kittykap

[kittykap]

A simple 'mm' slipped out, as she wondered whether she might have ever seen his work while traversing the city. She must have. "My old hood. Might have been too busy going through the divorce. Must have been why I missed your exhibit." A polite smile.

His candor struck a chord with her—a mark of what was to be good company, for the evening, she thought. Her brows raised at him along with the corners of her lips. "No, they don't. Okay, fine. Let's say you find the perfect prey–" With her free hand, she points out a sophisticated woman in crimson halfway across the room. "And she's perfect. Every bit of your type through and through. How do you woo her? C'mon. Entertain me," she pled, "Play-by-play, Malkovich."

@leemalkovich

"Photography," Lee answers, though killing should earn itself an honorable mention. He wants to say it out loud; introduce her to the most impressive, thrilling side of himself. "I've works at a few galleries uptown."

Watching Kitty closely, he ponders on her question, silently considering what it would be like to take her as his muse. "Aye, I'd ought to get to know you first. As I've said, humans make romance what it is — and humans aren't, as I find, ever the same. "What do you find exciting? What do you crave?" He isn't asking her, necessarily — merely musing out loud. "What do your nights look like every night, and how would they look like next to me?"

"...I'll be honest, darling. I don't seek to make anyone fall head over heels for me — I seek someone who I would fall for. Whether they fancy me back or not, though I'd try my bloody best, isn't particularly urgent." Finally, he gives his wine a taste again. "They don't make yearning nowadays quite like they used to."

@kittykap

[kittykap]

"I–I confronted.. I heard it from s–someone else.." Kitty finally blurted, stuttering at every other word, "But then I, um, it's been weeks. I've known for weeks and, well, I asked him about it and– He got really upset, screamed that it was absurd, and then.. And then he packed a suitcase and he left." So, no, she did not have any shred of evidence or real knowledge and facts about it all. But historically, it had been Kitty's role to leave—to prefer to tackle things without tackling them at all. Her husband leaving her was going to leave a wound she wasn't sure would ever heal.

In Nandita's arms, there was but a moment where Kitty did feel like things might turn around. But that lasted for all of just that one moment. She leaned her head straight into the bosom of her friend, clinging to her arms for support as she continued to shake from her emotions. Kitty took her time, sobbing through her thoughts quietly, as Nandita warmly embraced her. She could not have hoped for a better friend in someone in that moment.

"I am tired." The admission lifted a weight off her chest, as she and Nandita moved into the kitchen—the perfect place to dissect more of her pain, and the perfect distance from her children's bedrooms. "I need your help." Her voice—still quivering. "How do I even ask this of you? — Dita, I'm so embarrassed. I–I need it to look like something amicable. We need to...we need to control the narrative that this isn't some broken family, just a new one with differences."

Her chest grew heavy with more grief for her marriage but she carried on as best she could, trying to refrain from another bout of being inconsolable. "I don't know how to even do this. It's going to be public and I don't– Laurel and Sebastian don't get to choose whether– I don't even know how to tell them." The streams begin again. A hopeless wreck, for now. "How am I supposed to have that conversation? How do I explain Mommy and Daddy are 'staying friends though' and– an– Why did this happen?"

@nanditaxiyer

Nandita hadn’t hesitated. One word from Kitty—Dita—had been enough to have her out the door and in a cab within ten minutes, a wool coat thrown over whatever she'd been wearing while reading proofs on her couch. By the time she reached the penthouse, her mind was already turning over the possibilities—What's happening? Who knows? What’s out? What can be contained?

But all that calculation fell quiet the moment she saw Kitty crumble. Nandita moved fast, the way she always did in moments like these—kneeling down without a second thought, catching her friend’s shoulder with both hands to steady her, not caring that her own knees hit the cold marble floor. “No,” she said, low and firm, the kind of voice that had calmed newsroom chaos and held its own in boardrooms. “No, Kitty. Don’t do that. Don’t start with blame—not to yourself.”

Her hands moved to smooth Kitty’s hair back from her face, a quiet, maternal gesture. “You are not dumb. You are not at fault. And you are absolutely not the reason he couldn’t hold his end of the marriage together.” She took a breath. Measured. Anchoring. “Let’s start with the facts. Is there proof? Did he say anything to you directly—or are we filling in the blanks with every insecurity that was never your burden to carry in the first place?” She softened the words only slightly, not to sound harsh—but to make sure Kitty heard her over the voice in her own head.

