03

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At the mention of Kevin, Ana found her mouth automatically being drawn into a cheerful smile, all cynical thoughts evaporating. Only her best friend could lift her spirits and dismantle her bad mood right now.

« I would not miss it for anything in the world, » she replied back her voice softening at the thought of the splendid time she was going to have tonight. « He’s been so excitedly harping about his birthday for one whole month. »

« Right, » Aimee agreed in a matter-of-fact voice, and Ana figured it had been a rhetorical question. There was no question of whether she was going to attend the party, Aimee knew that much. It was just her way to divert her mind to the coming event. « Just don’t let Jennifer get a miff about the fact that you’re skipping the Dominez party. You know she’ll do a number on you. »

Only half listening, Ana gave an absent-minded nod, not really caring how Jennifer Reed, her PR would react if she was found missing at the grand event of the night. In the modeling circles, it was all that mattered : parties, aesthetics and outer beauty. Ana hated every bit of that fake world. She preferred to spend the rest of her night celebrating Kevin’s birthday, and the plan was to make a quick getaway after her last appearance. It was risky, but she would not miss the birthday, she’d already promised Kevin that she’d be there at any cost.

Riley signaled her from the main backstage, and her heart lurched frantically against her chest as she got her cue. What was wrong with her tonight, she wondered succinctly, as she tried to steady her erratic heart by placing a hand over her breasts. A surge of familiar restlessness took over, and she begun to have a really bad premonition. It was after five years that she’d experienced such intense reaction, she only felt that way in front of him.

Without warning, she felt her body surge forward with the help of a gentle push, and in a blink the flashes of the cameras around blinded her. On automaton, she reacted like she’d been trained to, plastering a frozen smile and paused for effect before starting her catwalk, already meshing in her comfort zone. Except that her initial hunch was more pronounced than ever, and a sense of dread gripped her as she approached her audience, even if she did not permit her unease to reflect on her outward stance.

When she reached the end of the stage, for a fleeting second, she nearly faltered. Her five years of modeling helped her recover quickly, maintaining an impassible expression while her posture remained unchanged as she stopped for the display. Without reacting, she turned round and more cameras flashed on her, making her feel terribly sick. Had it been a figment of her imagination ? She desperately tried to calm herself down, not daring to have a second look in case she might have a seizure. What would the great Devin Richard Crighton be doing here ? It was only a mirage ; he would never attend her show. Even as she tried million persuasive self-preserving techniques, she knew she was only fooling herself. He was sitting right there.

Like a moth drawn to a flame, her eyes surreptitiously roamed in his direction again, and the green-hazel pair of eyes which met hers were unmistakable. They were the most beautiful eyes she’s ever seen and in them were the ugliest expressions she’d always read. Contempt and disgust. It did not affect her ; in fact, it gave her immense pleasure when he raised his eyebrows in bewilderment when she met him with equal frost. Ana could tell that he had not been expecting that challenge. Why would he ? The Ana he’d known had always bestowed him with open admiration and hero-worships gazes. In a very subtle gesture, she even managed a contemptuous nod in his direction, snickering disparagingly when he nodded back with the same animosity.

It was only when she was behind stage that she unleashed the emotions with free reign. The catapult of her reaction was so powerful that she started to shiver uncontrollably, and Aimee immediately brought her to her room without any word. Her mind was numb with shock, and she only knew she had been offered water when the liquid went down her throat.

« Are you alright ? » her friend queried anxiously, and Ana nodded with more vigor than necessary. Needing a few seconds alone, she asked Aimee to replace her next appearance by another model before she could recover from the shock.

When she was finally given some privacy, she hyperventilated, eyes prickling with unshed tears as memories came flooding back. Irritated with herself, she wiped away a drop of tear fiercely with the back of her hand, and blinked back every drop of moisture. She refused to grant that bastard any more power over her. The show must go on.

Emerging from the room with her mask firmly on, she was just in time to prepare for her next appearance, having missed only one entrance. Determined not to let that man turn her into a mass of quivering female, she glowed in her performance, completely ignoring the piercing gaze she could feel from the audience. Knowing that her attitude would displease him, she felt immensely satisfied when she managed her next walk without another eye contact.

On the third appearance, however, her eyes involuntarily flickered in his direction for the merest second, and when she read triumph in those brooding scrutiny, she wanted to slap him. He was mocking her for not having the self-restraint to look away from him. It felt like a blow to her, and before she could stop herself she flinched in a telltale reaction. And was awarded with a Cheshire smile from him.

Fuming with wrath, Ana continued her walk with her head held high without batting an eyelash, but she knew she’d lost the mind game. As soon as she got backstage again, she flung aside her dress, and barked with unconcealed impatience. « Aimee, get me the Sunflower. NOW ! »

Whatever protest her friend was about to make died on her lips when Ana glanced at her with the most despotic expression, which brooked no further argument.

How dared he ? How dared he ??! Ana was going to show that bastard that she was no longer that stupid woman who did the fatal mistake of falling for him. Why was he even here ? If he wanted to make amends, then he was five years too late. By the look of it, she really doubted that. The disdain his eyes beheld had nothing to do with a remorseful Devin she’d assumed he would portray whenever they were face-to-face again.

For the past five years, she’d played that scenario of their reunion in her head so many times that she’d thought she’d covered every possible setting possible. But never had she imagined that he would still hate her, still scorn her when she’d been the victim. Memories she’d blocked threaten to swamp her, but she resisted fiercely. She refused to regress back to the desolate state she’d been five years ago. She’d moved on from that – the proof was that she was now a full-fledge businesswoman, not a love-struck near teenager.

Surviving Devin Crighton’s chapter had forged her into the strong woman she was today, the one who did not give a damn about what the world thought of her, only keeping focus on things which mattered to her. She could survive anything– that was her motto, the thing which had kept her alive when life had done its best to bring her down. No one had even been there for her. Not her father. Not her grandfather. Not even the one whom she had considered to be the soulmate who would cure all her pain.

« Ana, the Sunflower is here, » Aimee announced in a hesitant voice. « Are you sure ? »

« Bring it on, » she replied assertively, glad that the unequivocal tone of her voice did not falter.

The end result was so satisfactory that Ana stood looking at her own reflection in shock. The silk material of the dress clung to her body like a second skin, showing off her hourglass figure to its full advantage. Aimee had so cleverly designed it that even with the undergarment, it still portrayed the illusion of being sexily translucent. The prolonged décolleté rendered her breasts curvier, outlining the treasure underneath like an exotic promise, without actually showing anything.

« Aimee, » she breathed in awe.

« I know, » the latter replied in an I-told-you-so tone. « Don’t say a word. Go knock them dead baby doll. »

As soon as she made her entrance, she heard a consensus murmur of appreciation from the crowd, which managed to boost her confidence. She loved to string along the world, especially when they were completely wrong about her.

This time, she met him with open challenge, eye to eye, and was pleased when his Adam apple bobbed up and down as his gaze roamed on her. With relish, she made her catwalk like a professional, and everyone were whispering approvingly among themselves.

Nobody knew how affected she was. Nobody knew that her heart was beating out of rhythm. Nobody knew that the mere sight of that man brought such anguish to her. Because she was after all Anastasia Forrester, the ice princess playing her character so well that she was fooling the entire world. Except herself.