Chapter 38 Shocking the Crowd
Once Alyssa figured it out, she stopped bickering with Reese. "Fine, let's see how you make a fool of yourself at the party today, you country bumpkin!"
She practically spat out those last words through gritted teeth.
Reese just smirked. "Thanks for the heads-up, Miss Flynn."
She sat down at the dining table, cool as a cucumber, and started munching on her breakfast.
Alyssa was floored by Reese's appetite. ‘What kind of freak is Reese? She eats like a horse but never gains a pound.’ Alyssa glanced down at herself, noticing she'd put on a few pounds lately, which only fueled her rage. She stomped off upstairs in a huff.
Reese didn't even bat an eye and kept eating before heading back to her room.
After doing her makeup, she made a video call to Calvin. Calvin was always on standby, ready whenever Reese needed him.
When Calvin's face popped up on the screen, he looked like he'd seen a ghost.
"Reese, you..."
Reese raised an eyebrow. "Why the shocked face? What’s wrong?"
"Reese, why'd you change back?"
He'd gotten used to seeing Reese's less-than-stellar look lately. But today, bam, a total knockout. His heart skipped a beat.
Reese brushed her bangs aside. "No biggie. I'm hitting up a party tonight. If I showed up looking like I did before, it'd be a total embarrassment. He might not care, but I do."
"Oh, gotcha. But Reese, you look way better like this, easy on the eyes, never gets old."
Calvin started laying it on thick.
"Cut the crap. Has the Mack situation been sorted out?"
"I was just about to tell you. Right when I was about to make a move, Mack declared bankruptcy outta nowhere."
Calvin was scratching his head. Mack going under that fast? No way, his cash flow was solid. Someone had to be pulling the strings.
Reese only needed a second to figure it out.
"It was Malcolm."
"Your husband?"
"Yeah, only he could tank Mack that quickly." She never doubted Malcolm's skills. If he hadn't been paralyzed in that car crash, the Flynn Group would probably be even more of a powerhouse now.
She'd studied the big projects he handled before. They all took these wild, out-of-the-box approaches that normal folks couldn't wrap their heads around. But that's exactly why he stood out and became a top dog in the industry.
Calvin's respect for Malcolm shot up. "You know, Reese, I used to think your paralyzed husband was kinda useless, especially in that department..."
"Watch your mouth!" Reese's usually soft eyes turned razor-sharp, and Calvin felt like he was about to wet himself.
Her stare was still as terrifying as ever.
Calvin quickly backpedaled. "Alright, alright, I won't badmouth your husband. Since he's your hubby now, he's my boss too."
Reese wasn't in the mood for his brown-nosing.
"Since Malcolm already took care of Mack, just drop it. Go handle something else."
"Got it, I'll hang up now, Reese."
After ending the call, Reese dove back into her work. She got so wrapped up in it that she didn't even notice it was getting dark. That's just how she rolled—once she was in the zone, time flew by.
When she was finally ready, Malcolm shot her a text, saying he'd be tied up for a bit longer and she should grab a cab. Reese was cool with that.
After stepping out of the house, Reese flagged down a cab and headed to the party. The moment she stepped out of the car, all eyes were glued to her.
"Who's that girl? She's stunning. Look at her skin, like perfect porcelain."
"Beats me, but she looks like she just walked out of a fairy tale. Gorgeous."
"Think we should ask for her number?"
"Forget it. In a place like this, there's no way she's flying solo. She's gotta have a date."
Not too far away, Dahlia and Nancy were standing together. Dahlia had planned to be the star of the show tonight, especially with so many big shots around. She was hoping to snag herself a rich husband.
But now, everyone who had been fawning over her had their eyes on the girl who just got out of the cab. What the heck was going on?
Dahlia's face twisted in annoyance. "What's so special about someone who arrived in a cab?"
"Relax, maybe she's just too ugly. Today, my daughter is definitely the belle of the ball. I heard Malcolm's coming too. Wonder who he'll bring as his date."
Dahlia's eyes gleamed with arrogance, and she let out a sneer.
"There's no way it's my ugly sister. But why does she go out of her way to look so hideous?"
"Just trying to be mysterious. Don't worry, even if she shows her real face, no one's gonna care. A country bumpkin like her can't hold a candle to my precious daughter."
Hearing this, Dahlia's smile widened. She lifted her chin and straightened her back, like a proud peacock.
"Of course, I'm your daughter. How could those lowlifes compare to me?"
The mother-daughter duo strutted into the venue arm in arm. Meanwhile, Reese found a quiet corner and shot a message to Malcolm.
Reese: [When are you getting here? I'm already at the party.]
Malcolm must've been swamped because it took him a few minutes to reply.
Malcolm: [Walk around a bit. Don't cause any trouble.]
Reese rolled her eyes. Did she look like a troublemaker?
Malcolm probably thought she was a fish out of water at these fancy events and was worried she'd embarrass him.
Even sitting in the corner, Reese was a magnet for attention. Naturally, the guys couldn't resist and kept coming over to ask for her number, but she turned them all down.
Nancy and Dahlia were on the prowl for potential suitors as soon as they walked in. But instead of finding any, they spotted the radiant Reese in the corner.
Dahlia pointed in shock. "Mom, isn't that Reese?"
Nancy followed her gaze. "It really is Reese. Why's she all dolled up today?"
"Mom, that dress she's wearing is from an international designer's latest collection. It's a one-of-a-kind, limited edition. You can't just buy it with money. I couldn't even get my hands on it, and she's wearing it."
Nancy's face twisted with jealousy. "I didn't expect Reese to clean up so well. Anyone who didn't know better would think she's some high-society lady."
Dahlia gritted her teeth, her hands twisting the hem of her dress like she wanted to tear it apart, imagining it was Reese.
A sinister glint appeared in her eyes. "Reese must be trying to steal my thunder. If she wants to stand out so badly, I'll help her."
Nancy noticed the devious look on Dahlia's face. "What are you planning to do?"
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