Page 23 of VOGUEish

“What?” Isabella choked on a breath that had been sliding down her throat and coughed. “That’s not fabulous. Not like fashion editor. I won’t impress anyone with that job title. You do know he fired Amanda and that position is now open, right?”

“Honey, when you walk into that reunion looking smashing and armed with the most magnificent tales of what you’ve been up to over the last ten years, there is no guarantee that the ones who humiliated you that night will immediately regret what they did to you. There are people in this world who never regret the wrongs they’ve committed. In fact, there’s a chance some of them won’t even remember.”

Pain swirled around inside Isabella, causing her chest to tighten and tears to spring to the back of her eyes. Was that true? Was it probable they’d not only not care but possibly laugh at her for thinking she might now be worthy of their inner circles? What if they shunned her a second time? What if she was still not good enough to warrant an apology? Isabella jumped up, rushed to the window, and glanced out. Anything to keep the others in the room from seeing her emotions as she processed them.

Chandler walked up behind her and discreetly handed her his silk handkerchief. “I’ve got one this time,” he whispered.

She sniffed her thank you. She turned to stare at Ms. Birdie. “How does my being digital editor help with my goal to impress my classmates during my comeback moment?”

“It won’t help in the least bit to impress them.”

“Then why that title? The essence of my comeback moment is to wow them with how great I am.”

“Everything else in your comeback package will accomplish this. You new position at Naked Runway is one that will elicit fear in those who did you wrong. They will see you as a threat.”

“Threat? How?”

“Because you will be in a position to publicly out them for their vileness via a widely popular platform in Manhattan.”

“How?”

“Part of your platform as digital editor of Naked Runway will be to host a Dear Izzie podcast. A podcast where individuals can call in and be heard. Your canned intro will mention your history with being bullied. You will mention this to your classmates when they ask you what you’re doing now. Your former bullies will quake, because they will quickly realize you have the ability to name them individually in that intro…if you so wish.”

“You truly think that will make them care?”

“Honey, the ringleader of that night is now running for office. Her husband is on the short list for the next attorney general. He contributes large sums to the elimination of bullying in schools. I’ve met them. Had dinner with them. I can tell you, he has no idea about his wife’s dreadful behavior back then.”

The thought of making the one who’d set her up that night worry wasn’t an unpleasant one. She deserved that and so much more. “Okay. I guess I see where this is going. It’s just that when I pictured my comeback night, I saw it flashy and flirty.”

“Oh, it will be flashy and flirty. That’s where the final part of your contract comes to play.”

“The final part?”

“The Sprinkle of a Billionaire Prince Charming.”

Isabella snagged her bottom lip with her teeth. Teeth that were now white and straight thanks to the Fairy Godmother Project. It had been a while since she had given any thought to the abandoned love-interest part of her comeback plan. “Ms. Patricia didn’t actually add that into my contract.”

Ms. Birdie gave her a charming smile. “Honey, it was there…in the fine print.”

“It was?”

“And it said you would stroll into your reunion with your billionaire fiancé, a huge ring on your ring finger.”

Isabella swallowed a lump the size of combat boots. “But my reunion is six weeks away.” The invite had arrived in her inbox over the holidays. “And I don’t know any billionaires. And I’m definitely nowhere near being engaged to one.”

“I assumed as much. That is why I’ve brought Chandler into this meeting.”

Isabella whipped her attention to him. “Do you know what’s going on?”

“I wish I did. I am as surprised by this conversation as you are.”

“Chandler is the perfect man to accompany you to your reunion. He was there the night it happened. As you said, he was your pillar. It is only fitting that he be your pillar when you right the wrong.”

That didn’t sound awful. He had a presence about him that would discourage the bullying of his date. Isabella walked back over to the couch and plopped down.

“Nonna,” Chandler said, “you know my stance when it comes to your attempts to fix me up with one of your projects It’s not—“

“Darling,” Ms. Birdie interrupted, “you owe me a favor. And an owed favor trumps your silly reluctance.”

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