The sobs cracked her heart, but Nandita didn’t shy away. She leaned in closer, arms wrapping around Kitty’s shoulders, holding her with the kind of quiet fierceness only old friends knew how to deliver. “You have not lost. You’re not ruined. You are hurt, and tired, and probably running on adrenaline and sleepless nights—but you are still Kitty fucking Kaplan, and no blonde with a fresher gym membership is going to take that from you.”

A beat. “And you don’t have to be okay tonight. But you don’t get to say you’re alone, either. I’m here. I’ve got you. And we’ll figure this out—strategically, surgically, and with a little style.” She pulled back just enough to meet Kitty’s eyes. “But first? I’m making tea. You cry if you need to. I’ll put the kettle on.”

[kittykap]

With a sense of warmth in her belly, Kitty let out a laugh at his remarks. "My kids are definitely using AI in school. They already do it with me when they want something. Not sure the same tricks work on their dad." Her eyes rolled at the thought of him.

As he fumbled around for his words, all Kitty could think about was just how often he had done the same eons ago—how she'd catch sweet moments of him tripping all over himself when he got nervous about something. About her, so many years ago. Kitty had never been entirely oblivious when it came to his feelings toward her in their past but something always held him back from making any moves, and Kitty certainly wasn't going to be the first to.

But that was then.

His casual yet snide remark against her ex-husband brought a smile to her. 'Jerk is putting it lightly,' was what she had intended to say but the need to be cordial, polite, and kind struck.  "Bygones. I don't let it weigh too heavily on my mind anymore these days." It was true. She had forgotten what it was even like to have a life partner, given her past nine years without one.

"Always something happening.." she repeated with a slow nod, "In which case, I take it you have a free afternoon then? This is where you're supposed to ask me out to lunch." It was bold of her, given that she hadn't been so in the past but if the stars were aligning for them now, she thought it might be best to take advantage. "My answer is 'yes,' by the way, Clarke."

@joshua-clarke

Put him in front of the President, world leaders, dictators, and Joshua Clarke was fine. Put him in front of an old flame and his brain short circuits.

"Right, right," he said, nodding at her correction. "That's... that's wonderful to hear." His lips managed to crack a smile. "I mean, they probably just ChatGPT and then have fun... I don't mean they actually do that, I just, you know..." He scratched his head as his mouth tried to form words. "It was different... you know, for us." For us. That "us" that was ancient history. "It was a different time."

"Right, right," he repeated again, looking down to not meet her gaze as he realized he made another mistake. "Right, I... uh, forgot, but I read it... somewhere. Uh, I mean, congrats." He didn't know what to say next. "He was a jerk." He wished he hadn't spoken.

The question caught him off guard. A sheepish laugh escaped his lips as his gaze remained on the floor. "You know what this job is like," he said. "There's... there's no time for that, really."

"Oh I mean, you know..." He gestured towards the office. "New York Times. Always something happening." He shrugged. "Especially with all the crap going on."

[kittykap]

When he shares his pretentious perspective about the jewels, Kitty does nothing but roll her eyes in his direction. Clearly, he didn't understand the value of the item in question. It had an article written about it. It was a statement piece for her big night, and with it soaking in awe from the public, the worth of the ruby and diamond-studded jewelry was certain to increase well before it hit the auction floor.

"The necklace is worth a quarter of a million dollars. — And they can't have it," she pressed, gesturing her hands toward the shining piece draped along her chest. God, she wanted to scream. How did she get caught up in a situation like this? "Do you know Kell? Kellen Scarborough? He's going to kill me if I lose these. I mean, I like Kell, I do– I'm just.. We are not giving these to them at any cost." As the words came out of her mouth, she knew immediately just how stupid she sounded saying them. How ignorant. But Kitty wasn't made to know how to act in a situation like this; she was barely made for one in politics.

"After me?! What are you talking about? Didn't we just establish that this is not about me?" she huffed, her stare growing out of the fear and into the shape of anger. "I'm not the problem, Shaggy." 'You're being more like Fred right now.' A muted thought.

Following her lead, Sam makes note of the path, their surroundings, anything that might just be useful later on. In the cellar, they might hear a pin drop - a start difference to the chaos they'd left behind. "No," he answers quietly. "Kidnappings don't tend to come with a show." It's clear he's very sure of this, and he is. "They usually come with casings, and the quieter it is, the better. People kick up a bunch of dirt, they know it's going to be chaos and that the cops are going to show up. If they're after taking someone, interference is the last thing they want."

