Chapter 5
Andrew finally spoke up. "I was the one who had it changed. Your flight was delayed, and leaving the seat empty would've looked bad. Sophia needed to meet a few investors tonight, so I just took care of it."
"Just took care of it," I repeated, letting the words linger in the air.
I echoed the phrase and left it at that.
These past few years, Andrew had mastered the art of downplaying major stuff.
He signed out my mother's brooch, saying it was just to match the dress.
He let Sophia sit in my spot, claiming it would look bad if it was left empty.
He gave her the Hughes Foundation's partner badge, saying it was just to help her meet a few people.
Every move seemed so casual, like it was no big deal.
But every single one hit right at my status.
My secretary handed me another file. "Ms. Hughes, the three investors Ms. Grant met tonight are all potential backers for her aesthetic space project.
"She even mentioned to one of them that the Hughes Foundation was considering joining her public aesthetic space initiative in the future."
Andrew was the first to look upset.
He looked at Sophia. "You said that?"
Sophia's eyes finally showed a flicker of panic. "I only said there was a possibility we'd work together, not that it was a done deal."
"You spent the whole night in my seat," I said, holding her eyes. "In my dress, in my brooch, with the Hughes Foundation badge on you.
"You told them there was a chance we'd work together. Do you think anyone in that room heard that as small talk?"
She started to say something.
But this time, no tears came.
Andrew's voice went cold. "Sophia, I told you to go meet people. Don't put the Hughes Foundation's name behind this project."
Sophia looked at him, tears brimming again. "But you said if tonight went smoothly, they'd be open to hearing my proposal.
"Andrew, I've got nowhere else to turn. My ex keeps chasing me for money, the brand my dad left me is on its last legs, and I just want to make it through this."
As soon as she said that, everyone in the suite fell silent.
The cold look in Andrew's eyes softened.
That was how he always was.
Whenever Sophia brought up her past, her father, or everything she'd been through, Andrew would always let it go.
I picked up the badge.
[Hughes Foundation Partner Badge.]
The black print on the silver-white card made it look pretty official.
I set the badge down in front of Andrew.
"Who gave her this?" I asked.
His Adam's apple bobbed. "I had my assistant get it ready."
"Where's the authorization document?" I asked.
He didn't say a word.
I picked up my phone and messaged the Hughes Foundation's legal team, telling them to freeze all temporary partner privileges for tonight and to let the organizers know to take Sophia off the guest list.
Andrew reached out and pressed his hand over my phone.
"Things have already gotten this far. Are you really going to take it any further?" he said.
I looked up at him. "We're not at that point yet."
He gave me a serious look. "Claire, don't drag yourself into this. The Hughes Foundation is running a charity auction tonight, and there are reporters everywhere. If this gets out of hand, it'll be bad for everyone."
I stared at his hand, holding down my phone.
"So you want me to just let it slide?" I asked.
He paused for a moment, his voice softening. "Let's just get through tonight. Tomorrow, I'll make sure Sophia apologizes to you. I'll take care of the compensation and the explanation."
"You've dealt with this so many times already," I said.
I pulled my phone out from under his hand.
"And every time you 'fix' things, she just gets a little closer to me," I added.
Andrew's expression shifted.
Sophia's eyes were red as she said quietly, "Claire, I swear I never meant to take anything of yours."
I turned to look at her.
She stood there in that ill-fitting backup dress, her fingers nervously twisting together. The graceful, dignified air she had at the head table downstairs had all but vanished under the harsh hotel lights.
"Then issue a statement right now," I said.
Sophia's face froze, caught off guard and at a total loss.
I pushed my phone in front of her. "Say the dress, the seat, the badge, and the paddle had nothing to do with you tonight. Say you had no authorization from the Hughes Foundation and no standing to represent us on any project."
She looked at Andrew.
Andrew rubbed his temples. "Claire, that statement will kill every chance she has tonight."
I nodded. "That's the idea."
He looked up sharply.
I looked at Sophia. "An opportunity taken with somebody else's name was never yours to keep."
Sophia's tears had dried up, and she couldn't produce any more.
She picked up her phone, her fingers hesitating over the screen for what felt like forever.
In the end, she placed it back on the table.
"I can't post it," Sophia whispered.
Her voice was barely a whisper, almost lost in the room.
"If I post that, no one would ever back my project again," Sophia whispered.
I looked at her.
She finally came clean.
From the moment she slipped into my dress and stepped into the banquet hall, she knew exactly what she could get out of this borrowed status tonight.
Andrew was about to say something, but I cut him off.
"Then I'll post it myself," I said.
I opened the Hughes Foundation's official account and had my secretary draft a public clarification announcement.
Andrew grabbed my wrist, his voice dropping to a dangerous low. "Claire, are you really going to push her over the edge?"
I looked at him.
"Let go," I said.
He didn't let go.