Chapter Three

Vivienne

My dress was stunning. Soft champagne satin that draped like liquid gold against my skin. A sweetheart neckline framed my collarbone, and the gown cinched at my waist before falling to the floor. The effect was timeless, elegant, and entirely unlike how I felt inside.

Still, I had to dress to kill.

My hands were unsteady as I clasped the thin chain of my necklace, the final touch. I stared at myself in my new apartment mirror, trying to summon a strength I didn’t feel. Tonight wasn’t just a party; it was a battleground. And my armor was the poise I didn’t know if I could maintain.

Alias and Amélie would be there. Together. No longer lurking in the shadows but openly flaunting their betrayal. My stomach churned as bile rose in my throat. 

Why are you even going?

Alias’s grandfather’s party? Of course, I had to go. If not for the man who had always been kind to me, then for one final confrontation. One last chance to remind them—and myself—that I wasn’t weak.

This wasn’t about them. This was about me—walking into that room, head held high, showing them that they hadn’t destroyed me.

Even if I felt like they had.

The estate was every bit as lavish as I remembered. Twinkling fairy lights wrapped around towering oak trees lining the driveway, while sleek black cars parked in neat rows along the manicured lawn. Elliot’s grandfather had always known how to throw a party.

I stepped through the towering double doors, the sound of laughter and soft classical music spilling out into the cool night air. Inside, the estate was a whirlwind of opulence from the gleaming marble floors, glittering chandeliers, and guests dressed to the nines.

The air was heavy with familiarity, but instead of comfort, it felt suffocating. These were people I once considered family, yet tonight I felt like an imposter.

“Vivienne! There you are.” My mother’s voice rang out, her tone sugary sweet. For a fleeting moment, hope flickered in my chest. Maybe she’d notice the pain in my eyes and ask me what was wrong.

But her gaze slid past me, locking onto the woman by her side. Amélie.

My stomach twisted. She looked radiant, of course—her delicate features framed by soft curls, her designer gown hugging her slender frame. My mother’s arm was looped through hers as if they’d never been apart.

“Oh, darling,” my mother cooed to Amélie, “doesn’t she look lovely? Vivienne, dear, why don’t you say hello to your sister?”

Sister.

I forced a smile, though it felt like my face might crack. “Amélie.”

She smiled back, but it was obviously fake.

“Vivienne. You look… nice.”

Nice. A word designed to cut without drawing blood.

My mother turned back to Amélie, fussing with the hem of her gown. I stood there, forgotten, a ghost in the house where I’d once been the center of attention.

They’d chosen her. They always would.

It wasn’t long before Alias made his entrance. My breath hitched when I saw him—his arm wrapped possessively around Amélie’s waist as they descended the grand staircase. Every inch of him looked polished and yet all I could see was the man who had gutted me with a smirk just days ago.

A hush fell over the room as they reached the bottom of the stairs, guests murmuring among themselves. And then, as if on cue, Alias leaned down and kissed her.

On the lips!

A long, hot, tenacious kiss that almost killed me from the inside out.

Applause rippled through the crowd, but to me, it was a roar. My blood boiled as I clenched my fists at my sides. I was humiliated and down casted yet again.

“Vivienne!” My father’s voice cut through the haze. “You must come over and say hello to Elliot and Amélie.”

I turned slowly, my pulse pounding in my ears. His smile was wide, his tone jovial, as if he hadn’t just handed me a knife to stab into my own chest. 

Did they know? They had to know.

I walked over on autopilot, every step feeling like a death march. When I reached them, Amélie looked at me with that same smug expression, her fingers lightly brushing Elliot’s chest as if to stake her claim.

“Vivienne,” she said, her voice like poison. “I hope you don’t mind, but Alias and I couldn’t keep it a secret anymore. We’re just so… in love, mother and father are quite alright with it.”

The words hit me like a sledgehammer. I couldn’t breathe. The edges of my vision blurred, and for a moment, I thought I might actually collapse.

“Vivienne? Are you alright?” Her tone was mock-concerned, but her eyes gleamed with malice.

I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out. My adoptive parents looked at me expectantly, their expressions a mix of pity and impatience.

“Excuse me,” I whispered, clutching my stomach.

I turned and walked away, my heels clicking against the marble floor as I pushed through the crowd, desperate for air. My chest heaved as I stepped onto the balcony, gripping the railing to steady myself.

I was on the verge of breaking when a deep voice cut through the silence.

“Running away already?”

I turned sharply, my breath catching. A man stood in the shadows, tall and broad-shouldered, his tailored suit fitting him like a second skin. His hair, a bit ruffled and his piercing eyes seemed to see right through me.

“I’m not in the mood,” I snapped, wiping at my eyes.

He stepped into the light, and my heart stuttered. There was something achingly familiar about him.

“Still pretending not to recognize me?” he murmured, his lips curving into a sly smile.

My brow furrowed as I stared at him, confusion swirling with something else. And then it hit me like a lightning bolt.

“Dominic?” I whispered.

His smirk widened. “There she is.”

The world tilted on its axis. Dominic Laurent, Alias’s uncle. The man I’d only met once, years ago, but had never forgotten.

Before I could say another word, he held out his arm, his presence commanding, his confidence unnerving. 

“Shall we?”

I hesitated, my heart pounding. The sound of laughter and music filtered out from the party, a sharp reminder of the chaos waiting inside.

But something about him, about the way he looked at me, like he already knew every piece of my shattered heart, made me reach out and take his arm.

As we stepped back into the ballroom, the room fell silent. All eyes were on us, whispers spreading like wildfire.

Alias’s gaze locked on mine, his expression darkening. Amélie’s smug smile faltered.

And for the first time all night, I felt like I wasn’t drowning.

I wasn’t alone.

Dominic leaned down, his lips brushing my ear. 

“Let’s give them something to talk about, shall we?”