Alice’s POV
Mia paused the moment her eyes landed on Brian. A flicker of recognition crossed her face before she continued strutting forward, her hips swaying deliberately, like she was walking a runway just for him.
“Hello, Brian,” she purred, stopping right in front of where he sat.
“I never thought I’d see you here,” she continued, voice syrupy sweet. “Didn’t know you were the one behind the curtain.”
Then her eyes slid to me. The change in her gaze was instant. Cold. Like I had just stolen her last slice of cake.
“Well, look who has a guest,” she added, lips twitching into a smug smirk.
She turned toward me and walked over, her eyes scanning me from head to toe as if mentally tallying all my flaws.
“Hi. I’m Mia. Brian’s... close”—she lingered on that word before tossing in—“frie
