Karl stiffened the moment he saw her.
Maria.
His former boss.
The woman who, with a kind smile and a gentle voice, had once told him she tried—really tried—to keep him from getting laid off.
The same woman who had been fucking Rebecca's husband behind her back.
The hypocrisy was almost laughable.
And yet, there she stood, perfectly poised, her tailored blazer hugging her frame, her dark eyes sparkling with something just beneath the surface. Amusement? Malice? A test?
It didn't matter.
She was here.
And Rebecca, completely unaware of the silent tension in the air, was beaming.
"Karl, can you believe it?" Rebecca grinned, tossing her purse onto his couch. "Maria and I have been best friends since high school! I had no idea you two knew each other!"
Karl forced a smile, though he could feel his teeth grinding against each other. "Yeah. Small world."