04: smudged lipstick

Sally's POV:

"What are you doing?!" Derek barked, anger lacing his voice like barbed wire.

I turned sharply and I saw him storming his way over to us. His brows were tightly drawn together, a snarl etched on his lips. Anna walked behind him, like a fairy. Her long black hair flowed down her body in perfect waves, her eyes blue as sapphires. She wore a stunning silk gown that accentuated her curves, every stroke of make up on her doll-like face was purposeful and perfect. Her heels clicked softly on the ground, her back ramrod straight and her eyes bored, looking like she couldn't have been bothered with anything.

For a few seconds I felt dizzy. Derek was fuming, and I was sure if I looked closely I'll see steam rising from his head and ears. But that didn't take away from his handsomeness at all. If anything he looked so hot, with that feral look in his eyes.

Hold on. Something was wrong.

On closer inspection, I noticed that he looked a bit different. Nothing too serious, but since I came out with him I knew how he looked when we left the house.

His coat was missing. I noticed wrinkles on his shirt and trousers, like someone had grabbed him in multiple places. Strands of his hair fell out of place, falling into his face. And his lips were redder, like he had bit them. Or someone sucked them.

I looked at Anna behind him. Her lipstick was the only thing missing from her face.

A sickening feeling filled my stomach. What could they have been doing? It can't be what I'm thinking, right?

"Relax man," Leon said, making me realize that he was still standing close to me. I shuddered and moved away from him. "It wasn't what you think," He said.

Derek ignored him. The next thing I knew, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me into his arms. I froze into the hug, my eyes wide with shock. He pulled back quickly and turned, as if he wanted to leave.

"Ah hello," Anna said in her sing song voice, making Derek and I pause. "Derek darling, won't you introduce me to your... friend?"

My stomach twisted. Friend?

I don't know what made me glance at Leon. He had a serious look on his face. One that said. "Watch and see, he'll show you now." My heart began to race as I feared Derek's reply. Would he call me his wife? His mistress? Or a friend? My breath stalled in my chest as the seconds ticked by to his announcement.

Please Derek. Say I'm your wife. As long as you acknowledge me as your wife here, I don't care whatever complicated relationship you have with Anna. Please.

He didn't even hear my inner cries. I doubt he'll —

"She is the closest person to me in this world."

"Derek..." I whispered,completely at a loss for words.

The closest person, he said. What tempting words, like poison wrapped in layers of frosting, I know it is poisonous, I don’t want it, but I have to swallow it.

He didn't call me his wife. He completely dodged the question. Sadness bloomed in my heart like deadly nightshade, threatening to poison me. Tears burned the back of my eyes and I warned myself not to cry.

Derek hugged me, and I let him.

I leaned against his chest, letting his scent cover me. His heat was constantly transferred to me, but I couldn't feel any warmth. It was as if my internal organs were frozen and my body couldn't stop trembling. Derek seemed to feel my trembling and tightened his arms to hold me tighter.

I met Leon's sharp eyes, and I could clearly see the mockery on his face, which seemed to express mercilessly how ridiculous I was at the moment. I was powerless to refute, so I could only lower my head to avoid his sight and ignore the expression on Anna's face.

"Your skirt is so beautiful. Did you wear it specially to watch my father's performance?" Anna's voice sounded a little strange, as if she was trying hard to suppress something, but I didn't have time to distinguish her tone. All my brain cells were processing the information in her words.

"Your father?" I asked, my brows etched with confusion.

"Yes, he's my father. Didn't Derek tell you? Actually, you don't have to dress so formally. Everyone is wearing casual clothes. Besides, you're Derek's... friend. My father won't care about what you wear." Anna said, a sweet smile on her red heart shaped lips.

The walls of my chest felt like it was collapsing inside.

No, Derek never told me that Mr. Armani is Anna's father. Matter of fact, he never told me that I didn't need to dress too formally to see Mr. Armani's performances.

Looking down at my dress, I felt embarrassment settle in my gut like a heavy stone. I was so happy to receive this dress this morning, did Derek give it to me because he thought I was not worthy of him? Shame made my cheeks burn hot and I avoided Anna's piercing eyes.

Not to mention how she referred to me as Derek's Friend.

I didn't miss her deliberate pause when she said that, or how her eyes narrowed mockingly. Is this why Derek won't acknowledge my relationship as his wife?

Anna took my hand affectionately and pulled me out of Derek's arms. "But Derek, you are different. You have to dress nicely to see Dad. Dad is always happy to see you."

Standing opposite Derek, I can clearly see Derek's face and his expression. He put one hand in his pocket, past me, he looked behind him, and said in a light tone: "Mr. Armani will be happier to see you."

Anna hit Derek's arm, and laughed out loud. She swayed and seemed to fall, but Derek quickly pulled out his hand and caught her. Anna's smile got bigger, and her big eyes sparkled like bright stars when she looked at Derek. At this moment, I was sure that Anna liked Derek. What about Derek?

Anna looked at us and said with a smile, "You know, no matter where my father performs, Derek will take time to watch his performance and send him flowers, as if they have some strange agreement. Isn't it cute?!"

Leon laughed out loud, and I wanted to laugh with him. I pulled the corners of my mouth but the muscles on my face seemed to be frozen and unable to move. I could only look at them woodenly like an outsider.

"I can put an end to this behavior immediately if you stop getting mad at your father." Derek complained, but I knew he wasn't angry.

My heart sank into my heels.

There was an intimacy between Derek and Anna that I could neither explain nor intervene in. Derek's tolerance for Anna was beyond my imagination, and he himself didn't even realize it. Staring at their intimate interaction, my heart sank into my heels.

Anna seemed to notice something and looked at me. She took a step up to me, so close that I could perceive her perfume. "Oh my dear, are you okay? Your face doesn't look so good."

In that moment, it felt like I had even opened to new dimensions. I could see my face reflected in Anna's eyes. My cheeks were deathly pale, as if all color had been sucked out with a sponge.

"I'm okay," I replied and looked away from her haughty eyes.

My heart thrashed like a war drum in my chest . I couldn't place if what I was feeling was anger or something else.

Anna is Mr Armani's daughter. Now it all makes sense. Derek didn't get the ticket for me, or with me in mind. He didn't even come with me because he had suddenly developed an interest in ballet.

The only reason why he was here was to send flowers to Mr Armani, through Anna, and not me. He respects Mr Armani, not because he's my idol, but because he's Anna's father.

I watched the two of them talking, and I felt smaller and smaller. If I vanish, will they even know?

My hands trembled and my vision blurred.

The realization dawned on me hard. Everything he did was because of Anna. And me, I was just doing it by the way.