Chapter 42: Provocation

The day started innocuously enough, but I should have known better than to believe that any encounter with Genevieve could be harmless. The woman was like a walking embodiment of a ticking time bomb, wrapped in designer clothes and an air of insufferable superiority. I was already on edge after our last confrontation, but when she sauntered up to me with that smug grin plastered on her face, I knew something was up.

“Claire, darling!” she trilled, her voice as sweet as a rotten apple. I felt my stomach turn. She leaned in closer, as if we were old friends sharing a secret. “I just wanted to remind you about the party tomorrow. It’s at The Grand Ballroom on Fifth Avenue, 8 PM sharp. You’ll be there, won’t you?”