Chapter 3

The next day, with nothing else to do, I headed to the mall to pick out a new dress.

Daniel had told me yesterday that the Ford Group was throwing a charity gala next week, and I'd be going as Alexander's date.

I had to get a new dress; had to make sure my sponsor looked good.

Halfway through my shopping spree, I spotted a pair of killer heels that caught my eye.

"Can I try these on?"

Turned out, Olivia and I both blurted it out at the exact same time.

Seriously? Of all the people, it had to be her again.

I didn't want to get dragged into any drama with her, so I turned to walk away.

Olivia scoffed behind me, "Couldn't snatch my man, so now you're going after my shoes?"

I knew Olivia was gunning for me, but I'd already kept my head down and played it humble.

"Didn't I just let you take the shoes?" I said.

Olivia arched an eyebrow, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Grace, aren't you good at pleasing men in bed?

"How about you show off those skills and please me for a change; help me try on these shoes?"

I stood there, stunned. I never expected words like that to come out of the mouth of someone as privileged as her.

"Miss Sinclair, watch your mouth," I shot back.

Olivia stormed right up to me and slapped me hard across the face.

The sharp smack rang out, and my cheek stung like fire.

She gritted her teeth. "If I hadn't been studying abroad all this time, you never would've even gotten close to Charles.

"That slap is your warning. Don't get any ideas."

I covered my face, wincing from the pain.

As luck would have it, Charles showed up right then and headed straight for Olivia. "What's going on?"

"The Ford Group's charity gala is next week, so I wanted to buy a new pair of heels to wear with you.

"But she was totally trying to steal them from me, so I got mad and slapped her," Olivia pouted, acting all upset as she pointed at me.

Charles glanced at my red, stinging cheek, and for a split second, I caught a flicker of concern in his eyes, so quick, I almost missed it.

Then he turned to Olivia. "Hope you didn't hurt your hand."

Olivia pouted, acting all superior. "I'm still not over it."

She jabbed a finger at me. "Aren't you all about the money? I'll pay you; kneel and put these shoes on my feet yourself."

I could tell Olivia was just out to humiliate me.

I stayed silent, glancing at Charles. He pulled Olivia close, his arm wrapped around her, and looked at me.

"You're not shy about anything in bed, so what's the problem with kneeling down and helping Olivia with her shoes?" he sneered.

For a second, I was dazed, but couldn't help curling my lips into a bitter smirk.

Charles had always seen me as just a plaything in bed; had he ever respected me, even a little?

I forced myself to keep cool. "Mr. Bennett, that's really low for someone like you."

With that, I walked away, not sticking around for more of their humiliation.

*****

Daniel was waiting for me in the garage. When I opened the back door, I nearly jumped; Alexander was sitting there, cool as ever.

"Mr. Ford!" I blurted out, grinning in surprise. "Weren't you supposed to be back next week?"

Alexander reached over and brushed a few messy strands from my face, his voice gentle. "Wrapped things up early, so I rushed back."

"You didn't buy anything?" Alexander asked, noticing my empty hands and sounding a little concerned.

I shook my head. "Nothing really caught my eye."

"No worries," Alexander said. "I'll have them deliver a whole selection to our place tomorrow; just take your time and pick out whatever you want."

He noticed the unnatural flush on my face and frowned, concern in his eyes. "What happened to your face?"

Even after touching up my makeup in the bathroom, the swelling was still noticeable; no matter how much I tried to cover it up, it was hard to hide.

I forced a smile, trying to brush it off. "Probably just a little allergic reaction. It's nothing serious."

Alexander's expression grew serious, but he didn't press me further.

*****

On the night of the charity gala, I made my entrance as Alexander's date.

Before the party started, Alexander pulled Daniel aside for a quick chat, so I waited for him outside the banquet hall.

Out of nowhere, I unexpectedly ran into Charles and Olivia as they were just walking in.

Charles frowned, clearly puzzled. "Why are you here? You need an invitation to get into this gala."

Olivia gave me a once-over, sneering, "Probably already hooked up with some new sponsor."

I kept quiet, and Olivia suddenly noticed the sapphire ring on my finger, the same one that got the max bid at the auction.

"Hey, why are you wearing that ring? Didn't Mr. Ford buy it at the auction?" Olivia blurted.

She didn't even think about it, just sneered, "Grace, even if you love it, you can't just wear a fake. That's so tacky."

But at that moment, I noticed Charles's gaze shift. He was fixated on the ring I was wearing, his expression turning darker and more complicated with every passing second.

Charles was about to say something when Alexander strode over from across the room.

He walked right up to me, and with Charles and Olivia staring in shock, he just took my hand.

"I bought it for her myself. Why would it be fake?" Alexander said.

"What do you mean?" Charles asked, his face going pale.

Alexander slipped his arm around my shoulders, all casual. "Charles, we go way back. Let me introduce you. This is my girlfriend."