Right Number, Wrong Girl

This was a conceited, selfish woman who wanted to level up, and she’d do whatever that took. She’d take anyone down who stood in her way, and right now, that was me.

If Nora’s gossip was accurate, I was doing the job she wanted.

Nancy wanted me—Camilla—to fuck up so she could sweep in and save the day like some kind of medieval knight.

Well, the joke was on her.

I wasn’t going to fuck it up.

I was going to do Camilla proud and throw the best bloody party in the world.

My fatal flaw was digging my heels in. When someone told me I couldn’t do something, I straightened up, put on my good panties, and did the damn best I could do.

Never underestimate the power of a good pair of knickers.

“I don’t know what you have against me or Camilla,” I said softly.

My words stopped her mid-turn, and she looked over her shoulder at me.

“But I’m going to make the best of this,” I continued. “I’ll play by your rules. I’ll pretend I’m Camilla so you don’t have to deal with the fallout of a miscommunication you were solely responsible for.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but I cut her off again.

“But when the truth comes out, you better believe I’m going to throw you so far under the bus you’ll wish you had Edward Cullen to blast you out of its path.” I stared at her for a second longer, then turned and left the office, shutting the door behind me with a firm finality.

My heart was racing. I’d never stood up to anyone like that before, and I wasn’t sure I’d even done the right thing. But I was entirely sure that Nancy was in charge of her own self-centred operation that would only hurt Camilla, and no matter how angry I was at her, my instinct was always to protect her.

If that meant a little hurt had to ultimately go her way, then it was going to suck. And suck balls. Big time.

And, hey.

If it all went to shit, I could take the heat.

Nancy was right.

After this party, I wasn’t going to see any of this family ever again.

***

“You look lost.”

I looked up at Henry’s words. “Why else would I be sitting on the floor hoping that someone would help me?”

He chuckled and held out a hand to help me up, which I gratefully took. “I don’t know. The painting matches your hair?”

I glanced back at the wall and the painting of a boat. “I hope not.”

He laughed again and motioned for me to follow after him. “Where are you trying to get to?”

Anywhere Nancy wasn’t.

“The library, I guess.”

“Come on. This place can be a maze. We used to play hide and seek here as kids.”

“Your sister, too?”

“Yep. Me and Hugo used to team up on her.” He laughed. “She could never find us because we always hid together.”