Chapter 110 110
Kylie's POV
A few days later, I waited outside the boutique for what felt like hours, crouched in the shadow of a lamppost, heart hammering like a drum in my chest. Maisie had mentioned on her Instagram that she would come here to pick up her wedding dress and I... I had to see it. I had to see her.
I wasn't sure what I was going to do once I got inside. Maybe apologize? Maybe charm her, remind her of the old "friendship" we shared before she stole everything from my world? Or maybe I'd just watch, silent, as she paraded around like she had won everything, because, technically, she had.
The glass doors slid open, and there she was. Maisie. Radiant as ever, with that calm, commanding presence that made people part like the Red Sea for her. I felt a pang in my chest, a mixture of jealousy, admiration, and something I couldn't name. I had to bite my lip to stop myself from crying.
I followed her in, weaving between racks of expensive dresses, pretending to browse while keeping my eyes locked on her. At some point, I threw some jewelry into my purse because why the heck not?
The boutique smelled of fresh flowers and perfume, a scent that reminded me of the power and wealth she now embodied. Every step she took was graceful, precise, and infuriating.
I tried to speak once, but my voice caught in my throat. Then, I caught a glimpse of her laughing with the boutique manager, her hand brushing over a delicate lace gown. I clenched my fists. She's living my dream now. She has everything I once had.
Finally, I stepped forward, my nerves shaking but my determination stronger than ever.
Before I could call out her name, a hand grabbed mine.
“Thief!” The attendant yelled.
I shoved her away from me. “I'm not a thief, you idiot!”
Heads turned and the boutique fell silent.
Maisie glanced up at me, eyebrows raised in surprise.
“Kylie?” she said slowly, as if tasting the name. "What are you doing here?"
“She stole jewelry.” The attendant said, reaching for my purse.
Shit!
I shoved her away. “Don't say that. I stole nothing.”
“Then let's see your purse.” She insisted, stretching her hand.
“There's nothing in my purse.” I scoffed.
“Really?” Maisie raised a brow. “Then give it to her and prove your innocence.”
I'd never been this murderous in my life.
I forced a smile, my stomach twisting. "I... I just wanted to see you, Maisie. It's been so long. I... I thought maybe we could-"
She snatched the purse from me, leaving me stunned. Then she ruffled through it.
A flash of disappointment crossed her face and she passed the purse to the attendant. “Five years and you still haven't changed, have you Kylie?”
I'd been caught.
The attendant brought out the jewelry I'd snatched and hurled my purse at me. “Get out of here before I call security.”
I turned to Maisie to apologize but she wasn't having it.
“Get out of here and never come near me again. Do you understand?” Her cold blue eyes pinned me in place.
I felt my face flush crimson, a mixture of anger, embarrassment, and desperation. "Maisie, wait! I-"
She shook her head, turning her back on me with the grace and authority that always made me feel small. "I mean it. Never."
The boutique manager gave me a pointed look, subtly moving in to block me from interrupting further. I froze for a moment, realizing just how ridiculous I must look. Standing there in my cheap clothes, messy hair, trying to insert myself into her perfect, untouchable world.
I stumbled out of the boutique, my heart hammering, chest tight, mind reeling. The air outside felt thick and heavy. I walked a few steps before sinking onto a low wall, trying to catch my breath. I hated that I was still thinking about her. Hated that her rejection burned more than my pride, more than my failures, more than anything else in my miserable, schemed-out life.
I was about to leave the premises when I saw him.
Xavier.
Or at least, the shadow of the man he used to be. He was slouched against the corner of the building, hair long and tangled, beard scraggly, clothes baggy and worn. He looked broken. Yet, even broken, there was a presence to him that reminded me of the man he had once been. A man I had feared, envied, and partnered with in our schemes.
I froze for a moment.
"Xavier..." I said cautiously. He looked up, eyes bleary, and met mine. There was no spark of recognition in them, just a hollow gaze that pierced me straight through.
"Are you asking for money?" I said quickly, holding up my hands, voice sharper than I intended. "Because I don't have any."
He blinked slowly, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of anger, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. "I'm not here for that," he said quietly, voice low, almost cruel in its monotone. "Now get out of my sight."
I opened my mouth, wanting to argue, to tell him that I wasn't asking, that I wasn't here for anything but he didn't give me the chance. He pushed past me, long strides eating the space between us, leaving me standing there, stunned.
I huffed, irritation mingling with relief, and straightened my shoulders. My heels clicked against the pavement as I turned and walked away, forcing my pride to shield the disappointment and humiliation that threatened to overtake me.
As I walked, I replayed the scene in the boutique over and over in my mind. Maisie had made me feel small, pathetic, and irrelevant in seconds. And Xavier... He had become a ghost of his former self, almost pitiful in his misery.
My chest burned with a mix of anger and opportunity. Maisie was untouchable now, but everyone had a weakness even her. And even her perfect life could be infiltrated if I played my cards right.
I adjusted the strap of my bag, the weight of the day settling heavily on my shoulders. I couldn't go back to my apartment yet. I needed air, clarity, and a plan. I needed to remind myself that just because I had been humiliated didn't mean I was done.
I passed the boutique again, watching as customers came and went, unaware of the silent war waging on the sidewalk outside. I clenched my fists. Maisie thought she had the upper hand. That she could command everyone, everything, and everyone would bow. But I was still here. I was still breathing, scheming, surviving.
The images of Xavier, the broken man who had once been my partner in crime, my ally in everything-haunted me. Baggy clothes, unkempt hair, empty eyes... He had lost everything, and it was partly because of Maisie. I wanted to feel sympathy, to offer him comfort... But I couldn't. Not yet. Not when my own humiliation was raw, sharp, and smoldering.
I walked faster, heels clicking, heart pounding. My mind raced with thoughts of leverage, opportunity, and cunning. Maisie had power, influence, and recognition. She had the perfect life I couldn't touch and even though she had boundaries, boundaries could be tested.
By the time I reached the corner of the street, I slowed my pace, chest heaving. I glanced back toward the boutique. The warm lights spilling onto the pavement seemed almost cruel, a reminder of the world I no longer belonged to.
But I wouldn't stay down. I couldn't. I had survived worse, schemed smarter, and manipulated better. Maisie's life might seem untouchable, perfect, and untarnished but I had history with her, knowledge of her world, and the cunning to navigate it.
Xavier had retreated into misery. I had survived and I had adapted and tonight had reminded me of one undeniable truth: power could be taken, influence could be lost, and yet a person with cunning and ambition could claw their way back.
I exhaled slowly, letting the tension in my shoulders ease just slightly. Maisie thought she had seen the last of me but she hadn't. She has no idea what I am capable of and what lengths I could go to get what I want.
The night air was crisp, biting against my flushed cheeks. I straightened my back, tightened my grip on my bag, and started walking. My heels clicked against the pavement with determination.
This wasn't the end. Not for me. Not for Kylie.
I would see her again. I would find my place in her world and when I did, she would remember me.
Maisie might be untouchable now. She might have wealth, influence, and a perfect life but I had ambition, cunning, and fire. And fire, once sparked, could burn brighter than gold.