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God, this was too awkward, and a small part of me begged me to turn. A tiny, guilty part.

“How are you?” I asked, my discomfort glaringly obvious.

“Good,” she said, and I couldn’t help myself. I turned to look at her, and it was a punch to the gut.

Her dark curls sat atop her head in a neat bun, pulled away from her face and neck. Her eyes were a brand on my skin, the soft curve of her mouth pressed into a thin line.

And yet, she was still beautiful. Still so otherworldly.

“Is there anything you need-”

“Hayden? Is that you?”

Like a switch had been flipped, Hayden’s eyes shuttered and her lips spread into a smile.

Robotic. Stiff.

“Janine,” she greeted, her gaze on someone behind me. “What a surprise.”

Hayden’s tone implied that it was anythingbuta surprise.

I turned to the woman who’d interrupted us, her long golden curls bouncing with each step. She ignored me entirely, something I was grateful for, and greeted Hayden with two air kisses.

“I heard from my dear Lily that you bought another little gem and I justhadto see it for myself!” Janine gushed. “You’re buying up all the diamonds; there’s nothing left for the rest of us.”

“Just good business,” Hayden replied. “I’ve been in the game for a long time; long enough to know a good investment when I see one.”

I fixed my gaze on Hayden’s impassive face, studying the stiffness in her shoulders and the cruel arch in her brow. This was not someone Hayden considered a friend, I surmised. But a slight tug in my gut told me there was a lot more to their history.

“As ruthless as ever, I see,” Janine tittered, her voice high and saccharine. It grated on my ears and I longed to gouge my eardrums out. “It’s a shame you don’t visit the Bella Nostra anymore; we all miss you terribly.”

I could have left.

But I couldn’t tear my gaze away from the ice in Hayden’s eyes. This new side of Hayden that proved her business was her priority.

More than her rejection.

“You barely notice my absence, Janine.” Hayden smirked. “Besides, I’d only bore you all with my life story.”

Janine’s eyes lit up as though she’d like nothing more than to hear every single facet of Hayden’s life. And not for a good reason.

“I doubt that,” she countered. “We’d all love to hear about how well the Jones business is doing.”

“Then you’d have to ask my parents,” Hayden drawled. “I don’t work for Jones Co.”

“Oh, silly me. How could I forget you ditching your family business and going out on your own.”

I swallowed a scoff. Janine was as transparent as glass. What I couldn’t quite understand was why Hayden entertained it.

“Considering it’s been almost two decades,” Hayden crooned, a corner of her lips kicking up into a satisfied smirk. “I’m surprised you forgot.”

Janine’s spine stiffened and I bit down on my lower lip to keep my own smile hidden.

“Yes, well,” she paused, adjusting her expensive pinstripe jacket. “If you cared to visit more often, I’d remember. So, howisH Corp doing? All these new acquisitions must have your hands full.”

“What makes you think I’d have my hands full?”

“Oh, you know.” Janine chuckled. “I remember how close to the chest you played your cards. I imagine you still hate delegating where you should.”