As if on queue, she finds her necklace. Sam nods his affirmation. "That's probably more along the lines of what's happening." Beat. "Can't say I agree with the showboating, but to each their own."

The door is locked, checked, checked again. Sam remains still and quiet for a moment, listening, before turning his attention to Kitty in full. In another life, it would be Sam stealing those jewels from around her neck. As it stands, he is now several paygrades above that.

Also, not his damn job.

"Their approach is questionable, still. Unless something went wrong."

With a sigh, Sam steps further into the space. Not a chair to be seen but it's clean enough. "We're not going to Scooby Doo it from here, though." He leans against a wall. "Why did you think someone might be after you?"

[kittykap]

𝗦𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 ⸻ Kitty & her husband ex's penthouse, c. 2016 𝗔𝗩𝗔𝗜𝗟𝗔𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬 ⸻ closed ＊ @nanditaxiyer

Her children, 11 and 9, were sleeping soundly in bed while she was restless and away from hers. How was she going to break the news? All she knew was that she needed mitigation and she needed it now. Nandita came to mind immediately, partly because she had already seen the fragility that had always existed between Kitty and her husband– Soon-to-be ex-husband. The other part was that if there was anyone who was well-connected enough to contain a fire in a media frenzy, it was going to be her.

Pulse racing and head throbbing, it felt like the world around her was crashing down. "Dita," she breathed at the first sight of her friend around the corner. She was the first phone call she made and the only one. Nandita would be the first and hopefully last to learn about what had just become of Kitty's family she had built up for all of twelve years.

She stood to greet her before falling weak at the knees and crashing to the floor. "Fuck," she cursed quietly, wary of waking anyone her kids. "Dita, I'm not okay. I–I don't know what to do. He.. She's.. She's younger, prettier, dumber, blonder– Probably." Right, because there was an important piece to be said here which is that: she doesn't really know for sure anything's happened. But in her head, her marriage is over. There was no coming back from this. Left to her imagination, he definitely left her for another woman and she couldn't stick around to be embarrassed about it. Her voice trailed off until it became a light sobbing. "I'm dumb, right? It's my fault this happened. I've been away, an– and–"

[kittykap]

𝗦𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 ⸻ The Met; Petrie Court Cafe 𝗔𝗩𝗔𝗜𝗟𝗔𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬 ⸻ closed ＊ @adamstarke

In a city of 8 million, it wasn't hard to piece together why familiar faces weren't a constant. Especially when said face came from what seemed like a life ago. Adam Connelly was one such face. New York was the kind of place where if you wanted to avoid someone, the city usually took are of you. Kitty's run in the Manhattan Defense Attorney's office was a short albeit memorable one. But during it, she spared no efforts in making friends when she could. Friends. Half of Kitty's were just part of a roster of those who she could make good use of; the other half, she actually enjoyed their company. But where did Adam stand?

Kitty knew Adam before—last she heard—he became a judge. Not to say that he wouldn't have been very useful to her back then given that lawyers generally were. But she had met Adam at a time when she was ready to leave the political scene and all that was caught up in it—the man before her, included. Still, her eyes glowed a different shade of hopeful as she revisited the memory cache that included him in it.

"Your Honor," she greeted cheekily, pulling her reading glasses off her face and looking up at him with a smile. "It's been a long time. — How have you been? I distinctly remember you tucking yourself away in some corner at my farewell party. Almost like you were trying to hide from me." Though suspicion touched her tone, she bore a grin at him. As her circle closed in over the years, she always found it so refreshing to be able to meet someone from her past again and welcome, instead of cower at, the sight of them.

[kittykap]

As the summer season rolled in, so too did Kitty's children. From an empty nester to a full house again, she savored every moment she had with them from breakfasts and crosswords to weekday movie nights. Until they decided they were better festivities to attend at dinnertime. But Kitty had convinced herself to get a life without her kids, which is how she came to arrive at 8 o'clock in the evening at the kind of bar she could tolerate—one you couldn't put the word 'dive' in front of.

When that familiar chime filled the air to greet her, a warm smile immediately began growing on her face. As he always seemed as of late, the answer to her prayers.

