10

Chapter 10

Brittany’s POV

Once every month, there is this event that swallows the society page whole—the world charity galas. This event was filled with New York’s richest families.

Influential and powerful men conversed with each other, handed out big checks, and made quiet deals that would change the city before the night was over.

The chandelier lights at the Pemberton Estate sparkled over our heads, its glow spreading across the floor where people were standing, sitting doing one activity or the other.

My flowing burgundy Valentino gown I wore followed me as I moved, it was swaying gently with each step.

And tonight, I felt untouchable.

“Brittany, darling!” Vivienne's voice cuts in the gentle, quiet sound of the music being played by the orchestra.

She came to where I sat holding two glasses of champagne .

Vivienne looked beautiful, but tonight her emerald gown and glossy auburn hair made her shine and more beautiful.

She gave me one of the glasses and studied me with a grin. “You look radiant. What's that glow on your face?”

I could hardly keep my smile in check. “Viv, I have the most wonderful news.”

We moved to a quiet corner near the tall windows overlooking Central Park.

The city lights stretched out like jewels below, with different colours but my excitement kept pulling me back to the present.

“Tell me Brittany, how did it happen?” she asked, her eyes bright.

I sipped my drink, then I continued,“My parents met with Rodrigo's yesterday. The merger is official.”

Her brows shot up. “The business merger?”

“Yes and also the marriage between I and Darcy,” I corrected with a whisper. “It’s decided. Darcy and I are getting married. The Hawthorne and Rodrigo empires—united at last.”

The words tasted like triumph. Years of careful planning, waiting patiently and playing the long game were finally over and it's starting to pay off. Soon, I would be at the center of it all.

Vivienne gasped and held my hand. “Oh, Brittany, this is good news! When will they tell Darcy?”

“Soon,” I admitted, though a nervous flutter stirred in my chest. “They want it presented as a complete plan. No room for questions.”

Vivienne nodded. We had grown up in this world, where marriages were business strategies as much as personal unions. Love rarely entered the equation.

Not that I cared. Love faded. Power lasted.

“I can already see it,” I said, letting my eyes drift shut. “The engagement announcement in the Times, the wedding at the Plaza. People who ever doubted me will watch me as I become Mrs. Brittany Darcy Rodrigo.”

I stretched out my left hand, admiring the empty space on my ring finger as if there was a diamond ring already there. “And it will be enormous. A rock so big it deserves its own zip code.”

Vivienne laughed, musical and light. “You deserve this, Brit. After Wilson, after everything you survived… this is your victory.”

Wilson. The name nearly soured my mood, but I shoved it away. My ex-husband was nothing but a memory—a mistake I’d learned from. Darcy was my future, and unlike Wilson, his empire was strong. Solid. Untouchable.

“Mrs. Rodrigo,” I whispered again, rolling the name on my tongue. Sweet. Powerful. Perfect.

“Think of what this means for you,” Vivienne added. “You’ll have the wealth of two families, endless connections, influence everywhere you turn. You’ll be one of the most powerful women in New York.”

The word powerful sent a thrill through me, more intoxicating than champagne. In our world, you were predator or prey. I had decided long ago which one I would be.

“The charity boards will beg for me,” I said. “I’ll probably have to decline half of their invitations.”

“And the Darcy Group?” Vivienne asked carefully.

“Oh, Darcy won’t want me involved in his company. That’s fine. I’ll be busy enough shaping New York society. And then, of course, there’s Pink.”

Her expression softened. “His daughter. How do you feel about suddenly becoming a mother?”

The question caught me off guard. In all my planning, Darcy’s little girl rarely crossed my mind. Pink was three, polite, but distant. She clung to her father and barely looked at me. Still, children adapted. She would too.

“She’s adorable,” I said smoothly. “Very well-mannered. We’ll get along.”

“You’ll be wonderful with her,” Vivienne said kindly. “Pink is lucky to have you.”

The compliment straightened my posture. “I’ve always been good with children. It’s natural for me.”

A waiter passed by with fresh champagne, and I eagerly traded my empty flute for another.

But then Vivienne’s tone turned cautious. “What about Thomas? Darcy knows, doesn’t he?”

The words hit like ice water, but I forced a smile. Thomas Wellington had been a mistake—a weak moment. Darcy had found us together, yes, but that was the past.

“That’s ancient history,” I said, flicking my hand. “Darcy forgave me. Men like him understand passion can make us stray. And let’s not pretend Darcy hasn’t had his own… amusements.”

Vivienne tilted her head, doubt flickering before she smoothed it away.

I lifted my glass. “Soon I’ll wear a diamond so huge, people will see it across the ballroom.”

We spent the next hour planning my fantasy wedding. I described flowers from Paris, a guest list dripping with power, the Plaza ballroom lit with gold. It all felt real, so close I could almost touch it.

Then Vivienne’s phone buzzed. She glanced down, smirked, and scrolled. “You’ll want to see this. The gossip blogs are desperate nowadays.”

She turned the screen toward me, and my stomach dropped.

Darcy stood in a navy suit inside his office building, every inch the devastating CEO. But beside him was her.

She was beautiful—effortlessly so. Dark hair, a face glowing with warmth even in a grainy photo. But worse, Pink was in her arms, clinging tightly, planting a kiss on her cheek. A kiss she had never given me.

“Who is that?” I demanded, my voice sharp.

“Caption says nanny interviews. Looks like Darcy hired help for Pink.”

This happened three days ago. I never knew until now. I was so busy preparing for this event.

Nanny. The word should have been harmless. It wasn’t. Darcy’s eyes in the photo were different—soft, almost tender as he looked at her.

“She’s nobody,” I said too quickly, trying to convince myself. “Just some random applicant.”

Vivienne studied the photo. “Pink seems to adore her. Look at the way she holds on.”

I wanted to take the phone from her hands by force and smash it to pieces on the floor. Instead, I forced my lips into a fake smile. “Children are unpredictable. It means nothing.”

But my thoughts spun wildly. Who was this woman? Why did Pink light up in her arms? Why did Darcy’s face look warmer with her than it ever had with me?

“I need to powder my nose,” I muttered, setting my glass down hard.

“Are you alright?” Vivienne asked gently.

I lied instantly, “I'm fine,”

I walked to the lounge instantly with calculated precision, my heels tapped on the floor.

The gold mirrors showed me from every side. My perfect hair, smooth makeup on check and glowing skin. But my eyes looked tense and afraid. I didn't want to lose Darcy to anybody.

I pulled out my phone from my purse and found the number I was looking for.

“Ms. Brittany,” his smooth voice filled my ear . “It’s been a while.”

Jackson was the best private investigator in New York. Discreet, ruthless, and expensive. He had saved me during my divorce from Wilsom, unearthing secrets that preserved my fortune.

“Jackson, I’m sending you a photo,” I said, forwarding the image with shaking hands.

After a pause, his voice returned. “Attractive, Early twenties. What’s her connection?”

“She’s familiar and may be involved with someone important to me. I need everything, where she came from, what she wants, who she really is.”

“How deep do you want me to dig?”

The question hung heavy. Jackson’s words meant more than background checks. He was asking if I wanted him to cross lines, to find what others kept buried.

I looked at my reflection, the woman who was finally close to everything she had ever wanted—marriage, wealth, security, power.

And I knew my answer.

“Dig as deep as it takes,” I hissed. “I don’t care what it costs. I want everything on this