Chapter 22

NICOLE

The woman's peculiar stare was making me feel uneasy. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but something about the way she was looking at me just didn't sit right. So, I decided to speak up and ask if we had met before.

"Excuse me? Have we met before?" I asked her, hoping for some clarification.

To my surprise, she gasped and replied, "Don't you recognize me?"

I furrowed my eyebrows, trying to recall if I had ever encountered her before. But I couldn't seem to place her face. At this point, I started to worry that this woman was trying to cause some kind of scene.

“I'm sorry, I don't think I know you."

Mariella's eyes narrowed as she looked me up and down. "You must be the new flavor of the month," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

I felt a surge of anger rise within me, but I tried to keep my cool. "I'm sorry, I don't understand what you're trying to say," I replied, trying to keep my voice even.

Mariella let out a laugh, the sound sharp and bitter. "Oh, come on. Ma