Laurel was none the wiser about how exactly her perpetrator had gone missing but she knew enough that her mother had something to do with it. And gratitude. The poor girl finally felt safe again. For Kitty, it was necessary she play the role of protector when her kids' father always preferred his own absence. She hadn't even bothered to ring him up about all that had happened. 'Why bother?' she thought. Still, it was Hans's work—whatever that meant—that there was to thank for whatever happened to the privileged prick.

"Or maybe I haven't seen you in a place like this in awhile," she countered, gliding into the seat nearest him. It didn't take much to recognize what substance was swirling in his glass, with the scent of whiskey rolling right off of him. "And then all of a sudden you've been showing up at the exact times when I decide I'm out for a night on the prowl."

There was, unfortunately for her, something attractive about Hans. More than his features and those piercing blue hues, his devil-may-care spirit.. And then of course, handling what had transpired with Laurel. She had not yet been given the opportunity to.. "I've been meaning to reach out, say 'thank you' and all. But it felt a little desperate to show up at your doorstep, assuming it's even the same doorstep as before." It probably wasn't. Her nose scrunched, as she indicated to someone nearby that she'd have more of whatever Hans was indulging in.

@hstarke

@kittytsai setting: some bar, somewhere in nyc

The last he'd heard of Laurel's antagonist, he'd spontaneously disappeared of college campus — some bullshit excuse that a new, better athletic offer had come along, though it stood out as a clear lie to anybody who had been paying attention. As promised, Hans hadn't killed him, not in the physical sense. But one thing's for certain: that boy would never be the same again.

Good.

Throughout his schemes, Hans had found himself often thankful that he wasn't in Kitty's shoes; that he didn't have an innocent girl under his care who men would see as the perfect victim. Except—

A daughter. The news had broken earlier in the week. He's going to have a daughter. It puts both the past and the present into a whole lot of perspective.

"Well, shit," Hans half laughs, at the sight of her. Not only the sight of her, but the sight of her here. "Been a while since I saw you at a place like this." A few many years, to be exact. "I like the dress."

@kittytsai

[kittykap]

Her fingers drummed along her chin, as she pretended to think up a better nickname than Lee. "Lee's perfect by itself, too," she assured, watching his cliched gesture of a greeting with a smile, "A single syllable. Hard to forget." As he cared to elaborate, Kitty sunk herself deep into listening to him. Again, it was hard for her to resist being entranced by his accent.

"An artist in what medium?" she queried, squinting her eyes at him in suspicion. She could see many versions of an artist in him but which one exactly? "Well, write me off as a bit of a hopeless pessimist then because I like neither of those things." In fact, the type A personality shivered about it. "Maybe I've just never been swept off my feet by the right person yet. — How would you go about making someone like me fall head over heels?" Kitty tipped her glass in his direction before taking a quiet sip, curious as to what tactics he thought might work on her.

@leemalkovich

"Catherine," he repeats, heavy-loaded on the Londoner cadence, his accent turning it into something it's not. Posh, almost. "Bloody does." Then comes, "Kitty. Also lovely."

He smiles, "Lee Malkovich. Too short for a nickname, I reckon." He presses a quick, polite kiss to the back of her hand. "Pleasure, darling."

Romance. Little does Kitty know, she might have just kicked Pandora's box wide fucking open. He could talk of it all night.

"Alas, as I said — I'm an artist. For maniacs like me, romance mustn't always be fairytales. As I see it, there is romance in something which is quite beautiful, and poetic, but perhaps ugly — or unorthodox, or sinful, or rotten to the core." Beat. "Wilde claims that 'The very essence of romance is uncertainty.' And la Barca defends that, 'When love is not madness, it is not love.'" Beat. "I quite like uncertainty, and I quite like madness."

Lee sets his glass down, and eyes her once more. "I suppose it is humans who make romance what it is — for how beautifully flawed they are."

[kittykap]

They told him? Really, what business would anyone have had announcing her appointment to him? Was he also...wondering...about her the same way she, him? The questions that surfaced in her head lingered for a mere moment before a more provocative topic of conversation arose.

Husband.

It was the second time in a month that she had been mistaken for still being latched to the man — a man. The word husband still sent a chill down her spine. "Kids," she corrected gently. Plural. It wasn't all that surprising that he had missed a few major headlines in Kitty's life, especially since he had voluntarily exited it decades ago now. Two decades, to be exact. "Sebastian and Laurel. They're great, uh.. Both in college now. I imagine they're having a better time than I did back then. Don't think they bury their noses in their books the way I did." Than they did.

