Chapter 302

• Margaret’s words stirred something complex in me an uneasy blend of pride and guilt.
• I had intentionally left Cassandra off the guest list. Not out of forgetfulness, but strategy. The event a gallery-style luncheon held in my penthouse suite overlooking the city was meant to celebrate influence, culture, and legacy among New York’s elite women. A social chessboard. And I had played my move, hoping Cassandra’s absence would remind her where she stood in the pecking order.
• But Cassandra had, as always, made her own move.