Cruel Fortune (Cruel 2)

Gillian appeared beside me. “And look.” She drew me over to a round table at the back. “We even have a cupcake tower where you can add your own icing. Just like in the book when Lacey eats icing straight out of the container.”

I laughed in surprise and delight. “Icing saves the world again. I’m obsessed.”

“We’re so glad that we could convince you to come up to the city to do this,” Gillian said.

“Me too,” I admitted. I’d tried to get out of it so many times. And now, I was here and so glad that I was. “This is beyond anything I could have envisioned. This entire launch has been perfect. I couldn’t have done it without you, Gillian.”

She hugged me. “I am so glad that I was the one who was able to put this story out into the world. Bet on It is just the beginning. Caroline has been whispering in my ear that your next book idea is even more amazing. I’ll be thrilled to look at it.”

“Oh, Gillian, that will be wonderful.”

Of course, I didn’t know what book Caroline had been telling her about. We’d put together some kind of pitch for both my literary idea for Natalie and the bare bones idea I’d had last year after Bet on It but hadn’t been able to work on. Caroline had said that Gillian would probably buy either, but I really, desperately wanted to sell my Natalie idea. I loved what was happening for Olivia, and this party was proof of that. But I wanted it to be for me, too.

“I can’t wait to read what you have so far. Caroline said she’d send them over when you were ready. I’m sure it’s going to be another masterpiece.”

I blushed. “Thank you. Let’s hope so.”

“I’ve read your work. I know it will be,” Gillian said with a wink. “Now, enough chitchatting. Let’s introduce you around to some of these people that you don’t know.”

I met so many new people that I knew there was no way that I could remember them. Even with my prodigious memory and my writer’s curse, people were starting to blur together. I’d lost track of Lewis early on, and Amy and Enzo were conspicuously absent. But I put all of it out of my head because this was a once-in-a-lifetime sort of event, and I planned to enjoy it.

“So, Olivia,” a woman said, who I was pretty certain Gillian had introduced as Jessica, “are you ever going to reveal who exactly the book is based on?”

Gillian gasped in mock shock. “A lady never kisses and tells, Jessica.”

I laughed at Gillian’s response. Jessica wasn’t the first—and likely wouldn’t be the last person—who had asked me that.

“And it isn’t about you?” Jessica pried.

I laughed and shrugged. “Do you think I’m that glamorous?” I hedged.

“Well, we did notice you walking in with Lewis Warren,” another woman, Grace, said conspiratorially. “He’s one of the most eligible bachelors in New York City.”

“Lewis is just a friend,” I assured them. Or was I assuring myself?

“She’s the darling of Warren Publishing,” Gillian said, wrapping a possessive arm around my shoulders. “Of course a Warren is showing interest.”

Grace and Jessica went on to gush over the novel. Recounting what they would have done in my place after finding out about the bet. As if the situation were so easy when you were the one in it.

Of course, the book wasn’t a hundred percent autobiographical. There were embellishments for the story’s sake and changes to protect the guilty parties involved. But I still thought the strongest thing I’d ever done was walk out of that party.

“Oh!” Gillian said with delight. “Sorry, girls, I need to steal Olivia for a minute.”

“We’ll talk later!” Jessica said with a wave.

Gillian gently tugged me away from the two women. “There’s this incredible woman that I want you to meet. She’s so well connected. I’ve truly never met anyone else like her. She’s bold and confident and daring. And she’s slowly building an empire here in New York. I met her at a museum opening a few weeks ago and invited her to come to this event. I had no idea if she would actually show.”

“She sounds amazing.”

“Truly, she is. And I think she could only help with the upward trajectory of your career.” Gillian sipped her champagne. “Here she is—Jane!”

My stomach dropped. Oh god.

Jane Devney.

She was shorter than I remembered with ash-blonde hair to her shoulders and wide, unassuming hazel eyes that seemed to shift in color right before my eyes.

“Natalie!” Jane cried in surprise and delight. A slight accent highlighted her word. Though I couldn’t exactly place it. She leaned forward and kissed each of my cheeks.

Gillian’s mouth dropped open, and she glanced between me and Jane in shock.

The last time I’d seen Jane Devney was at the Kensingtons’ Hamptons mansion when I broke it off with Penn. And worse…she had been dating his brother at the time. I had no idea if she was still dating Court Kensington. It seemed unlikely, knowing the train wreck of a man he was. But I still looked uncertainly behind her to see if he was there. I didn’t see him though.