5.show me what you've got

~~Lucia~~

“Ma’am, would you like your hair styled the usual way?” the woman doing my hair and makeup asked, running the straightener through my hair.

Jeffrey preferred Chloe’s hair in a ponytail, even at parties. He also seemed to have a problem with clothes that showed off her curves. Sometimes, I wondered if he was trying to keep other men from noticing how beautiful his wife was.

Whatever his reasons, I had no intention of following his preferences.

I studied my reflection in the mirror. “No. Let it fall over my shoulders.”

The woman hesitated, the straightener hovering beside my head.

“A-are you sure, ma’am?”

I met her eyes through the mirror. “Yes. Is there a problem?”

“No, ma’am. I was only asking.”

By the time she finished, I had changed into the black dress waiting for me. The woman stepped back, and her eyes widened.

“Ma’am, you look gorgeous.”

A smirk tugged at my lips as I turned towards the mirror.

Chloe had a figure that could turn heads without trying, yet Jeffrey preferred hiding it beneath clothes that did her no justice. Looking at myself in the mirror, I couldn't help wondering how someone could have such a beautiful wife and still make her feel like she had to hide herself.

Well, that was his loss. Goodbye to that ridiculous habit.

If he didn't like other men looking at his wife, he could look away himself.

I grabbed my purse and headed for the door, already looking forward to seeing the expression on my dear husband's face.

The cool night air brushed against my skin as I stepped outside. A crescent moon hung above the rooftops, and a car waited near the driveway with a valet standing beside it.

I barely spared it a glance.

I remembered this part of the novel. Miles had offered to take Chloe to the gala, but she had refused because she was afraid Jeffrey would misunderstand their relationship.

Honestly, I couldn't understand why she'd been so worried about his feelings when he'd given her every reason to stop caring about them.

If Jeffrey wanted to believe something was going on between Miles and me, he could draw whatever conclusions he liked. After everything he'd put Chloe through, a little jealousy wouldn't kill him.

Besides, arriving with his stepbrother would make the evening much more interesting.

As if summoned by my thoughts, Miles's car rolled towards me and stopped beside the driveway.

The passenger window slid down, and his gaze travelled from my face to my dress, lingering a little too long on my cleavage.

I cleared my throat.

His eyes snapped back to mine, and he straightened in his seat.

“You look…” He paused, apparently struggling to find the right words.

“I know,” I replied sweetly.

His eyes lingered on my face for a moment, and his amused expression slowly changed to something more curious.

“What?” I asked.

“Nothing.” He shook his head, but he was still studying me. “You just seem different tonight.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“Not at all.” A small smile tugged at his lips. “I'm just wondering what happened to the Chloe I used to know. Don't you think Jeffrey will get pissed when he sees you dressed like this?”

“A little rebellion can't hurt anyone.” I shrugged casually.

“Then I suppose I can't argue with that.” He rested a hand on the steering wheel. “Mind if I give you a lift?”

“That's nice of you, but I already have a driver waiting.”

He glanced at the car before looking back at me. “And you're planning to leave with him when we're going to the same place?”

“That's the general idea.”

“Come on, Chloe. You can't expect me to drive off when we are both going to the same place.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Are you always this persistent?”

“Only when it's worth the trouble.”

Well, wasn't that interesting?

After making him wait a few seconds, I opened the passenger door. “Fine. But don't say I didn't give you a chance to escape.”

Miles chuckled as I settled into the seat. The leather felt cool against my bare thighs, and his cologne lingered in the air.

“Something tells me I'm not going to regret this,” he said, glancing at me before turning back to the road.

I smiled and fastened my seat belt, wondering if he had any idea how much trouble this little ride could cause once Jeffrey found out.

The gala venue came into view before long, its grand entrance glowing beneath bright lights. Luxury cars lined the driveway while photographers waited behind barriers, their cameras flashing as guests stepped onto the red carpet.

Miles pulled up near the entrance.

For a moment, I remained in my seat, staring at the grand hall through the windshield.

This was it.

