“Yes, after everything.” Vivian’s face was hard and unyielding. What the hell was wrong with her? She couldn’t really think…

Then Jules realized the truth. This was it.

This was when she’d finally crossed the line, made the same kind of mistake that Mallory and Lucia had and all those other nameless employees Simon had mentioned. Jules had messed up in a way considered unforgivable—or Vivian thought she had—and nothing Jules had ever done mattered compared to that.

“Now, let’s go.” Vivian looked at her black evening gloves and adjusted the right one.

Jules asked numbly, “Now, what?”

“You’re coming with me to the dinner. If you’re only going to Prabal’s party because you’re desperate for entertainment, that shouldn’t bother you, should it?”

“Coming with you,” Jules repeated. “To the dinner.”

“Evidently I need to keep my eye on you tonight. I’d thought I could rely on you, I admit it.” Vivian’s voice was as calm and cool as when she’d fired Mallory and threatened Ben. “Apparently not. How disappointing. We’ll have to reevaluate your role, Julia.”

Reevaluate your role. Vague words, but the cold look on Vivian’s face said it all. Jules had seen it before, and it always meant the same thing, no exceptions. Specifically, it meant that Jules was finally, officially, yesterday’s trash.

“Oh,” she said.

“‘Oh,’” Vivian mimicked. “Is that all you have to say for yourself? I’m surprised.”

“I’m not,” Jules said. Her own voice seemed to come from a long way away.

Vivian frowned. “What?”

“I’m not surprised by any of this at all.”

The glare grew sharper. “If you do have something to say—”

“Oh, I do,” Jules said. “Believe me.”

By now, even her scalp was prickling with rage. Vivian had ignored her all week. Now, out of nowhere, she was accusing both Jules and Monique of something totally inappropriate. All Vivian’s talk about wanting to help Jules, about being grateful for her devotion: bullshit.

Vivian scowled and continued, “Then I suggest you say it now.”

“Why, because I won’t get another chance?” Well. If that’s what Vivian wanted, then here it came. Here came all the words, everything Jules had never meant to say, everything she’d kept stoppered up in her throat because it would do no good to say it.

She laughed. It sounded awful and horrible and felt worse. “I knew this would happen. I did everything right. But you don’t care. It doesn’t matter to you.”

“Excuse me?” She tilted her head back. Her cheeks began to redden.

“You think I’d just throw it all away and go to Monique. Because… Oh shit. I get it.” The revelations just kept coming, each new one worse than the last. “Because you think I’m like you. That everyone is. That explains it.”