Chapter 2
I had seen this kind of trick way too many times.
It was the signature move of an expert at playing innocent. It looked casual, but every bit was calculated.
Spencer was totally oblivious. He just gave her a polite thank you.
"Ms. Doyle, it's really great to have you here," he said.
"Oh, no need to be so formal. Just call me Zoe," she replied.
She covered her mouth with a delicate laugh, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Do I really look that old?" she teased.
A few of the male guests joined in the laughter.
"Ms. Doyle, you look like you're just in your early thirties!" one of the guys said.
"Seriously, you look way too young!" another chimed in.
She soaked up the compliments with a pleased smile, but she kept sneaking glances at Giovanni the whole time.
Joselyn looked like she was about to lose her balance.
I slipped my arm through hers, quietly giving her some steady support.
"Joselyn, who's this?" I asked, putting on my most innocent face.
"This is your dad's... old classmate, Zoe," Joselyn said, her voice dry and strained.
"Oh, hello, Ms. Doyle," I said, deliberately stressing the "Ms. Doyle" part just to rub it in.
Zoe's smile froze for a second, but she quickly recovered.
"Mariana, right? That's a really nice name," Zoe said, her eyes glinting as she spoke.
She looked me up and down, like she was checking out something on display.
"I've always heard Miss Harrington was both gorgeous and talented. Seeing you in person, I guess the rumors weren't exaggerating," she added.
"Thank you for the compliment, Ms. Doyle," I replied.
I gave her my sweetest smile.
"I heard Ms. Doyle and Giovanni were college classmates? So you must know Joselyn pretty well too, right?"
Talk about hitting a nerve.
Everyone knew Joselyn and Zoe weren't just college roommates. They were rivals for Giovanni's heart.
Giovanni and Zoe dated first, but she ditched him to chase her dreams overseas.
When Giovanni was left picking up the pieces, Joselyn was the one who stayed by his side.
They ended up getting married, while Zoe went abroad and married a rich businessman.
Word was, the businessman died a few years ago, leaving her a fortune.
Now she was back.
And it was obvious she had her sights set on someone.
Zoe's smile looked a bit forced for a second.
"Yeah, Joselyn and I were basically best friends back then," she said, her voice sounding a little tight.
She reached out to grab Joselyn's hand, but Joselyn instinctively pulled away.
Things got awkward real fast.
I quickly broke the tension. "Ms. Doyle, since you're here, why don't you join us at the main table? Mr. Holmes, could you add a seat for Ms. Doyle?"
Harvey Holmes, the hotel manager, quickly nodded.
But Zoe waved her hand. "No need to go to any trouble. I just spotted some old friends over there. I'll go say hi."
She glided away, leaving behind a faint trail of perfume.
It was Moonlit Flight, the classic mistress scent.
I sneered to myself.
She was no amateur. She knew exactly when to pull back, never coming on too strong at the beginning.
The wedding kept going, but the vibe had totally changed.
Giovanni was clearly distracted, kept sneaking glances at Zoe.
Joselyn kept her head down, quietly picking at her food.
Spencer squeezed my hand and whispered, "Don't worry. Dad knows how to handle himself."
I smiled back, but honestly, I wasn't buying it.
When guys were faced with their first love, they just lost all sense of boundaries.
Especially when it was someone like Zoe, who had been perfecting her act for years.
When it was time to toast at Zoe's table, all the guys were fawning over her, treating her like a queen.
"Zoe was the campus belle back in college!" one of them said.
"And she's still as stunning as ever!" another chimed in.
"Lucky guy, Giovanni, having such a knockout for an old friend," someone else teased.
Zoe gave a modest smile, but she kept sneaking glances at Giovanni.
"Not at all, Giovanni's the lucky one. He ended up with someone as sweet and devoted as Joselyn," Zoe said.
She raised her glass.
"Giovanni, Joselyn, here's to you both. May you always be happy together," she said.
On the surface, it sounded perfectly fine.
But coming from an ex-girlfriend, it just hit different.
Giovanni lifted his glass like he was on autopilot and knocked it back in one shot.
Joselyn just barely touched her drink, looking even more washed out than before.
I cut in with a sweet smile, "Wow, Ms. Doyle, you really do care a lot about my in-laws' love life. So, are you flying solo these days?"
Zoe's gaze darkened for a moment.
"Yeah, my husband passed away pretty early, so it's just me now," she said.
She let out a soft sigh, with just the right touch of vulnerability.
"Honestly, sometimes I can't help but envy Joselyn. She's got Giovanni, who's so thoughtful, and now, a daughter-in-law anyone would dream of," she added.
"Don't be sad, Ms. Doyle," I said sincerely, giving her my warmest smile.
"With someone as charming as you, finding a new partner shouldn't be hard at all. Want me to introduce you? I know plenty of single millionaires. Sure, they're a bit older, but honestly, they'd suit you perfectly," I added.
The whole table went quiet.
A couple of the guys exchanged looks, their expressions turning complicated.
Zoe was fifty-two, and the "older" millionaires I mentioned? They were all pushing sixty or seventy.
No one missed the jab.
Zoe's mouth twitched, but she played it cool.
"You're such a tease, Mariana. I'm really not interested in that right now," Zoe replied, trying to keep it light, but her voice was a little tight.
"Oh, but you can't just leave it at that!" I said, making sure my voice carried across the table.
"Women need someone to lean on. Otherwise, if you keep eyeing other people's husbands, it's really not a good look," I added.