Chapter 116: Sabotaging The Party

*I can’t fucking believe this…*

Yeah, sure, I came back once I cooled off because I didn’t want my mom to leave before I could say goodbye but I forgot that Gabriel wanted to through some ball or party or whatever the hell he called it. It just pissed me off again. Why would I celebrate my mom leaving?!

It was at moments like this that the rebellious child within me started to wake up and kick at the door I tried to keep locked inside in my brain. And that door was getting reeeeeally weak right about now.

*How many people are even supposed to be there? Ugh, I hate crowds! Something tells me that Gabriel is a social butterfly just like his fucking kids.* The reminder of how Grace was always talking on her phone and how Julian was a natural when it came to holding conversations were enough hints to tell me who they inherited their social traits from. And then there’s me. I hated socializing with a passion. *Why can’t everyone just leave me alone?!*

I could already hear the voices of cheery conversations and hysterical laughter downstairs even with my door tightly shut. Ever since moving into this mansion, I couldn’t put a leash on my anxiety like I used to and it was one of the things that was beginning to piss me off the most about myself.

*For fuck’s sake…*

I looked through the options of clothes I could wear since this was supposed to be formal attire. Basically wrinkleless suits, glittery dresses, and shoes with heels so high that they could lift your head through the ceiling. Of course, Grace gave me a handful of dresses I could wear. And as expected, they all looked like they came from either the 50s or were extremely frilled and flashy. She knew damn well I wasn’t that girly. *Fucker.*

My olive-green eyes sparked when I noticed at least one dress that didn’t look like it belonged to a hag or princess. It was scarlet with a velvet texture, the dress was tight enough to reveal my hourglass figure and show off my breasts in the baggy front, the length short enough that it reached my thighs, and it was strapless.

*Perfect. Looks like Grace has a “decent” style after all.*

I strapped on some black high-heeled shoes, though the heels weren’t nearly as big as the rich old women downstairs. I’d break my ankle and snap my neck if I wore that crazy shit. I let my long, curly hair flow down my back while putting on some crimson lipstick. The mascara I added brought out the natural length of my eyelashes and I decided that a little dark eyeshadow couldn’t hurt. If I’m going to do this then I’m gonna do it my way. A dark grin crossed my lush lips as I took one more glance at my body in the mirror from my butt to my breasts. *Heh. I’ll show em all what a real woman looks like.*

*Ahh, fuck…* I looked at my phone and pocket knife lying on my bed. It’s not like dresses had pockets and I didn’t plan on wearing a jacket. Maybe I can stuff them in my bra? Then again… I think I’d only have enough room for one. I scratched the back of my head in thought, accidentally ruffling my hair that I’d have to fix later. *Ugh, fuck it.* I decided to grab my phone and hide my pocket knife beneath my pillow. It’s not like I’ll need it, right? My breasts were thankfully just big enough to stick between the crevice and get shoved down far enough that it couldn’t be seen but not before turning off sound and vibration. My tits lighting up with a ding and vibration in the middle of a conversation would be pretty awkward.

After making sure I looked the part I wanted to play, I left my room with a creak of my door and made my way downstairs. As expected, Gabriel was a bigger social butterfly than his kids… There had to have been at least 20 people down there and I was only halfway down the staircase. This giant mansion almost seemed small now, and that’s saying something. All of them were around Gabriel and my mom’s age. The women wore extravagant dresses and the men wore tidy suits, just like I predicted. And then there was me with my slutty, revealing dress. Good.

As I finally made it down to the last step, I noticed that the overly sized dining room had been cleared out– the table and chairs were missing along with any big plant pots that were decorating the area. *The fuck? Oh, don’t tell me…* That’s where everybody was going to dance.

I spotted the three maids I’ve interacted with several times now and never bothered to learn their names. And, to be honest, I still didn’t really care to. I knew enough names in my life. I didn’t need to add more to the cluttered library in my head.

The maid that had grown used to me gave me a smile and a respectful dip of her head. “Good evening, ma’am.”

“Yeahhh… you too,” I mumbled as they continued to their work. I glanced around through the crowd. *I wonder where Julian’s at?* I felt nausea kick my pregnant stomach the moment that thought crossed my mind. *What the hell am I thinking?? Why would I care what he’s doing or where he’s at?! I’m tired of even looking at his face!*

“Hello!” I turned around when I heard the voice of an older woman approaching me from behind. “You must be Isabella’s daughter…” her voice trailed off as she looked me up and down. My dress threw her off balance compared to the rest. I couldn’t help but smirk.

“Uh-huh. Need somethin’?” as always, my greetings are unwelcoming without an ounce of friendliness as I crossed my arms.

The woman flinched as if she were becoming uncomfortable speaking to me. “Um… no, I just came to say hello…”

“Hi.” my blunt greeting earned a fake, hesitant smile from her before she left without another word.

Gabriel’s friends and family finally began to notice me and whispered amongst themselves as they looked me up and down. Everybody reflected the word ‘formal’ on their clothes meanwhile I was shamelessly being as revealing as I could. I could hear a few of them as I strode by.

“I take it that’s Mrs. August’s daughter?”

“Looks like it… you’ve heard the rumors, right?”

“How Isabella’s daughter is a troublemaker?”

“She came from the west-side!”

“Keep your sons away from her. I mean, look at the way she’s dressed!”

“I guess the tales weren’t so tall after all… shame.”

*Wait, what? They’ve already heard about me?* That thought didn’t even cross my mind till now. I thought they would all be strangers meeting me for the first time. If they already knew who I was then…

I looked around through the crowd, looking for my mother. As expected, she was at Gabriel’s side. And, as I feared, she looked very embarrassed. My actions affecting her didn’t cross my mind either. I just wanted to show how much I detested taking part in these things.

*Fuck me… this isn’t what I meant to happen!*

“Hello, Ms. Arlee.” I turned around sharply when I heard another voice behind me. The old man who approached me didn’t look at me with distaste or awkwardness like the others. Instead, he looked at me with something in his eyes that a handful of other people had in their gaze too, something darker. Something I’ve seen in Grace’s eyes but not nearly as intense. Judgemental, mocking, entertained by something that they think is beneath them. “You look lovely this evening. Did your mother pick out that dress for you?”

A deep frown creased my shiny lips and I could see my mother worriedly watching me on the corner of my eye, doing her best to restrain her frets over how I was about to react to being provoked. Behind the man, I noticed Grace was talking to somebody but eventually glanced at me and flashed me a mocking smile.

*Fuck… she did that on purpose! This troll literally laid out a bunch of dresses that she knew I wouldn’t go for and one that she knew I’d pick just out of spite!* As pissed off as I was about getting manipulated, again, I had to admit that was pretty clever of her. Almost as clever as Julian.

Speak of the Devil and he will come…

Right before I could make a hotheaded retort, I felt a familiar, strong arm wrap around my waist as an intoxicating scent filled my nose and an attractive voice crossed my ears. “No, I picked it.”