No, making any accusations or spreading gossip about Ian at this time would be extremely unwise, and that realization only made Alicia angrier. The need to lash out was overwhelming, but with her parents present she was forced to keep a damper on her emotions.

It became harder and harder to control her temper, though, as the evening wore on. From her place at the dinner table, she unfortunately had a good vantage point of the table where Ian and Tessa were sitting, and it made her stomach hurt to observe how lovey-dovey the two of them were acting. Each time Ian kissed the bitch’s cheek, Alicia wanted to follow it up with a hard slap. When he caressed the nape of her neck, Alicia’s fingers itched to yank a long strand of Tessa’s blonde hair out by the roots. And when the dancing started and she watched how closely Ian held Tessa in his arms, not to mention the tender, loving way he gazed into her eyes, she feared she might upchuck the small amount of food she’d been able to consume.

But when she spied Tessa leaving the ballroom and heading towards the ladies lounge, Alicia surged to her feet like a panther scenting its prey. She ignored Ross’s voice asking where she was going, or her mother calling after her in concern. She was more than a little tipsy at this point, and had to weave her way carefully around the tables. But she was determined to corner that little bitch and get a few things off her mind.

Tessa was visibly startled when she left the toilets to find Alicia pacing back and forth agitatedly in the adjoining lounge. It gave Alicia great satisfaction to see the fear in Tessa’s blue eyes, the same look a small animal had when it knew it was trapped. Alicia noted with some relief that the two of them appeared to be the only ones in the lounge, though at this point she was so worked up it wouldn’t have mattered if three dozen people were present.

“It won’t last, you know,” Alicia told her boldly. “He’ll get tired of you quicker than you can blink an eye. You’re nowhere near good enough for a man like him, Tessa, not even close. What the hell does he see in a stupid bitch like you anyway?”

Except for the slight tightening of her mouth, Tessa didn’t betray the slightest emotion, which only infuriated Alicia more.

“He loves me,” was all the bitch said in a calm, serene voice that made Alicia want to scream. “And I love him. He doesn’t care about anything else.”

“But he will. One day soon when he gets tired of banging you, he’ll realize what a mistake he’s made,” raged Alicia. “You’re nobody, Tessa, fucking nobody. You have no education, no family, no breeding. You used to buy your clothes from Ross Dress for Less, and wear shoes with worn out heels. And you might be all dressed up tonight, but deep down you’re still nobody and that’s never going to change.”

It pleased Alicia tremendously to see the tears pool up in Tessa’s eyes, and the way her lip started to tremble. But still the bitch wouldn’t break, despite the fact that her voice was a little less steady.

“None of that matters,” replied Tessa quietly. “To either of us. He loves me for who I am, not what school I did or didn’t go to, or where I bought my clothes. Ian’s a good man, the very best, and you’re the one, Alicia, who will never be good enough for him.”

“How dare you!” screamed Alicia. “I’m exactly the sort of woman he needs. I went to fucking Wellesley, the best women’s college in the country. I was a debutante, my mother’s family is one of the oldest in San Francisco, and my father is the top criminal attorney in the state. You couldn’t pick a more perfect woman to be worthy of Ian Gregson.”

“Except for one very important fact,” murmured Tessa. “He doesn’t love you, Alicia. In fact, I don’t think he even likes you very much.”

“Shut up!” Alicia’s rage was off the charts by now and she advanced on Tessa until she was close enough to grasp her by the arm. “How would you like it if I told everyone in the office that the boss was fucking one of his employees? I don’t suppose that would go over very well with the higher ups, would it?”

Tessa grimaced as Alicia dug long fingernails into the flesh of her bare arm. “First of all, I don’t work there any longer, as you well know. And second, considering that his father is about as high up as you can get and that he knows all about us, I’m not really sure what sort of trouble you think you can cause.”

“Oooh, meek little Tessa is finally growing a spine, I see,” sneered Alicia. “You make me sick. You were always so prim and proper, sticking your nose up in the air when we would gossip about other people in the office. I wonder why you never said anything all the times we’d talk about the boss man. Afraid of showing your cards, I’ll bet. Exactly how long have you been screwing him, Tessa?”

Tessa’s mouth tightened angrily. “Our relationship is none of your business, Alicia. I have no intention of talking to you about it.”

Alicia shook her head. “No wonder you always seemed to get the best assignments, why Andrew always seemed to favor you. It was because the boss wanted you for himself all along. Tell me, bitch, when he asked you to do all those spreadsheets for him, were you spreading something else at the same time? Your legs, maybe?”

Tessa gasped, and was struggling to maintain her composure, when a pair of heels clicked rather loudly on the marble floor of the toilet area. Alicia glanced up, ready to tell the unwelcome intruder to mind their own business, when the words caught in her throat.

Joanna Gregson was regarding Alicia like she was something scraped off the bottom of a shoe. Both Alicia and Tessa were silent as Ian’s mother glided their way with carefully measured strides, a smile on her face that somehow chilled Alicia to the bone.

“Tessa, dear, you really ought to get back. Ian will be missing you,” said Joanna gently. “Tell him and my husband that I’ll be along shortly.” When Tessa hesitated, Joanna gave her a little push. “Go, my dear. I’ll join you once I have a little chat with the young, er, lady.”

Tessa gave a quick nod, and then hurried out of the lounge.

Mrs. Gregson refocused that chilling smile on Alicia. “You’re a very pretty young woman. Your name, dear?”

Alicia swallowed with some difficulty. “Alicia Spencer, ma’am.”

Joanna fingered the fabric of Alicia’s pale lilac gown. “Lovely dress. Dior, I believe?” At Alicia’s nod she continued. “Pretty face, beautiful dress, but such an ugly soul. And frankly, it doesn’t seem that your years at a prestigious school like Wellesley did much to teach you things like good manners.”