SECOND LIFE: CEO's shadow

Marcus stood up the second he saw me. He looked a mess. His tie was loosened, his hair was pushed back like he'd been running his hands through it all night, and his face was a dark, angry red. He looked at the velvet box in my hand, then at my dress, and then finally at my eyes.

"Where have you been?" he demanded. He didn't even try to lower his voice. The doorman looked away, pretending to polish a brass railing. "I've been sitting here for four hours, Clara. Your phone went straight to voicemail. Do you have any idea how worried I've been?"

I didn't stop. I walked right past him toward the elevators. I didn't feel like the girl who used to apologize for being five minutes late. I felt like I was made of iron.

"I told you I needed space, Marcus," I said. My voice was calm, which I knew would make him even angrier. "I went to an auction. It was a private event."

"An auction?" He followed me into the elevator, his shoes squeaking on the marble. As the doors shut, he grabbed my shoulder and spun me around. "With what money? You told me your accounts were frozen! You told me you couldn't move a dime, but here you are, dressed like a widow at a funeral, carrying a jewelry box that probably costs more than my car!"

I looked down at his hand on my shoulder. I didn't scream. I just looked at it until he felt uncomfortable enough to let go.

"The accounts are for new business transfers, Marcus," I lied. I made sure to sound bored. "Personal spending is different. Besides, I didn't buy this. It was a gift."

"A gift?" He let out a sharp, ugly laugh. "From who? Who gives a girl a ten-million-dollar emerald just for showing up?"

"Someone who values my time more than you do," I said.

The elevator dinked at my floor. I stepped out, leaving him standing there with his mouth open. I knew I was pushing him, poking the bear, but I didn't care. I wanted him to be off-balance. I wanted him to go running to the one person he always turned to when things went wrong.

I opened my apartment door and walked inside. I didn't even look back to see if he was following. I knew he was.

"Clara, wait! I'm sorry," he said, his voice suddenly changing. He was doing the "soft" Marcus now. The one who begged for forgiveness. "I'm just stressed. The startup is falling apart without that deposit. I feel like I'm losing you, and it's making me crazy."

I walked into the kitchen and set the emerald box on the counter. "You are losing me, Marcus. Because you don't respect me."

"That's not true! I-"

He was interrupted by a knock at the door. Not a loud, angry knock, but a soft, timid one.

I smiled to myself. I knew exactly who it was. I had seen the text on Marcus's phone in my first life. Sienna was supposed to come over tonight to "check on me" while Marcus pressured me about the money. They were a tag team.

I walked over and opened the door.

Sienna stood there, looking like a drowned rat. It was raining outside, and her cheap coat was soaked through. She was holding a bag of takeout, trying to look like the sweet, struggling friend who just wanted to help.

"Oh, Clara! Thank god you're home," she said, her voice trembling. "Marcus called me and said you weren't answering. I was so worried about you!"

She stepped inside, but then she saw Marcus standing in the kitchen. She froze, her eyes darting between the two of us. "Oh... I didn't know you were here, Marcus."

I watched them. This was the moment. In my first life, I would have hugged her and thanked her for the food. I would have felt bad that she was wet and cold. But now, I just saw the way her eyes immediately went to the velvet box on the counter.

"Sienna, perfect timing," I said. I walked back to the kitchen and picked up the box, opening it so the deep green stone caught the light. "I was just showing Marcus my new gift."

Sienna's jaw dropped. She couldn't hide the greed. She wanted this stone so badly I could practically see her fingers itching to touch it. This was the girl who would eventually kill me for a fraction of what this was worth.

"It's... it's beautiful," she whispered. She looked at Marcus, and for a second, a look of pure confusion passed between them. He didn't know where it came from, and she was mad he hadn't told her about it.

"Marcus thinks I should sell it to fund his business," I said, watching Sienna's face. "What do you think, Sienna? Should I give up this one-of-a-kind jewel for a tech company that doesn't even have an office yet?"

Sienna was trapped. If she said yes, she'd look like she was taking Marcus's side. If she said no, she'd be going against their plan.

"I... I mean, Marcus is so smart, Clara," she stuttered. "But that stone... it looks like it belongs on a queen."

"Exactly," I said. I snapped the box shut. "Now, Sienna, you look exhausted. And Marcus, you've said enough for one night. I think you both should leave."

"Clara, come on-" Marcus started.

"Out," I said. I pointed to the door.

I watched them leave together. I stood at the window and watched them walk toward Marcus's car. They were arguing. I couldn't hear them, but I could see the way Marcus was waving his arms and Sienna was pointing back at my apartment.

They were turning on each other. The pressure was working.

I sat down at my desk and opened my laptop. I had a lot of work to do. If I was going to use Sienna to destroy Marcus, I had to give her a reason to betray him. And I knew exactly what she wanted more than anything.

She wanted to be me.

So, I was going to help her. I was going to give her a job at Marcus's biggest rival company. I was going to give her a taste of the high life. And then, I was going to watch her take Marcus down just to keep it.