I realized his fingers had brushed the burn marks on my palm, the ones from making the cake. The fondant had required a sugar syrup heated to the point of blistering, and my hands had paid the price for his gesture toward another woman.
He must've been disgusted.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Penelope's eyes light up with sudden interest. She leaned forward, and I caught the motion before the words came. The strand of hair, tucked behind her left ear, slow and deliberate.
"Oh! Olivia! That red bracelet you're wearing… It looks quite familiar," she said, leaning in. Her smile widened. "I just remembered, a few days ago, I saw something just like that in Dominic's trash can."
The room temperature dropped. Not literally, but I felt it in the way two associates near the door exchanged a glance and found somewhere else to look. Penelope had just announced, in a room full of people who understood the significance of symbols, that whatever token bound me to the Don had been discarded like garbage.
I watched Dominic subtly move his hand to cover his wrist, but I pretended not to notice. Keeping my voice calm, I replied, "These bracelets are pretty common. If you like it, I can give this one to you."
Penelope didn't respond.
When I walked out of the room, the man at the door stepped aside again. This time he didn't look at me at all.
I headed straight for the nearest trash can and threw away the bracelet. I'd worn it for the past seven years, but it no longer meant anything. Just trash. The red thread hit the bottom of the bin with no sound at all, which seemed right. Seven years should make a louder noise when they end, but they don't. They just stop.
I turned to the elevator, and while waiting, my phone buzzed. It was my mother calling. "Did you buy your ticket home yet?" she asked.
"Not yet," I replied, my voice steady. "I'll book it in a few days."
Before I could hang up, I heard Dominic's voice behind me. He'd followed me out. The Don, leaving his own party to stand in a hallway.
"You're booking a ticket?" he asked, his voice sounding confused.
I quickly ended the call, turning around with a blank expression. "Yeah, there's a restaurant nearby that's impossible to get into," I lied smoothly. "You have to reserve days in advance if you want to try the menu."