The moment she hung up, she tossed her phone aside and pulled me into her arms, her face crumpling with heartbreak. "Addie, stop crying. A man like that isn't worth a single tear. Trust me. I'm going to make him pay."
I was... crying?
I touched my cheek. Only then did I realize that cold tears had been streaming down my face all along.
A sharp ache seized my heart, and the pain that had been slow to arrive now flooded through every limb, every nerve, until I could barely breathe.
Because of the gap between our worlds, I had imagined a hundred different ways Jesse and I might end. But not once, not in any version, had I pictured standing in my wedding dress while he threw me away like I was nothing.
Some time later, Nora's phone buzzed with a message.
"Son of a— He's out at a club right now? He actually has the nerve to be chasing women tonight?" She was shaking with fury. "I'll ruin him before sunrise!"
"Addie, there are too many paparazzi outside. Stay in and keep a low profile for a while." She grabbed her bag and headed for the door. "Don't worry. I'm settling this score tonight."
She couldn't help but curse under her breath. After rattling off a few quick warnings, she grabbed her camera and turned to leave.
"Wait, Nora."
I caught her arm, then reached up and tore the veil from my head without hesitation, my eyes burning. "Where is he? I'm coming with you."
Nora was a seasoned entertainment reporter. It didn't take much effort for her to shake the colleagues who'd tailed us all the way there.
The car pulled up outside the club where Jesse was. Not far off, Victoria Harbor glittered under a blanket of lights.
Prime location meant the place was crawling with trust-fund heirs looking for a good time, and the security matched. Tight. Professional.
Nora and I had our masks on, but the doorman stopped us both with a practiced smile. "I'm sorry, ladies. Without a reservation, we can't let you in."
Nora started to argue, but I pulled her back.
Right there, in full view of everyone, I removed my mask, revealing the face that practically everyone on the island recognized.
"I'm here for Jesse Swanson."
"You're welcome to stop me. As long as you can handle what comes next."
The doorman's arrogance evaporated in an instant, replaced by a fawning grin. "Best Actress Sullivan! Forgive me, I didn't recognize you. Please, right this way."