10

The drive back from the disastrous wine-tasting event was a miserable blur for Reyna. She gripped the steering wheel tightly, knuckles white, as she navigated the familiar roads on autopilot. Her thoughts churned endlessly, replaying the confrontation with Olivia and the subsequent catastrophe over and over.

How could she have been so stupid, letting her guard down enough for Olivia to sneak in and sabotage Phoenix’s signature wine? And then to steal the proprietary blend Reyna had painstakingly perfected in secret, passing it off as her creation to wow the investors?

It was a cutthroat move, even for her ruthless cousin. Mr Daniel’s dismissal of Phoenix’s “amateur offerings” in favour of Olivia’s deception had felt like a physical blow. As if all Reyna’s years of sweat and sacrifice meant nothing under the sway of money and connections.

Blinking back furious tears, Reyna forced herself to breathe slowly. She could not let Olivia’s latest scheme break her. Too much depended on her