Knock knock knock.
Aurora's blood boiled. Again?
She stomped toward the door, vodka still warm in her veins and popcorn stuck to her shirt.
Her voice rose like hellfire.
"Jason, if you knock one more time, I swear to God I will break your damn hands and feed them to stray dogs!"
Mia cackled behind her on the couch. "That's my girl!"
Aurora yanked the door open like she was ready to throw punches—
—and froze.
It wasn't Jason.
It was Cassandra Vane.
High-fashion, high-profile, high-problem.
River's ex.
The same icy goddess who had strutted into their office last week in stilettos that probably cost more than Aurora's rent. The one who'd made every girl in the room feel like lint on a designer coat.
And right now, she stood at Aurora's door with her arms crossed, lips pursed, and not a single hair out of place.
She was stunning.
Tall. Blonde. Diamond earrings. Leather trench coat. A storm in red lipstick.
Aurora blinked. "Uh... what the hell?"
"Holy SHIT," Mia screamed from behind. "OH MY GOD—Cassandra Vane? Cassandra freaking Vane?!"
She bolted toward the door like a toddler spotting Santa at the mall.
"I've seen all your campaigns—oh my god, the Dior shoot with the panther, the rooftop Vogue cover, that time you slapped the paparazzi—you're literally my icon—can I—"
Before she could finish, Cassandra raised one hand and shoved Mia back with two fingers.
"Don't touch me with your stinky peasant hands."
Mia stumbled. "Wha—? Excuse you?!"
Aurora's jaw dropped. "Okay, bitch, no one talks to her like that—"
But Cassandra wasn't looking at Mia anymore.
Her icy eyes locked on Aurora like lasers. She stepped forward, heels clicking with the precision of an assassin.
"I'm not here for your friend," she said coldly. "I'm here for you."
Aurora's spine stiffened. "You've got five seconds to back off before I return the shove."
Cassandra's lips curled into a cruel smile.
"I came to warn you," she said, voice low and sharp. "Stay away from River Damon."
Aurora laughed. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me, sweetie," Cassandra said, brushing past her into the apartment uninvited, scanning the room with disgust. "Ugh. How does River even breathe in a place like this?"
Mia growled. "Don't make me take off my earrings, you frozen Barbie."
Cassandra ignored her.
"I know what you're doing," she continued, circling Aurora like a snake. "i had rumors your rivers pet huh. Let me tell you something about men like River—"
Aurora raised her brow.
Cassandra's eyes flashed. "He chews girls like you up. He plays with them. Breaks them. He's mine. He always comes back to me."
Aurora stared at her. "Then why are you here and not in his bed?"
Cassandra flinched like she'd been slapped.
"I'm warning you, nobody steals from me and gets away with it," she hissed. "Especially not a nobody in a fake hoodie drinking vodka from a mug in a disgusting environment."
Aurora crossed her arms. "Jealousy is a really bad perfume on you."
"You'll see," Cassandra snapped. "You don't know who you're messing with."
"I do," Aurora replied. "His name's River Damon. And trust me, I already regret meeting him."
Cassandra's eyes narrowed.
"I was being nice," she said, stepping closer. "But if you don't back off… next time, I won't be."
She spun on her heel and strutted out like she was walking a runway in hell.
The door slammed shut behind her.
Mia stood frozen, jaw on the floor. "Did that just happen? Did Cassandra Vane show up to threaten you over a man?"
Aurora stared at the door, chest heaving.
She didn't answer.
But inside her gut — beneath the vodka, popcorn, and rage — was a twisting feeling.
If Cassandra Vane was this threatened?
Maybe Aurora did mean something to River after all.
And that was more terrifying than anything Jason could've done.