Scarlett’s POV
I spent most of the day alone. The silence in the house was thick, almost physical. A vacuum left behind by Maria’s exit, and maybe a piece of my own disillusionment.
I didn’t cry.
I didn’t even feel the urge to.
I was… awake now.
Really awake.
The messages, Maria’s confession, the way Cassie had slithered her way into every vulnerable crack in my life, it all lit something in me. Not rage. Not bitterness. Focus.
I sat on the edge of the chaise by the window, my laptop open, a cup of untouched tea by my side. I began to search names, former employees of Cassie’s firm, industry blogs, niche PR consultants. I remembered how one intern had reached out to me two months ago, praising one of my old campaigns before I went off-grid. I dug through my emails, found her name.
