YOU BITCH!

Hours later after I woke up and I have never been more confused in my life.

I was currently standing at a charity gala beside Sylas. I had been draped in silks and diamonds that didn’t feel real, but was. Everywhere I turned, cameras flashed brightly and voices called out my name.

“Mrs. Gold!” An obnoxious short woman, wearing light blue glasses called out,

“How long have you known each other?” another had asked,

This was a charity gala and reporters were not allowed on the ball floor itself, but that didn’t stop the reporters from dressing up and acting as if they were there to bid on items instead of harassing me with questions.

The only reason why I haven’t snapped at them yet was because I could feel Sylas’ hand on mine, and because he had already warned me about what to expect.

Sylas' hand rested warm, he leaned down and murmured, “Smile,”

I did perfectly, turning towards the direction he was looking at… and that was when I saw him.

Evan.

What was he even doing here?

And what was Lyra doing by his side?

He wasn’t in the ballroom proper, so he could be interviewed. And I could see that reporters were all over them.

“Evan,” a reporter said loudly, perhaps too loudly, as though he wanted me to overhear his questions, “Your ex-fiancee just married Sylas Gold, do you have any thoughts?”

Evan laughed, “No, good for her, I guess,” he said dismissively, “I always knew she was ambitious.”

Lyra squeezed his arm and put herself in the frame of the camera. “Too ambitious even,” she smirked, “I’ve always known the bitch was a whore. How can you get married when she’s already engaged to another man?”

Silence split the gala, and then… chaos.

Evan stuttered, and my face drained of all color.

I could hear Sylas curse under his breath, he wasn’t pissed, just frustrated.

But I saw an opportunity, one that would let me put Lyra in her place, and I took it.

With a smile on my face, I began to walk towards her.

I did not even realize how far I had moved until I was standing right in front of Lyra.

The chatter around us had faded into a dull hum as everyone waited to see how I would react.

Lyra’s smile faltered the moment she spotted me walking towards her, and by the time I reached her, it was completely strained.

She had not expected to be confronted, and now that she was right in front of dozens of cameras, she could not back down, even if she wanted to.

I could spot the tension in her jaw and I could tell how nervous she was by the way her fingers were curled around Evan’s arm a little too tightly.

“Repeat that,” I said calmly, my voice steady despite my rising pulse, “I don’t think I heard you correctly,”

Sylvia stood beside me and stared at her with a calm, steady gaze.

A gaze that sent shivers running through her.

The crowd leaned in, they could smell blood already.

Lyra’s lips parted, then pressed together. “I didn’t mean that,” she shrugged, trying to feign a warm smile, “I- I just meant-”

I smiled, taking it slow and deliberate. “No, you meant to call me a whore.”

Evan shifted beside her, obviously uncomfortable with the attention he was getting, “Vera, come on, she didn’t – ”

I turned to him then, and for the first time in weeks, I stared into his eyes. And I felt... nothing.

The man I had once loved now looked small and pitiful in my gaze.

“Don’t,” I quietly said, “You lost the right to say my name the moment you gave yourself to her.”

A ripple of murmurs spread across the ball, but I couldn't care less.

Lyra scoffed, she took a step forward, a savage smile splitting her face as she realized Evan was behind her, “You think just because you spread your legs for a billionaire, that you are suddenly better than I am?” Her eyes flickered towards Sylas, “Everyone knows he is just using you and would discard you like trash once he is done.”

My lips parted, but before I could respond, a warm hand slid possessively around my waist.

Sylas' presence commanded the hall, the world around us dimmed as I looked up at him.

“Enough,” he said, his voice wasn’t loud, it didn’t need to be. Everyone listened, and every eye snapped towards him.

His arms tightened around my waist, “My wife doesn’t need to justify herself to anyone,” he answered, “Especially not to people whose only crowning achievement in their lives is being former associates of her.”

Lyra’s face went pale.

I glanced up and saw something flicker through Sylas' eyes as he stared at me – approval, maybe, or even pride.

He turned back to the crowd, “This is a charity event, if anyone here is more interested in gossip than charity, then, I suggest you leave.”

Silence fell around us like a curtain,

And then, slowly, everyone turned around and tried to find anything interesting to look at other than us.

Sylas nodded at the corner of the ballroom and security stepped out. Without so much as a blink, they escorted a screaming Lyra and a furious Evan out of the ballroom.

Cameras clicked wildly, but the energy around us had long since shifted.

As they disappeared, Sylas leaned down and his lips brushed my ears,

“Well done,” he murmured, “You handled that beautifully,”

My heart skipped, and I glanced down in order to hide the blush on my cheeks.

Before I could respond, though, he began to guide me towards the exit of the ball, “Come, there’s something else I need to show you tonight,”

***

The car ride was quiet, but this time, it wasn’t awkward.

I only realized that we weren’t home when we arrived.

The building before us was tall and sleek, all glass and steel, and it cut deeply into the skyline like a polished blade.

“This Is GoldCorp,” Sylas said as he stepped out, and offered me his hand, “My company.”

I knew, of course I did.

I was pretty sure there was no one in the city who didn’t know about this building. It was the largest and most expensive building in the city, it was also by far the most beloved.

I stared wildly as I took his hand and stepped out of the car, “You are bringing me to work with you?” I asked with furrowed brows, “On our wedding day?”

“No, I’m introducing you to my work,” he corrected, though I still didn’t see the difference.

Inside the company, the atmosphere shifted as we stepped off the elevator on the top floor.

The floor was packed full of people and eyes followed us as we walked forward.

“This is Mrs Vera Gold.” Sylas said calmly to a group of men in suits – probably executives – who stepped over to greet us, “My wife.”

That word sent a strange thrill spiking through me.

One by one, the executives began to introduce themselves. Some of them were board members, some were major shareholders and others were legal advisers.

The more they spoke though, the more confused I was.

“We could have done this any other time. Why was I here?” I thought,

Then, the air changed, and I realized why.

“Sylas,” a loud voice split the air apart,

I turned, and there she stood. Sarah.

She hissed, glaring daggers at me as she walked towards us, “You are bringing her here?” she said in a trembling tone, “After everything we had and shared, you didn’t even give me the curtesy of knowing,”

Sylas frowned, “This isn’t appropriate, Sarah, you know it.”

Sarah laughed bitterly, “Appropriate? You married her!” she screamed, “After everything I did for you, just because I cheated once. ONCE. You left me for this slut?”

My pulse raced, and the floor had long since gone quiet,

Sylas only shrugged, and turned to face me,

Sarah was not having it. “Please, I know I was out of it yesterday,” she continued, tears now flowing freely from her face, “But please tell me this isn’t real,”

Sylas exhaled slowly, “It’s real,”

And I saw something in her break, and it was replaced with rage – at me.

“YOU BITCH!” she roared and tried to lunge at me, but Sylas stepped forward and held her back with one hand,

He didn’t even need to call for security to step forward, and just like in the ballroom, Sarah screamed and kicked as she was carried away.

“Okay,” I let out a deep breath, “Please tell me that will be all for today?”

Sylas nodded with a wry smile on his lips.

I let out a sigh and turned around. Now all I had to do was figure out a way where I would not be completely destroyed, because even though it didn’t look like it.

I knew Sylas’ world was dangerous. I just didn't know how much.