Hadley tapped away on her phone, scanning the QR code on the table to settle their check. With a satisfied grin, she announced, “Done!”

“Great! Let’s do this.” Flashing a determined smile, she pushed her chair back and stood up, lifting her chin as confidence flooded through her. Her friends, caught in a fit of giggling encouragement, hurried to the front of the restaurant, eager to secure a good vantage point for what was about to unfold. Their energy spurred her on. Adjusting her little black dress, she marched forward, her heart pounding with adrenaline as she zeroed in on her target: Caspian Harrington.

He sat across from a blonde woman, so absorbed in their conversation that he didn’t even catch her approach. His hand casually grazed the woman’s, his lips curved in an almost imperceptible smile. As she drew near, the syrupy, high-pitched tone of the blonde’s voice hit her ears, making her wince. For a brief moment, she hesitated, tempted to turn back, but the momentum carried her forward.

Without warning, she seized his glass of red wine and flung its contents directly into his face. “Caspian Hugo Harrington, you’re a lying sack of garbage!” Her voice rose above the hum of the restaurant as he shot back in his chair, his expression twisting in shock. Crimson liquid streamed from his face to his pale blue shirt.

With a dramatic gesture, she pointed toward the blonde. “Is this the bimbo responsible for why you left me this morning?”

“What the hell? Lark?” he stammered, recognition dawning as he blinked at her. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Her tone sharpened as she pressed on. “Oh, don’t even try that with me! This... this woman is why you abandoned me at the abortion clinic all by myself? And let’s not forget—thanks for covering the bill, but making me take a cab home? Alone?” Her voice cracked theatrically, pushing the dagger in deeper as his stunned expression turned to mortification. “You had the audacity to tell me you didn’t want a kid. I thought you meant someday—not mine, specifically! I went through with it this morning, and while I’m out trying to pick up the pieces, I walk in on this?” She motioned fiercely toward the blonde as anger and hurt burned in her words.

Jaw clenched, he hissed through gritted teeth, “I swear to God, Lark, you’re out of your damn mind.”

“Oh, fuck you, Caspian. Out of my mind?” Her voice rang out loud and clear. “You’ll never lay a hand on me again. Your little steroid-fueled temper tantrums mean nothing to me now. I’m done being your punching bag! May you choke on something and die!”

Wide-eyed and bewildered, the blonde interrupted, her gaze bouncing between the two. “Wait—what? You made her get an abortion?”

Ignoring the question, she kept her focus on Caspian. “And you, Mr. Billionaire Cheat, spinning webs of lies to get whatever you want. Let me guess—Daddy’s dollars helped you with this one? Oh, and don’t even try to pull the ‘it’s only for work’ card. You’ve burned that excuse too many times.” Mocking his voice, she gestured air quotes before abruptly grabbing the second wine glass from the table and tossing its contents over him. This time, she barely stifled a laugh as the liquid dripped from his furious face. “I hope every single ounce of pain you’ve put me through comes back to haunt you tenfold!”

She turned briefly to the blonde, her smug grin returning. “By the way, if you’re holding out for some steamy action, don’t bother. Turns out, those steroids didn’t change his size, but he can’t get anything going without popping blue pills like they’re candy.” Lifting her chin proudly, she took a step back, savoring the image of Caspian’s stunned and wine-soaked defeat. “You come near me again, and I won’t hesitate to call the cops. Trust me, they remember what you did the last time.”

“Lark, that was an accident!” he barked, his face reddening. She could see the memory flash in his eyes—the time, years ago, when he accidentally hit her with his car in their driveway, breaking her arm. She’d been nine years old, and the summer spent in a cast wasn’t something she had forgotten.

“Accident or not, I don’t care anymore,” she snapped. “Stay the hell out of my life, Caspian.”

With one final glare, she spun on her heel and marched back to where her friends were waiting, wildly waving her over.

“The ride’s here!” Hadley called, practically crying with laughter as she pulled her into the waiting car. Sabine trailed close behind, her cheeks flushed as she struggled to catch her breath.

“Oh my God, that was legendary,” Sabine wheezed as they all piled in. “Note to self: do not ever get on your bad side.”

As the car pulled away, they peered through the back window just in time to see Caspian storming out of the restaurant, his shirt drenched in wine and his expression brimming with rage.

“Take that, Caspian Harrington. Take that,” she said with a triumphant clap of her hands. A wide smile spread across her face as she leaned back into her seat. Revenge, she realized, had never tasted quite so satisfying.