"As for my husband.. Let's see.. I think I left him in 2016," she smirked, a little proud of herself as she declared it to Josh. It was almost like she was wearing a badge of honor about it; it probably said something along the lines of, 'No, I didn't stay with that filthy man.' "What about you? Did you ever meet someone and settle down?" She thought she knew the answer — hoped she did — but nothing was ever certain until she heard it straight from the source. A little something Josh himself had taught her back in their heyday.

Her brows furrowed, realizing that she was perhaps occupying too much time and space by bothering him there. "I'm so sorry. You must be– You must be busy. I'm probably holding you up from something, aren't I?"

@joshua-clarke

It was disconcerting to see her in the flesh. Sure, he'd seen her plenty on the TV, on articles, and websites... and on social media... and magazines... and pretty much every corner he turned his head. It was actually a bit of an effort to keep her out of his mind.

"Oh right, yeah, yeah, um..." he stammered, "Yeah, they—uh, they told me you'd be in for that. Well, I mean, they didn't tell me. I heard. I think." He rubbed the back of his neck. "There are tons of things that happen around here and I can't really keep track of 'em, sorry." Hopefully, that was a good enough excuse (he knew it wasn't).

"Oh right, yeah," he again repeated, giving a nod as he pursed his lips tightly that the color started to fade. "Mmhmm, yeah. It wasn't... too long ago." It had already been a year. "I practically just moved in." He unpacked in record time. "I don't even know my way around yet." The bodega at the corner of his apartment already knew what he had for breakfast and had it ready at eight on the dot.

At the mention of the Pulitzer, Josh managed to eke out a smile despite the brutal reminder of something he tried futilely to forget. It was an accolade he wished he never got. "Uh... thanks," he finally said. Wanting to move on from the topic, he said the first thing that came to his mind. "How's your kid? And your, uh, husband?"

Awesome, Clarke.

@kittytsai

[kittykap]

Kitty pauses them in their tracks for a moment, stunned by how casually Anaïs presents the meeting of Heath's son. After so many years. Her stride returns as soon as her companion starts elaborating about the menace that seems to be his offspring. "Really?" With how much of a southern charm Heath had always presented himself as in front of Kitty, it did genuinely surprise her that his son wasn't an extension of the same.

Knowing Anaïs to the extent that she did, there wasn't much of a question in her mind that there was anything her friend had done to aggravate, well, anyone. "How exciting!" she exclaimed, clapping her hand over her mouth at the news. "You know I'm only asking since it seems like you guys have been playing some weird version of tango for so long. I see you guys and it always made sense–" Kitty shrugged her shoulders and gave a pressing look to the other woman. "Let me live vicariously," she pled.

As the doorway ahead welcomed them, Kitty entered eagerly, fully absorbing the extravaganza of art surrounding them. "Don't change the subject. How did you guys decide to make things official finally?" It was a completely worthwhile question, she thought.

@anaismurad

It means no. Anaïs's eyes roll at this, yet she decides not to push it. For a woman who lacks the ability to show her affection through almost every known language, gift giving had always felt easy to her. Often times, eas-ier, than something like quality time or even physical touch.

The latter, present now, as Kitty squeezes her hand. Anaïs then decides to prolong the touch, shifting it into a true hold. "How do you mean?" She asks, as they continue to stroll down the gallery. "I suppose I met his son. He's a brat with a loudmouth and a rolodex of insults crafted just for me." There's bitterness in her voice, thinking back on the words thrown at her like daggers. "Heath said he would take care of it. So, that's good. I was half-worried that he would take the boy's side."

"We talked, and I think he understands I can't just be some woman in his life. That I can't outrank others, if I have no rank at all." Anaïs shifts her hold on Kitty's hand, entwining their fingers as they turn a corner. BAROQUE, the sign ahead claims. "After that, we've decided we're together. Officially, that is." She looks over to Kitty. "Let's see where that takes us."

[kittykap]

In the moment, it felt as if Josh hoped he hadn't ran into her, which...stung. Not that it didn't sting when he first decided to cut ties with her without warning. But that was when there was distance between them—when it made a little more sense because she had been in the tabloids with wedding bells Photoshopped above her and her ex-husband's head. She never expected Josh to be so much colder toward her while they stood in such close proximity. "I just wrapped up an interview with the, um, lifestyle column." 'I also may have timed it to end when I thought I might run into you.' That hadn't been a particularly difficult arrangement, given her web of a network.

