her seatbelt.

    “Maybe I needed this more than I thought,” I admitted, leaning back against the seat. “To just… not bbe /bafraid for one night.”

    She reached over and squeezed my hand. “You’re still Olivia. No one can take that from you.”

    A small smile appeared on my face as bI /bknew everything she said was absolutely bcorrect/b.

    b“/bbAre /bbyou /bbgoing /bback bto /bthe bhotel /bor do you wanna crash at my ceb?/bb” /bbI /basked

    b“/bbwith /byour parents around? No thanks, I’ll just stay in my hotel room where I can dress freely all day” she said jokingly,

    And she wasn’t wrong, before bought my house back in Mexico she came over and stayed with my parents and I, and she ims that was the word dia over she ever had because my mom didn’t like the way she dressed and kept choosing her outfit for her.

    Yeah, I know my mom can do a little too much but personally, I feel Stephanie liked short dresses

    a lot.

    Speaking of my parents, my dad would probably scold me when I get back, I put them under full lockdown and I went partying.

    I mean I am sure they would understand, it’s not like I do this all the time, besides I really needed this, there were only two days left before the ceremony was held.

    So this was basically myst day off because tomorrow I need to go with ra to set everything up for the ceremony the day after, everything needs bto /bbbe /bperfect.

    Then, after the ceremony is over, we can all go back to Mexico.

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