I Tore Up His Check, Then He Bought My Life

throw up, and not in the cute

led locker room. Her skin was red and raw from the twelfth wash of the day. The smell of iodine and hospital-

voice was scratchy. "I just finis

ess that cost more than Essence's current annual rent. "But you can't back out.

s, Zoe. To them,

ped the contents into her palm. The ring Nathan had given her sat there, cool and innocent. It was a violation of hospital protocol to wear stones that could tear gloves o

l. It wasn't a gift. It was the last thing she had charged to the Fitzgerald family American Express Black Card five mi

the fabric.

und," Ess

The cafeteria food and the stress of nursing school had carved the softness off her hi

ck at the smal

til they ached, and yanked. The metal teeth bit into the fabric, then closed. It was tight. Not the ki

circles under her eyes that concealer couldn't quite hid

ked her phone. "My Uber Black

g missing three stones on the bottom corner. "

sen

oe. Pl

locker room rushed back in. Essence waited two minutes. Then she wal

a low-balance notification this morning: $42.18. A r

gainst the wind and walked

from the hem of her Chanel gown up to her exposed collarbone. It wasn't a look of admiration; it was a l

ceps. She stared at the advertisement for personal injury law

d the imposing limestone façade of The Met, her feet were throbbing. She was wearing heels she hadn't to

nd the heavy velvet ropes. A black Bentley pulled up to the curb. A doorman in a gold-braided uniform rushed to op

just a hotel ballroom; this was the Met Gala, the hardest ticket in the world to s

She didn't have a ticket. Zoe had said she "handled it," but Zoe's defin

e desk asked, her stylu

rald. E

er expression shifting from boredom to sharp curiosit

le rise. "I see. My

oman interrupted, tapping a separate tab on her screen. "A

s lawyer. The man who had drafted the 200

the woman said, her voice dropp

ing glass, laughter, the low hum of gossip. As she stepped onto the carpet, she felt the shift. It star

yptian stone column an

of champagne in each hand. She shoved

bubbles burned her throa

the most interesting thing that's hap

d to grace us wi

ke. Essence didn't need to turn a

emeralds that were definitely new money, big and gaudy against her pale skin. She looked at Essence wit

e said. She kept

d, looking Essence up and down. "Or is this a charity

e said. It was a lie. Fieldi

lder. "2017? Vintage. How... sustainable of you. Did you charge th

er giggled. It was

"Unlike whatever that green t

ding her personal space. "We heard about the job, Essen

nce said. Her throat fel

h to carry to the nearby tables. "God, how the mighty ha

's face. But she couldn't. That was what the old Essence would have d

ssence said, t

Chloie called ou

O

ors at the main ent

manding. The sound echoed through the cavernous

ike a wave, starting at the door and rolling all

er spine. It was a biological reaction, the

d toward

, pulling their chairs in, clearing a

Then, the rhythmic click-clack of rubber wheels

stopped

eelc

sitting in it, wearing a tuxedo that fit him like a second sk

ing H