The nerves that had come over her quickly spiraled into anxiety. For the woman who was so often cool, calm and collected, the sensation was bizarre. It was difficult for her to see him so out of reach, when she knew in another part of their lives, they would have rushed to embrace each other. "I heard — well, I read, that you were working for the New York Times awhile back," she admitted, brushing a loose strand away from the frame of her face. There was no sense in being dishonest about her intel. "Congratulations...on your Pulitzer. It was well-deserved." And she meant every word, as she was sure he meant his.

Perhaps it could have come off like she had been watching too closely from her distance but she didn't have room to care at that point. He was finally right in front of her — tangible — and she couldn't help herself. Praising his work was just easy, as easy as it would have been in the past. Since she saw his name in the byline those many years ago, she had wanted to say it to him in person.

@joshua-clarke

Damn it.

It was stupid to think he could avoid her forever. It was more stupid to think he could avoid her today when she was in the same building. Why didn't he take that early dinner invite?

But he went a year, a year being in the same city without bumping into her, even in in his line of work. That probably deserves an award: the "Best in Dodging The Woulda-Coulda-Shoulda Situationship-ish Woman from College".

Not anymore. Streak ended. And there she was, Miss Catherine Tsai, or better known to him simply as Kitty. Or Weirdo. Or Wethead. Exclusive names only he called her pertaining to inside jokes that had been left dead for a good number of years now.

Josh knew what she looked like. It's not like she wasn't everywhere: magazines, social media, TV. It was almost like she was haunting him. But it was still different when he finally saw her standing there in front of him.

"Hi," he said, trying a little too hard to make his tone friendly that he probably reached a high C. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Hi," he repeated a little normally this time. "Uh, what are you doing here?" Dumb question; he knew she had in interview. "It's good to see you." Not true; he really would have liked to avoid this altogether.

[kittykap]

At his delicate touch, Kitty nearly winced and drew back. Nearly. With some lingering reluctance, she fought all temptations to rip apart the moment they were sharing in. As if a piece of her heart might have mended itself back together, Hans's words of reassurance that the boy would get what was coming to him became enough for the evening. Enough for her. For the first time since Kitty invited him to sit, she took a drink from her glass and fully smiled back at him.

"Couple more of those," she agreed, pursuing eye contact with the waitstaff. As they waited patiently for their course of replenishments, an idea struck Kitty—one she wasn't sure Hans would appreciate. That thought did little to thwart her plans. Standing up, Kitty extended her open palm in front of him. "When's the last time someone took you out for a spin? — Come on. You're dancing with me." Indeed, in the middle of a room that really didn't have a designated dancefloor. There was no space to decline or negotiate, especially after she grabbed his wrist and whisked him away.

"You can't embarrass me now," she teased, fixing his hands and feet into position. Most of the crowd had their eyes trained on them now. And the question did come to mind: Why didn't she ever give him a real chance again? Oh, right..

@hstarke

ㅤ𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗘𝗡𝗗ㅤ♡

It's as though she'd crafted the idea of this boy exclusively for Hans to detest. Kid of a Fortune 500 CFO. Frat president. Enough of an idiot to lay his hands on a girl who didn't want him to. The kind of kid who grew up so privileged, that he had no reason to believe that everything in this world isn't his by birthright. He's the type of boy Hans had hated back in high school, and then again in college. And then again in Wall Street. He would make it a point to feed their worst nightmares back at them on the very same silver spoon they were born suckling on.

Does this mean you're helping Laurel?

"Yeah, yeah," he sighs. "I'll help. I don't know how yet, but— send me everything you have on him, and I'll have a look at it, alright? I'll see what I can do."

Hans looks down at the whiskey he'd been balancing on his knee. There's one, maybe two sips waiting still. He downs all at once, then abandons the glass on a nearby surface.

Back to Kitty, he finds her gaze, and brushes his thumb lightly over the top of her cheek. He likes this — this trust she has in in. "Please. Don't apologize. It's fine." Hans retrieves his hand, and shifts on the couch. "Couple more of these," — he motions to the empty glass — "to forget about that fucker, at least for tonight?"