I'd spent the evening making choices Chloe would never have dared to make. Now, I was about to find out if my little plan would work.

I turned to Miles with a smile. “Well, shall we?”

He gave me a curious look but didn't ask questions.

I stepped out, straightened my dress, and lifted my chin.

Let's see how much trouble we can stir up tonight.

Just as I'd expected, I immediately became the center of attention. Cameras flashed, people gasped, and heads turned as I stood beside the car with a confident smile.

So this was what being rich felt like.

Fucking sweet.

Miles appeared beside me, looking unfazed by the attention. He leaned closer and held out his arm.

“Shall we?” he whispered.

“With all pleasure.”

I slipped my hand through his, and we walked into the hall together, my heels clicking against the polished floor.

The whispers started almost immediately.

“Isn't that Jeffrey's wife?”

“Who would've thought his fatso wife had such nice curves and a beautiful face?”

“She looks so different tonight. Bet Jeffrey will be smitten.”

Smitten, my arse.

The asshole was probably inside wondering what all the commotion was about, completely unaware that his wife was the reason everyone had their necks craned.

My gaze swept across the hall, past the crystal chandeliers and elegantly dressed guests, until it landed on Jeffrey.

Mira, my stepsister, stood beside him.

I took in her perfectly styled hair, expensive dress, and slender figure. She wasn't nearly as beautiful as I'd imagined a wicked stepsister in a novel would be, though I had to admit she carried herself well.

So this was the woman he'd chosen over his own wife.

Jeffrey's smile disappeared slowly. His gaze moved from my dress to the hand resting on Miles's arm, and his jaw tightened.

For a second, I thought he might actually come over and drag me away. Then his expression changed, and he forced a smile back onto his face when someone beside him spoke.

Oh, he remembered where he was.

Good. Let him stand there and pretend everything was fine while he watched his wife enjoy the attention he'd never wanted her to have.

Miles leaned closer.

“Your husband looks like he wants to burn this whole place down,” he whispered.

I fought back a grin.

Oh, how the tables had turned.

Jeffrey could bring another woman into our marriage, parade her around, and humiliate his wife, all while expecting her to stand beside him with a smile and play the perfect wife.

Perfect wife, my arse.

Chloe had swallowed enough of his bullshit to last a lifetime. Making things easy for him was the last thing I intended to do.

“He can't do anything,” I whispered back, keeping my smile in place. “He loves being in control, and there's no way he'd risk losing it here.”

Miles glanced at me, then back at Jeffrey. Judging by the look on his face, he was beginning to realize just how entertaining this evening would be.

And I wasn't done with Jeffrey yet.

Across the room, Mira leaned towards him and whispered something in his ear. He nodded once, never taking his eyes off me.

Then she straightened and started walking towards us, her heels tapping against the polished floor.

My fingers tightened around Miles's arm. I kept smiling, even as tension crept into my shoulders.

With Mira, nothing ever ended well.

When she approached me, she put on a sweet smile that might have fooled me if I didn't know her better.

“Hey, sister,” she said in a sugary voice. “You look gorgeous tonight.”

“Thank you,” I replied, keeping my answer short. I had no interest in entertaining a conversation with her.

“Mind if we get something to drink?” she asked, her eyes darting toward the wine tower behind me.

I almost laughed. Did she really think I was stupid enough to fall for her act?

I read this scene in the novel. Mira had pretended to be nice to Chloe before shoving her into the wine tower, leaving her injured.

And now, she was trying the same trick on me.

Well, if she thought she could play me, I was more than happy to play along. It would make watching her plan fall apart even sweeter.

“Okay,” I agreed with a small nod.

I turned to Miles and gently patted his arm. He gave me a single nod in return and mouthed “Be careful.”

I didn't need him warning me because I knew what I was doing. I followed her to the wine tower, where the glasses had been arranged in a tall, castle-like structure.

Mira moved closer to the tower, her eyes fixed on the glasses near the top. She reached up, then shifted slightly towards me.

I kept my smile in place.

Go on, Mira. I said in my head. Show me what you've got.