Chapter 74: Lucas: Event 4
BELLA THAT cunning woman. She tid her entrance so well, that she drew the entire tent’s attention just so their eyes would be on us once she sat next to .
I know a rumor that we’re dating is spreading because of her—she can’t keep her mouth shut even though she’s the one who said not to tell people the two of us used to fuck around. Now she is running her mouth and acting up for the sa attention she wanted to avoid.
I just know my dad has sothing to do with her na being placed next to mine on the seating arrangents. He’s the only one capable of playing pranks like these on , that old man.
"Good evening, Luke. It’s been long since we last spent ti together," Bella gives
a smile that would have sent my dick flying a few months ago.
My head instinctively turns to Iris but her head is turned away from
so I can’t see her face, although I can feel the tension rising without needing to look at her. Turning back to Bella, I give her a fake smile.
"It has been long indeed. How are you doing ma’am?" Her eyes grow wide and she chokes on her wine, turning her head sharply at .
"Since when do you call
ma’am? You used to call
Bell."
"Since growing up," I retort, peeking at Iris from the corner of my eye. She’s finally turned her head to look in front of her and I can see her side view.
Nothing to give off how she’s actually feeling inside. Very very much like her.
Lowering my hand, I poke at her hand which is balled into a fist under the table. For so reason, it makes
happy to know she was clenching a fist. Iris stills in her seat when our hands make contact but she unwraps her hand nonetheless, and soon we have our fingers intertwined.
"So
calling you Luke ans I haven’t grown up?" Bella fus.
Shrugging, I turn my attention back to her. "Precisely. We are business partners and this is a business event, so might as well be formal."
She looks like she wants to fight back, but before she can say anything, the others co back from wherever they were and fill their seats.
"We were taking pictures by the lanterns," Mary informs us before we even ask.
"They’re so pretty," Lynn adds.
"I know right? I feel bad for you honey. You’d have looked good on the flowers," Kayla points at Iris whilst swiping on her phone. The next mont she flips it around and shows Iris a picture of her posing with Jerald by the entrance, tugging at his neck like she wants to ride on him.
"Wow, these are good. Let’s go take a picture once this is over, Sir Luke," Bella interjects their conversation, grinning like the Grinch after stealing Christmas.
The table goes silent. Everyone around us probably knows the history between
and Bella, and by the way the girls keep looking between her and Iris, I’m pretty sure they have told her by now.
That would make her reaction from before very...sensible.
"I’m sorry, I have sowhere to be after the event."
"Where are you going?"
A sharp pain courses from my fingers and I hiss, turning to see an enraged Iris. Her nose is turning red and she’s clenching her teeth. "He’s coming with ," she replies to Bella and the table gets even more silent. "Does that answer your question?"
"Who are you?"
You’d think that would be enough to make anyone back off, but Bella is sothing not soone. She just said three simple words and that was enough to change the course of the entire argunt.
Iris loosens her grip on my fingers, lips slightly quivering as she struggles to co up with a smart remark. I don’t bla her, our relationship isn’t yet solid enough, but she could at least say sothing like I did with Mr. Wilson a while ago.
"She’s my girlfriend," I spout. All eyes turn to , Mary’s in particular. She’s almost choking
with her fierce glare, a fucking declaration of war.
"Oh. I thought you said she was your side chick."
This ti it’s Iris’ turn to glare at . I shake my head at her just when the MC gets on stage and begins with the event. Mary flicks her hands at , mouthing slowly so I can read her lips.
This isn’t over yet, is what I think she’s saying, but her face is telling
she’ll kill
the next ti her hands land on . Jerald too. He’s glaring at , and so are the others, all whilst Bella smiles happily in her corner, pretending to mind her business even though her gaze says she’s enjoying the show.
The event goes as planned. We have a few speeches from the higher-ups, my dad included, and after they’re all done, the waiters roam around with our food. I can’t imagine the pressure that was in the kitchen when they were trying to handle what to cook and for who, but the effortless service makes it seem like they had it easy nonetheless.
In no ti everyone is gobbling up their food and conversing with each other. anwhile, our table is still a sad pile of shitty silence. Only the couples are talking to each other, giggling, and peeking at each other’s phones whilst we—the singles—are awkwardly eating in silence.
I can’t even swallow my food properly anymore, not when it seems like the woman who I want to talk to is still mad at .
Iris hasn’t looked in my direction since the feud with Bella a while ago, nor have the others. As for Bella, she hasn’t tried doing anything funny either—at least not loud enough for everyone to hear. I’ve been fighting with her for over an hour now because she keeps on groping my thigh from under the table, digging her nails into my trousers as if that would turn
on.
I don’t know how to tell her to stop without making a dramatic scene that’ll make things even worse around the table, and it doesn’t seem like she’ll be stopping anyti soon. I never thought I’d regret having a friends-with-benefits pact with her, it seems she’s taken the "benefits" part a little too seriously and she’s now ruining my chances of having a clean confession.
To think I’ll have to work with her for the coming weeks. I don’t even want to think about it.
The nails dig into my thigh again, this ti, a little bit more deeper than they’ve been a while ago. I fight the urge to hiss, making Bella giggle at herself and draw unnecessary attention from Jerald and Mary. Clenching my teeth, I decide to end it with a bang.
Gripping her hand, I tug it away from my leg forcefully, making her lose her balance and land on my lap. Talk about flopping. Bella flips her hair and grins at , winking happily as if I just gave her the perfect surprise anyone could have asked for.
"Stop you feisty boy. We’ll be alone soon enough," she says in a high-pitched adenoidal voice, cackling like a witch skilled in love potion making.
Grimacing at her when she places her hand on my lap again, I grab her wrist and push my chair backward. Iris turns to face
at the sounds of the chair scraping on the floor, and then her eyes land on my hands and they grow wide. The next mont, she’s grabbing my wrist, eyes searching into mine for answers before she even asks her question.
"Where are you going?"
"I need to talk to her. I’ll be back soon," I reply firmly. Iris must have noticed the hint of anger in my voice because she imdiately let go of my wrist.
"Don’t take too long," she mumbles in a wavering voice, confirming the stupid dilemma that’s been subconsciously ringing in my head.
She knows about my relationship with Bella.
"Are you sure you want your boyfriend leaving the party with another woman, especially if that woman is his fuck—"
"Shut up Bell!"
"Ha. Finally, you called
Bell. I was thinking you really hate
now."
I ntally hit my head with a frying pan and let go of her wrist. Pointing at her, I stand from my seat. "You, follow ."
Another tug cos from my blazer and I look down to see Iris gently pinching it within looking at . When she feels
lingering she finally lets go of . I sit back down, scooting next to her so I can tell her what I plan to do with Bella, but she looks away.
"Don’t make her wait. There’s a dance after this intermission is over." Her voice sounds shaky when she says it as if she’s forcing the words out whilst on the verge of crying.
Fueled by a bitter rage against Bella, I nod to myself, raising as I lead the way out of the tent with Bella on my tail smirking and waving at the onlookers victoriously.
If she thinks we’re going out for a fuck she’s wrong, although I’m sure as hell going to fuck her up ntally.
★★★★★
Reviews
All reviews (0)