[kittykap]

A scoff is what she responded with when asked about taking her ex-husband's name. Not because he had greatly offended her or anything but because the idea is so antiquated and unlikely of her. But then she reminded herself that he was in fact a stranger, without a name to his face. "Never," she answers simply, "Catherine Tsai sounds perfect by itself, doesn't it? Everyone calls me Kitty." And she did mean everyone. Because in the social spheres of high society, she couldn't keep up with just how many Catherines or Katherines she had met, and it was her way of distinguishing herself since childhood.

"And do I get the pleasure of knowing your name?" she asked coolly, smiling behind her glass. For all parts, she enjoyed his ability to banter with her. "Romance," she repeated, mostly for herself because the world feels so foreign. Her previous flirtatious manner fizzled out then, in realizing all of the unintentional reminders of her past life in that moment. "I can't remember the last time I was familiar with it. When was the last time something was romantic to you?"

@leemalkovich

Unbound. It's quite a word, though an inaccurate one at that. "I've been bound, aye," he says, "several times over the years. Just not in court. As I'm sure you know, it's quite the pain in the arse if it doesn't work out." All the papers, all the politics. "Have you taken his name?"

Then, Lee laughs – as bashful as he can, within the constraints of this small space. "Flaming red, darling. So scarlet, it's maroon." He sips the wine again, and coming off that high, he ponders her words in a different light. "I'm a reader, and an artist. I find romance to be quite the exciting thing. Don't you?"

[kittykap]

As Heath expressed his own excitement at the events to come, Kitty sat with just how pleased she was with it all. From the moment she discovered Anaïs and Heath to be an item, things just made sense about the pair of them being together. Through each and every hardship, it seemed they always managed to find a way to the surface again. It warmed her heart to know that Heath wanted to go through all the proper channels, that he had gone through so much effort to ensure everything was taken care of. "No doubt in my mind you two would be the happiest couple. You already are," she scrunched her nose as she said so.

"Anaïs is a classic woman — une femme chic. You want to get her a hell of a rock that isn't obnoxious, too gaudy, too anything, really. I imagine her with something impressive but refined." She cheerfully clinked her glass to his, as she took a modest swig from her martini glass. Her head shook at his immediate show of nerves related to the topic. There was certainly no better person to keep a secret better than Kitty — she did in fact keep word of her ex-husband's affair completely under wraps. All were none the wiser, thinking their marriage had collapsed under the guise of irreconcilable differences rather than infidelity. Perhaps they disagreed on parenting — it sounded better than him choosing another woman over her.

At the mention of Harry Winston, Kitty perked up again amid the chatter. While Jean Dousset was a perfectly respectable ring designer, Harry Winston was simply the gold standard of luxury jewelry. Her eyes widened at his mention of 15 carats. She couldn't imagine wearing a ring like that. "That's a whole lot of rock," she chuckled, "But fitting for a woman like herself. It has to stand out. Maybe an antique cut? Something that you don't see regularly for sure." As she mused more about it, she found herself swimming in delightful thoughts. "For a woman who could buy anything she wants, it's got to have something special written all over it. Something sentimental. Dig deep, hon."

@heath-morgan

heath hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath until a deep exhale escaped him. validation wasn’t something he typically sought but this was different. for everything to fall into place with anaïs, gaining the approval of the people closest to her was crucial. it wasn’t just a formality, it was a matter of building the foundation for their future.

“would ya? kitty, that’s perfect! i don’t even know how to thank ya enough” the words came out before he could stop himself, accompanied by a smile that felt more authentic than any in recent memory. it was the first real one he’d allowed himself in months “i spoke to her father a few weeks ago, i wanted his blessin’. old fashioned, but that’s how it should be done, right?” it felt strange to acknowledge it, but at that moment, part of him was gripped with fear, while the other half had never been so certain of anything in his life. and couldn’t help but wonder why he had spent so much time avoiding this kind of happiness.

“i’m sure ya’re the one for the job, sugar, thats why ya’re my best shot. and oh boy, since i got two women to impress, this better be one hell of a rock” he said with a chuckle, taking a sip of his drink. then leaned back, eyes narrowing slightly in thought “ya sure? could be tricky, ya know how sharp her mind is, i’m worried she’ll catch on. but i’m sure ya’ll figure somethin’ out” in his world privacy was a constant battle, securing the ring without drawing attention from the media also felt like an impossible task.

