The class reunion was happening at Manhattan's most exclusive five-star hotel. Veronica had some business to handle and would be running late, but Juliette and Kitty were already there.
"Where's Veronica?" Kitty wondered aloud.
"She'll be here any second," Juliette answered, buzzing with anticipation. Years had passed since they'd all been together—she was curious how much everyone had transformed. She couldn't speak for the others, but she knew she'd changed dramatically.
"Let's head inside," Kitty suggested, guiding Juliette toward the main hall. The moment they stepped into the corridor, they ran straight into Hardy, who was deep in a phone conversation. He spun around, and his eyes collided with Juliette's.
Time seemed to pause. Hardy's expression darkened into a scowl. Juliette flinched at his hostile stare and instinctively stepped back, quickly trailing after Kitty into the hall. Hardy always felt like a walking disaster—avoiding him was the smart move.
