Chapter 4

"Enjoy it, my dear. I wish you all the happiness in the world. " I could bottle the sarcasm that's just spilling out of my mouth. "Now, getting to what might really matter to me, what are you doing here? "

She glances around at the trays going in and out through the double doors. She makes a face of disgust.

"Mr. Sterling sent me to the manager, I don't think it was you. But, in short, I can't eat what's on the menu, I'm allergic to shellfish. "

I'm not saying anything about whether I'm in charge or not. But I find it incredibly fun to be the one who can solve your problem.

"Well then you'll have to go to the nearest restaurant, because that's all we have tonight. "

Her eyes narrow as she approaches me with a threatening look.

"If Adrian Blackwood's fiancée says she doesn't want what's on the menu, you look for other options, stupid, " he exclaims, with frustrated arrogance, losing what little self-control he has.

I laugh at her and her arrogance.

"If Adrian Blackwood himself wasn't even considered for this event, I seriously doubt it matters much whether the woman he's on his arm eats seafood or not. Do you have a real problem that needs addressing, or can you stop wasting my time? "

Cassandra Whitmore has never been patient, but when I was in her inner circle, she had to put up with it. Because I was Adrian's wife, she had to respect me, whether she liked it or not. Not even his mother was allowed to insult me, despite her obvious distrust of me.

That's why, the moment she slaps me across the face, I don't even wait to recover, I slap him back and it sounds even louder.

My hair, tied in a low ponytail, loosens slightly and falls in soft waves over my shoulders. Her hair, perfectly styled, is disrupted by the impact of my hand on his cheek.

Her face turns red, and I have no doubt mine looks the same.

"How dare you, bitch? You'll regret this. .. " sshe threatens, covering her cheek and rubbing it.

"I don't give a damn about the power you think you have, Cassandra. If being engaged to the perfect Mr. Blackwood gives you wings, well, you need to know that I don't play games, that's not how it works. I do my job, and I do it well. If you don't eat seafood, that's your fucking problem. You weren't on the guest list, so your issues weren't reported and reviewed. Next time, make sure you arrive where you're welcome. "

My words infuriate her, but she has nothing to refute.

I turn around, ready to leave, but I hear her growl and a murmur around me, which makes me turn back.

Cassandra Whitmore is scratching herself, disheveling her hair, and dares to slap herself once more. When she sees me watching her, she smiles maliciously and begins to scream.

"Help, this crazy woman wants to kill me! "

I see Cassandra staging such a scene, and although it takes me by surprise, it isn't surprising. She has always tried to do everything to get her way.

Didn't she manage to stay with Adrian? That's a perfect example of her tenacity.

But I don't react the way she wants; I see her deliberately hurting herself, even tearing her clothes, then she runs away, pushes through the double doors, and screams incessantly for someone to help her.

The kitchen staff don't understand what's going on. Some of them come up to me to ask if I'm okay. I'm not stupid; I know many people saw our confrontation, but I'm also certain they witnessed what she did to herself.

"Someone let me know when the show's over, " I exclaim with irony and feigned calm. I clap twice to get everyone's attention. "Let's get to work. The guests are waiting for their food. The time for quick gossip is over. "

I turn my back on the doors, knowing deep down that this isn't over. I walk past to the table where the catering trays are being prepared and check that everything is in perfect condition.

Not even two minutes had passed on my own when Lucas's security detail entered the enormous kitchen, with Cassandra crying and pointing at me; behind her was Adrian.

Adrian Blackwood is as handsome as I remembered him. His posture is always elegant, his hair is as black as a raven's wing, shiny, and perfectly styled. His eyes are the bluest I've ever seen, taking in everything around him as soon as he steps into the kitchen.

His gaze meets mine. A shiver runs through me as his eyes widen in surprise at seeing me here. But that feeling doesn't last long, because Cassandra grabs his arm and points at me.

"It was her. She did all this to me, " she screams so loudly and clearly that I feel an instant pain in my ears.

Adrian hasn't stopped staring at me, his brow furrowed now, his jaw clenched. He doesn't act when Cassandra asks him to, but he doesn't shut her up either.

And for me, seeing him today, after so much time, is like being hit in the gut with a sledgehammer. Because he's with her, because he took everything from me when I was most vulnerable. Because he cheated on me, couldn't face me, and dismissed me from his life as if I'd never mattered to him at all.

Rage rises within me; nothing else exists, apart from those blue eyes that look tormented and angry.

I open my mouth to say something, but the door opens again and now Lucas appears, with Bianca Hale hanging on his arm.

"What happened here? " he demands to know. Gone is Lucas's usual jovial and carefree expression.

"I demand that she pay for what she did to me, " Cassandra exclaims even louder, and the connection between Adrian and me is finally broken.

Lucas steps forward, glancing from me to his guest with a frown. I know how much this scene could cost me, regardless of whether those present can confirm that I didn't even touch her.

"Evelyn, what does this mean? " he demands, his voice harsh, but not as belligerent as I expected.

His expression shows me a man who isn't acting impulsively. I'm surprised, in fact.

"It's obvious what happened here, honey. .." Bianca Hale exclaimed, wrinkling her nose at me. "This employee is a jealous lunatic. Imagine hitting my friend like that. " She pouted. "And destroying this amazing Prada. It's a crime, definitely. You should call the police. "

I laugh. I have to. I don't care what Lucas thinks of me. The bonus he's offering me for coming with him to Boston and working overtime he won't even count might make me rethink a lot of things, but I have nothing to hide, so I have nothing to fear.

They can call the police, then we'll see what happens. I have witnesses, I have clear evidence. And there are cameras in this damn place.

"Adrian, please, do something. Did you see how she's laughing? She's shameless. " Cassandra's voice irritates me, her falsely innocent tone, her incessant, pitiful crying.

My gaze inevitably turns to him. To that man I loved so intensely. The one who now looks at me as if the initial surprise has vanished and nothing that concerns me matters anymore.

"I ask for respect, miss, " Lucas interjects, drawing everyone's attention, especially mine. "Evelyn, I asked you a question. What happened here? "

I ignore Bianca Hale's murmur about her lover's attitude, and look at my boss with my chin held high.

"I have nothing to add to that question, sir. The young lady can perfectly explain what happened here; after all, I don't understand what led her to harm herself either. "

Cassandra reacts.

"You'll be. .. " She raises her hand. She's close enough to hit me again.

I stop his hand just as he's about to hit me and twist his arm back so he'll leave me alone.