“actually, i got in touch with harry winston - reckon a bespoke service would be the best way to go, i want to design her ring myself” anaïs was unlike anyone he had ever known, and he wanted the symbol of their commitment to reflect that uniqueness “fifteen carats feels just right. can’t settle for less. but i ain’t sure ‘bout the cut. what’s yer take on it?”

[kittykap]

𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗗 : 𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗘 “𝗞𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗬” 𝗞𝗔𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗡 found in attendance at the 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗠𝗘𝗧 𝗚𝗔𝗟𝗔. Dressed by various designers in white and silver. 𝗪𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 :

Juliana Ponce de León — The Marlene Jacket

Juliana Ponce de León — The Marlene Trousers

Christian Louboutin — Miss Z Sling 60 mm Slingback pumps

Mikimoto — Pearls in Motion Pearl Pendant with Diamonds

SHAY — Diamond Pave Essential Link Ring

[kittykap]

Okay, the basement, it was. With wine cellars usually built to protect from as many of the uncontrollable elements as possible, it could have been reasoned then that it was the perfect place for her and Sam to burrow until things bettered outside. Kitty felt her hands reaching around herself, providing some physical way of protecting herself, as she watched Sam decide that no one else was to join them.

Once the elevator doors parted, Kitty knew it was up to her to lead the way and so she wove through what had become an entirely empty set of hallways before she came to a wooden door with a barred window. "There's no, um– there's nothing stopping someone from coming in here," she finally blurted, stepping into the cellar of quiet.

In there, it sounded like the rest of the world had stopped. Who would know they were in there anyways? "Do we– Do we like barricade the doorway or something? I mean– It's not like we think they're after me or something, right?" Her eyes fluttered in Sam's direction, trying hard to find something that was telling behind his own. Kitty was a charitable woman, noble and kind, and didn't often make enemies of people. She had to wonder if there was something else that could have been a target. Maybe even someone else.

Suddenly, her neck felt heavy and tired. Her hand fled immediately to clutch at the jewels around it. The jewels. 'Of course,' she thought to herself. "These are on loan from a friend. They were meant to go up for auction at Sotheby's next month.." She couldn't be certain it was what anyone was after but it was as good a guess as any.

@samburman

She's fine. It's all he needs to know to allow himself to quicken his pace with her the moment she pushes forward. Everyone handles a situation like this differently, and Sam is moderately grateful that she's the sort he can simply guide away from the danger. "Basement is good," his head is on a swivel looking for a way down. He'd find the humor in the wine cellar later.

Cold air wafts aggressively toward them, and while she's turning into it he's shifting, facing his back toward it with the intent to shield her from whatever the hell unknown could be getting inside.

The collision is abrupt but gentle all the same, and Sam glances over his shoulder. "We don't know what's out there." No outside. Not now, not yet. It takes a moment to adjust their path, but he locks in when his sights land on the elevator. To the left, the stairwell. On a dime, their path is set and his mind is made up. He all but throws his body into the stairwell door only for it to not budge. "Fuck," he mutters. "Elevator."

Seconds later, they're in, and he's closing the door on some random partygoer trying to follow them to what they assume to be safety. One button later, they're descending. "I'm sure it sounds worse than it is."

[kittykap]

𝗦𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 ⸻ New York Times Headquarters 𝗔𝗩𝗔𝗜𝗟𝗔𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬 ⸻ closed for @joshua-clarke

It had taken Kitty and her interviewer all morning to get through her interview for a lifestyle column piece. As she made way for the door, the frame of familiarity lined her periphery. A frame and a face that pulled her to a screeching halt in her tracks. Was it—? No, it couldn't be.. Except it was. Joshua Clarke in the flesh. 'As I live and breathe,' she said to herself, softly even in her head, trying to disguise the awe she felt pooling in her belly. Their eyes met for a flash before it seemed like he wished they hadn't. She felt her heart sink to the floor.

There he was, a man that she had only ever daydreamed about in the past few years since he essentially ghosted her. And rightfully so. She had become a married woman after all, a mother even. Still, she had kept their many correspondences—like keepsakes; she read through them fondly and more often than she'd care to admit.

"Clarke?" she uttered, her voice nearly fractured, as she took in his appearance—older but more or less the same. He still had those same husky features she used to close her eyes and wonder about. "I heard you were in town." Of course she did. She had known most of what he had been up to in the years between when they last spoke and now. "It's really great seeing you around." A small smile, like the one that naturally found her when she was in his company.