So far, no trace. But she knew he'd be there, if for no other reason than to be seen. For anyone who was anybody in Port Charles was sure to be present at the grand opening of Tempest, and if the buzz circulating about the room was any indicator, the establishment was destined to be the hottest club to hit the city in years. Dare she say she'd wind up putting her cantankerous ol' Uncle Luke's eponymous joint out of business?

      Thoughts of Luke immediately vanished as unbidden, her mind once again settled upon him. The act caused a venomous smile to begin to tug at the corners of her mouth. She knew it irked her ex-husband to no end that she and his lifelong adversary were now business partners. The smile became full-blown as she pondered the notion that the only thing that seemed to gall him more was her insistence on keeping his last name after the divorce.

      It was Carly's way of 'getting her licks in' towards the party she held responsible for their marriage ending. It was her way of telling the dark beauty, 'You may have him now, but I'll make sure you never forget I had him first!' But any satisfaction Carly may have derived from the act was short-lived when the relationship ended. Furthermore, any glee she may have attempted to try and salvage in the wake of the news quickly dissipated upon learning Sonny and the woman actually managed to remain friends.

      Friends.

      Friggin' friends! Hello??? Who in the hell stays 'friends' with someone they're no longer sleeping with, not to mention someone they were so in love with?! And make no mistake if there was one truth Carly bore witness to when it came to the short-lived relationship between Sonny Corinthos and Keesha Ward it was this: Sonny definitely had been in love with her.

      It mattered not whether the feeling was mutual. The simple fact that Sonny shared his heart with another in such a manner detonated in Carly's soul with the force of a grenade. Yes, Sonny had loved her; although she suspected much of that 'love' was rooted in his attachment to and fondness for her son, Michael, she nevertheless did not doubt it. Still, it did nothing to lessen the impact of the sobering realization that he'd never been in love with her.

      That truth burned in Carly's gut like wildfire.

      Sonny.

      Was there any man she could call her own, could get to love her back that Keesha hadn't already won the heart and soul of? Resolving to put thoughts of Keesha and the men to whom they would seemingly always be bound on the shelf, Carly made her way through the crowd, a familiar face causing her heart to swell. This was her night. Her time to hold center stage and shine.

      And nothing was gonna steal her thunder.