Chapter 88 Jade's Spite
JADE
The party at Crimson was in full swing.
Music. Drinks. VIP clients networking. Mafia families maintaining alliances. Everyone who mattered in New York's underworld gathered in one place.
And I looked perfect.
I'd worn my best dress. Black. Fitted. The dress was low-cut, drawing attention without being obvious. My hair was styled. My makeup is flawless. My breasts—my best asset—were prominently displayed.
I'd been serving drinks for an hour. Moving through the crowd. Smiling and charming.
I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of Jeremy Santoro.
But he hadn't.
I'd asked Sarah. "Have you seen Jeremy Santoro?"
"Not yet. But he's supposed to be here. Luca confirmed it earlier."
I'd asked Nina. "Is Jeremy coming tonight?"
"I don't know. Marco said he was invited but—" She shrugged. "You know how he is. He only shows up when he feels like it.
I'd asked Marco himself. "Where's Santoro?"
"Not coming." Marco had been curt. "He sent his regrets," Marco said dismissively and said that he was attending to other matters.
Other business.
He wasn't coming. After all my planning. All my preparation. All my effort to look perfect, to be available, to catch his attention and now he wasn't coming.
I excused myself. Went to the bathroom. I locked myself within a stall.
I felt a surge of rage building inside my chest. Hot. Sharp and consuming.
I'd done everything right. Researched him. Found his weakness. Prepared to exploit it. Set up the perfect opportunity.
And he hadn't even shown up.
Because of her. Because of Amelia. Because he was home with that blind bitch instead of here, where he belonged, where I could get close to him.
I pulled out my phone. Hands shaking with anger.
Found Mick's number. I called him.
He answered on the third ring. "Yeah?"
"It's Jade. I need something from him."
"What?"
"You've been following the blind girl. Taking photos. Video. Surveillance." I took a breath. "Send me everything. Every photo. Every video. Everything you have."
"Why? You said not to grab her until you gave the signal."
"I'm not ready to grab her yet. I just—I need the photos. I need to see what you have. I need—" I stopped. I managed to instill a sense of calmness in my voice. "Just send them. Tonight. All of it."
"It'll cost extra."
"I don't care. Send them. Now."
"You got it. Give me twenty minutes."
He hung up.
I stood there in the bathroom stall, my heart pounding, my mind racing.
If I couldn't get to Jeremy tonight—if he wasn't here—
Then I'd find another way. Another angle. I would devise a new strategy to catch his attention.
And those photos and videos of Amelia sneaking around and meeting people behind Jeremy's back would be useful. Maybe they'd show Jeremy what I already knew.
that Amelia wasn't worthy of him. That she was lying. Hiding things. Betraying his trust.
Maybe those photos would be the ammunition I needed.
To destroy her. To take her place. I finally achieved what was rightfully mine.
Twenty Minutes Later
My phone buzzed. Text from Mick.
I have sent everything to your email. 47 photos. 3 videos. One week of surveillance. Let me know if you need anything else.
I opened my email. Started scrolling through.
Photos of Amelia leaving the estate. Walking down streets. Amelia was meeting a handsome and well-dressed young man at a coffee shop. Multiple places of meetings. Different days.
Videos of their interactions. Laughing. Talking. Comfortable with each other.
And tonight—the final meeting. A bag was exchanged for money. Something heavy. Something secret.
What was in that bag?
Whatever it was, Amelia was hiding it from Jeremy. Meeting this man behind Jeremy's back. Amelia was deceiving Jeremy about her location.
Perfect. Absolutely perfect.
I saved everything. I downloaded all the files to my phone. Backed it up.
This was leverage. This was ammunition. This was everything I needed.
I'd send these to Jeremy. Anonymously. Let him see what his precious Amelia was really doing. Let him see her betrayal. Her lies. Her meetings with—
I zoomed in on the young man's face. Tried to place him.
He looked familiar. Slavic features. Expensive clothes. The way he carried himself exuded confidence and danger.
Who was he?
I texted Mick: Who is the man she's been meeting?
His response came quickly: Don't know for sure. Based on the appearance of his car, the style of his clothes, and the level of his security, it is clear that he is connected. Maybe the Russian mob. Maybe the Volkov family. Someone important.
Volkov.
The enemy family. These individuals are continuously engaged in territorial disputes with the Santoros.
And Amelia was meeting with one of them. Behind Jeremy's back.
I smiled.
This was even better than I'd hoped.
This wasn't just Amelia hiding something. This was Amelia meeting with the enemy. Potentially betraying Jeremy. It was possible that Amelia was collaborating with the Volkovs.
Jeremy would be furious. He would feel heartbroken and betrayed.
And I'd be there. To comfort him. To show him what he deserved. I would provide him with an experience that Amelia could never offer.
I put my phone away and returned to the party.
I didn't need Jeremy to show up tonight. I had something better.
I had proof of Amelia's betrayal.
And soon, very soon, I’d make sure Jeremy saw it too.