DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH

Chapter 1: The Ghost of Viral Past

The invitation was heavy with lettering; it felt like it could hurt someone. In the world of Manhattan high-society parties a Vane invitation was not a piece of paper it was a ticket to the most exclusive group of people.

Elena Rossi stared at the names on the invitation Mr. Silas Vane and Miss Penelope Wright until the letters started to blur. Her assistant, Marcus whispered to her "Elena you are doing it again you are getting that twitch in your eye you are going to scare the people who are serving the food."

Elena. I tried to relax her face. She smoothed out her dress and held her clipboard tightly. "I am not scared Marcus, I am focused. This job is the thing that can save my company from going bankrupt. I do not care if the groom is a Vane. I am here for the money."

Marcus said softly "It is not the groom you're worried about, it is the Best Man."

Elena did not answer she could not. It had been five years. She could still hear the sound of her own voice shaking and the sound of Julian Vane laughing at her.

Julian Vane had said to a camera "This is what happens when you hire a girl to do a woman's job amateur hour. Miss Rossi, do not bother showing your face in this part of town again."

Ten million people had seen that video and it had cost her her reputation.

"He is a man, " Elena said to herself, "a man who likes things perfect, a man who is rich and thinks he is better than everyone else, a man who has not seen me since I was twenty-three and is scared I am a professional now."

Marcus said, "Exactly now let us go, the Perfectionist will be here in five minutes to check everything."

The party was being held in a room with a lot of glass and white flowers. It was cold and beautiful like the Vane family. Elena walked around the room checking the lights everything had to be perfect if Julian Vane found one thing wrong he would use it to hurt her

She was fixing a ribbon on a chair when the room started to feel cold. The big doors opened and Julian Vane walked in his shoes and made a clicking sound on the floor.

Julian Vane did not just walk into a room he took over; he was taller than she remembered; his shoulders were broader; his hair was dark and neat; his eyes were cold and blue; they looked around the room like he was searching for something to criticize.

Next to him his brother Silas looked happy and friendly like a dog.

Silas said, "It looks great does it not Jules?"

Julian did not smile, he looked at the flowers and said, "The flowers are not symmetrical Silas and the lights are too warm; it looks like a sunset, not a party."

Elena started to feel angry; she had worked hard for five years to forget what Julian Vane had done to her; she stepped forward, her heels clicking on the floor.

"The lights are set to a temperature Mr. Vane " Elena said, her voice steady "it is meant to make the bride look good in pictures. The flowers are not symmetrical on purpose, it is called a natural look."

Julian stopped moving, he did not turn around, he was like a statue then he slowly turned around, his eyes locked onto hers and for a moment she saw something in his eyes, something she could not understand.

"You " he said, his voice. Rough.

"Mr. Vane, " she replied, looking up at him, "I am Elena Rossi, I am in charge of your brother's party."

Silas looked confused "Wait you two know each other?"

Julian's eyes looked at her from her hair to her clipboard "We have met, though I thought you had changed jobs, something public."

Elena felt like he had hit her; he was bringing up the past again.

"I stayed in the business Julian " she said, "I am the best in the city that is why your brother hired me."

Julian stepped closer to her "My brother is a romantic. He sees beauty. I see problems and you, Elena, are a problem waiting to happen."

Elena felt angry "That was five years ago I have built my company from nothing. I have done perfect parties. I am not that girl in the video anymore."

Julian leaned in close to her "Are you not?" he whispered, "your eye is twitching, Elena you are still scared of me."

He pulled back and he was smiling, a small mean smile "Fix the lights Miss Rossi and the flowers if it is not perfect by tomorrow I will cancel your contract."

He walked out leaving Elena feeling angry and ashamed she spent the four hours working on the party making sure everything was perfect.

At midnight the room was empty. The city lights were shining through the glass. Elena sat on the edge of a fountain, her head in her hands.

"I will not let him win, " she whispered, "I will not."

Her phone started ringing. It was a news alert and she opened it. Her heart stopped.

The headline said, "BLAST FROM THE PAST: IS THE 'VANE WEDDING' HEADED FOR A REPEAT?"

There was a picture of her and Julian that looked like they were kissing. The caption said, "Sources say Julian Vane has not just hired the woman he once hurt, he has moved her into his house to oversee more than the party."

Elena's phone started ringing. It was her mother, her investor, then a text message, from an unknown number.

"My office now we have a problem " the message said, it was signed J.V.