Chapter 5 - SOPHIE FINDS A BETTER WEAPONSophie did not immediately decide to use what she heard.
At first she simply felt relieved.
Money had made Ava untouchable.
But an old relationship with the groom?
That made her vulnerable again.
For years Sophie had built her confidence through comparison.
If another woman was richer, Sophie wanted to be prettier.
If another woman was prettier, Sophie wanted better connections.
If someone had better connections, Sophie wanted a secret.
Now she had one.
She returned to the ballroom and found a champagne flute.
Then another.
Across the room, she spotted Lucas Sterling.
Forty-three.
Founder of Sterling Ventures.
One of the most influential early-stage investors in New York consumer brands.
Sophie had spent months trying to arrange a meeting with him for a luxury accessories startup she wanted to launch.
Tonight was supposed to be her opportunity.
Her contact had said:
“Lucas will be at the Westmore wedding. Just get introduced naturally.”
Sophie had hoped Claire might do it.
But Claire barely knew her.
Now Ava had something better.
Access.
Sophie approached Ava during cocktail hour.
“Can we start over?”
Ava looked at her.
“That was quick.”
“I acted badly.”
“Yes.”
“I’m embarrassed.”
“That’s reasonable.”
Sophie swallowed pride.
“I’m sorry about the gate.”
Ava waited.
“And the things I said in the past.”
“What things?”
Sophie almost became defensive.
Then stopped.
“The clothes.”
“The restaurants.”
“Making assumptions.”
Ava nodded.
“Thank you.”
Sophie brightened slightly.
“So we’re okay?”
“I didn’t say that.”
Sophie’s smile faltered.
“Ava.”
“An apology isn’t a vending machine.”
“What?”
“You don’t insert it and receive friendship.”
Sophie laughed awkwardly.
“Fair.”
Then, after a pause:
“Could you introduce me to Lucas Sterling?”
Ava’s expression did not move.
There it was.
Sophie continued quickly.
“I have a business concept.”
“You know I’ve been working on it.”
“I only need five minutes.”
“Then send him a deck.”
“He doesn’t respond to unsolicited decks.”
“Most investors don’t.”
“You know him.”
“I do.”
“Exactly.”
Ava stared at her.
“If you hadn’t learned who my father was tonight, would you have asked me?”
Sophie hesitated.
That was answer.
Ava shook her head.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t know enough about your business.”
“You don’t need to endorse it.”
“An introduction is an endorsement of my judgment.”
“It’s one conversation.”
“It’s my relationship.”
Sophie’s frustration rose.
“You could help me and you’re choosing not to.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because twenty minutes ago you told me this place only suited people like you.”
Sophie’s face flushed.
“That was stupid.”
“Yes.”
“I apologized.”
“Yes.”
“So what do you want? Me to beg?”
“No.”
Ava’s voice remained calm.
“I want you to build something strong enough that you don’t need to use me.”
Sophie stared.
Ava walked away.
Humiliation turned into anger.
Then a voice behind Sophie said:
“Rough night?”
She turned.
A man named Preston Vale stood there.
Thirty-eight, charming, gossip columnist turned public-relations consultant.
Sophie knew him socially.
He had built a career knowing which secrets wealthy people wanted buried.
“What do you want?”
“Nothing.”
He smiled.
“You just look like someone who discovered her friend is more interesting than she thought.”
Sophie said nothing.
Preston glanced toward Ava.
“The Bennett girl?”
“You know her?”
“Everyone who matters knows the name.”
“Hardly anyone knows the woman.”
Sophie drank champagne.
Preston leaned closer.
“She’s very private.”
“Yes.”
“Privacy is usually expensive because there’s something worth protecting.”
Sophie remembered the bridal-suite conversation.
James.
Ava.
Old love.
She looked toward the groom.
Then toward Claire.
Then Ava.
Preston noticed.
His smile sharpened.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Come on.”
Sophie should have walked away.
Instead she said:
“Ava used to date James.”
Preston’s eyebrows rose.
“The groom?”
“Yes.”
“Claire knows?”
“I think so.”
“That’s less interesting.”
Sophie hesitated.
Then added:
“Ava almost didn’t come because of him.”
That was not exactly true.
But it sounded better.
Preston looked toward Ava again.
“Now that…”
He smiled.
“That could become interesting.”
Sophie immediately regretted it.
“Don’t do anything.”
Preston lifted both hands.
“I didn’t hear a thing.”
May you like
But people like Preston rarely forgot the thing they were told not to use.
And by the time Sophie realized that, the wedding had already begun.
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