“Yes, I have important business to take care of,” he said bluntly.
Charlotte blushed even brighter. Ian offered his hand “Congratulations on your engagement” he said briskly.
Charlotte was practically shaking as she shook his hand. I held mine out and Ian blatantly ignored it. Had I offended him? I frowned. I hadn’t even personally met the Grants before now, had I? I struggled to remember. He was acting as though I had personally slighted him in some way.
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay?” Charlotte asked eagerly, gesturing to the marquee “I mean, the party’s just started and…” she trailed off as another man, looking remarkably similar to Ian stepped next to him, smiling widely.
“Knox,” she said disapprovingly “how lovely to see you.”
The man winked “Hey babycakes” he said as Charlotte glared “Congratulations on your engagement. I see you’ve managed to convince some poor slob to marry you. Here’s hoping he doesn’t leave you standing at the aisle” he added cheerfully, shaking a white-faced Charlotte’s hand and ignoring me like his brother had.
“Knox” Ian hissed “must you be so..”
“Rude,” Knox said drily and nodded “Yes Ian, I must. I fear I dislike this man” he nodded towards me “and am showing it. The two of you” he glanced between Charlotte and me with a wide smile and twinkling eyes “deserve each other.”
“Ian um, about that day that I..” Charlotte began.
Ian shifted awkwardly on one foot. “Oh, do you mean the day that you asked Ian out in front of a whole host of your friends, thinking he wouldn’t dare say no?” Knox chirped, a wicked grin on his face “Does that day still haunt you Charlotte? Because I’m pretty sure that Ian has forgotten all about it” he added blithely.
Charlotte gaped. Ian inclined his head “I fear that my memory of that day is gone. I did not find it important enough as something that ought to be remembered.”
I blanched. Charlotte looked like she was about to be sick. “But..” she stammered.
“Besides a Grant would never lower themselves to go out with a Deluca. We have our own standards that we uphold” Knox said, cutting even deeper “But all the best with your marriage. It’s great that you can be wise enough to lower your own standards to get a husband” he quipped, and then he and Ian turned and began to walk away, leaving a flabbergasted Charlotte and me in their wake.
“Bastards,” I said between gritted teeth, Charlotte looking miserable beside me “they just insulted us right to our faces.”
“Yeah well,” she said tightly “They are Grants so what are you going to do?” she pointed out dejectedly.
She pursed her lips and then grabbed my arm, dragging me back into the marquee “Come on” she barked “We’re going inside. I’m hungry, I’m upset and I’m angry” she snarled, looking determined as she stormed inside.
I saw her scan the crowd, reaching out to grab a glass of champagne from the nearest waiter, gulping it down, and then putting the empty onto the tray and blindly reaching for another.
“Don’t drink too much” I warned her, as she eyed me with a scathing glance “You’re not the most even-tempered when you’ve been drinking” I added as she huffed at me.
I saw her turn and look directly towards the press. “Let’s go get our pictures taken” she suggested tersely “seeing as my makeup has been fixed. You look” she paused and glanced at me, raking her gaze over my suit and then reaching up and adjusting my tie as I stood there quietly “reasonable” she finished with a sneer “I guess that will have to do” she added dismissively.
Thanks, I thought a tad sarcastically. I was already well and truly over this party. I glanced towards Flair and my eyes softened. She looked so beautiful as she laughed at the table with that bastard Grayson. Her eyes were sparkling and her face was glowing. Her burgundy wine dress enhanced her curves and skin tone. She looked like she was in her element and for a moment, all I could do was stare at her longingly, reminded of the woman who I had once fallen in love with before I had fallen for Charlotte and her treacherous ways. Life had been so much simpler with Flair, I thought as Charlotte dragged me towards the media, and I wondered if life was ever going to be that calm with Charlotte.
Flair POV
Knox and Ian have left the party already. Rachel and Timothy have slipped away, leaving just Grayson and me to ourselves. Flash, bright light temporarily blinds me and I turn to see that Grayson’s face is mutinous as the photographer holds up his camera, continuing to take pictures of the two of us, without apology or remorse.
“Grayson, he’s taking photos of everyone” I soothed, seeing the anger on my husband’s face.
He frowns and then relaxes. A voice comes from behind us “Grayson, Flair, if you will just join us, Grandfather has insisted on getting a family photograph done” Charlotte’s voice was scathing.
Grayson sighs. I hold his hand and we obediently follow behind Charlotte who is smirking and sashaying to the house. Evidently, we weren’t having our photo taken outdoors then, I thought with some surprise. Grayson looked peeved.
“After this, let’s just go” he whispers to me “I’ve had quite enough of this party” he mutters under his breath.
I agree. We’ve done our duty and congratulated Charlotte and Johnathon. We don’t have to stay for the entirety of the party.
We walk into the living room, where the Grandfather is patiently waiting. A brilliant smile lights up his face. “Well done Charlotte,” he says as Charlotte rolls her eyes, a photographer in the corner “I would like to get some pictures of the engaged couple naturally,” he said to the man with the camera who was nodding intently “but I’d love some of just Flair and Grayson as well together before we take a family one. It would be nice for them to have a nice picture as a couple to put up, don’t you think?” he said to us.
Charlotte looked annoyed “I thought you just wanted a photo of all of us” she protested, pouting.
Johnathon just sighed.
The photographer motioned for myself and Grayson to stand in front of the fireplace. “If you could just hold Flair in your arms, in front of you, that’s it, put your head on her shoulder” he instructed Grayson, his eyes lighting up as he darted to and fro, correcting Grayson’s stance, while his grandfather watched intently “Perfect” he exhaled and promptly shot several different angles in quick succession as Grayson and I smiled at each other.
“You will not believe how well that’s come out,” the photographer said in a hushed voice to the elderly Mr Deluca who nodded gleefully.
“Our turn” Charlotte griped, as Grayson and I reluctantly parted and moved back, Charlotte’s smile forced as she and Johnathon attempted to do the same pose.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.