By the time the plan had begun to take shape, I thought I had seen every form of betrayal a human heart could conjure. But then Serena proved me wrong.

Everything had been going smoothly—almost too smoothly. Soren and I had drawn our lines perfectly, our moves measured like pieces on a chessboard. Each lie Julian told, each act of affection Serena faked, each whisper that fluttered through the corridors of Parsons Global only brought me closer to the checkmate I had been waiting for.

Then, ...