Joanne-
“Where have you been?” Hardy’s thick voice made me sigh.
Honestly, he seemed like a lot. He was, actually.
“Bathroom break… what? You’re not going to let me breathe now?” I scoffed.
“Not that; I wanted to introduce you to some important people.” He glanced behind me. “Were you talking to someone?”
“Not really,” I lied.
He didn’t have to know.
“Anyways stick close to me.” Hardy said, and I nodded, sure I would be sticking more than glue.
–
I thought the party was over; everything and everyone rounded up and started to leave. I couldn’t wait to take this dress off my body and soak myself in a warm bath.
My mouth pressed into an upturned wryness as the words left Hardy’s mouth.
“What do you mean by an after-VIP party?” I asked. You could literally hear the sadness and disappointment I was feeling in my voice.
We were both seated on a soft couch at the end of the room, watching the room become empty.
“I know you want to leave; trust me, I do too. The last thing I want to do is hang out with these people, but I need closure and a brand new approach to get what I want.”
I sighed. “Whatever”
“So let’s wait until the after party,” Hardy added.
We both remained quiet and just stared into space, not caring to say one word to each other.
What do we have to say? It’s not like we’re real.
“Are you sure you guys are really engaged?” Someone blurted out my thought, and I found my head snapping towards Chloe, who was behind us and now walking in front of us.
She took a seat and crossed her legs.
“I’ve been watching you guys since the beginning of the party, and you both don’t act like you’re really in love or engaged, as my slow-witted Xavier noticed. To prove it is so obvious,” Chloe shrugged, fondling the golden necklace around her neck.
Oh my gosh, how much I hate observant people.
“What?” She laughed when she got no reply from us.
“And what does being affectionate have anything to do with you?” Hardy chimed in, a bit focused on his phone.
“I’m just saying,” Chloe shrugged, watching my eyes for answers.
“We’re not the affectionate type,” I added.
“Yeah, that’s bullshit… Hardy used to be so affectionate with Lisa,” Chloe giggled.
I noticed Hardy tensing up a bit at the mention of Lisa, but he didn’t proceed to take any weird action. And she just continued to ignore Chloe.
Chloe looked sideways and behind, like she was watching out for someone, and turned to me.
“I am not supposed to tell you this, but you should at least hear what Ruby said and is planning to tell the rest of the ladies this Thursday about you and Hardy.”
My curious eyes widened, and I could see Hardy was curious too, but he just kept it cool with his phone.
“What did she say?” I gently asked.
Chloe gave a sly smile.
“I’m sorry, but the women of the Ale-o house, we don’t spill our secrets and talk behind people’s backs.”
The irony.
“Right,” I said, squinting at her.
“Ruby trusts me too much; I can’t tell you,” Chloe shrugged.
“Fine then.” I decided not to press on it anymore, despite the fact that she was the one who was juvenile enough to try and tell me in the first place.
“If I do tell you, you’re going to owe me one.”
Oh,
So that’s how they do it.
“Sure.” I shrugged.
Like a tattletale, Chloe started to spill.
“Ruby said you and Hardy’s relationship feels like a sham or something like a make-believe; unlike other couples, both of you didn’t kiss for once tonight. She said, You, Joanne, look like you hate Hardy’s gut, and somehow you might have been forced by Hardy to suddenly come into his life to play the part of a Rebound fianceé, so people wouldn’t feel and see Hardy like a melancholic loop still not over his most beloved’s death, and she spilled that she would also like to know how much Hardy paid you, because your acting stinks.”
My goodness.
How much did they observe? They’ve caught on to almost everything.
These ladies are terrifying.
Hardy raised his head to glare at Chloe.
“Ruby’s words, not mine,” Chloe immediately said.
“I… I don’t know what Ruby’s thinking, but Hardy and I are very much in love,” I said, and it felt like I was eating food poisoning.
I guess the lie was heavier than I could carry.
“Yeah, you’re both very much in love and sitting about two feet apart,” Chloe said.
Shit.
Hardy and I shared a brief glance.
“Anyways, don’t let Ruby figure out that I told you all she said; she is such a snake… Anyway, see you at the after party,” Chloe beamed before catwalking away.
Talk about not talking behind the other ladies backs.
“We’ve been messing up badly.” Hardy grumbled, adjusting his body closer to mine.
“Why? Are you scared people are going to find out I’m being held hostage by you?” I scoffed, my tone clouded with full ornery.
“This is all your fault; do you think this is a joke?” He seethed.
“Right. It’s always my fault; you’re never at fault, Mr. Perfect Bensimon,” I scoffed. “I have been trying my best.
My mouth was immediately shut with Hardy’s sudden kiss. I left my body tensed and my hand in the air like dried seaweed.
Hardy moved his mouth closer to my ear when he noticed I was not reciprocating.
“Act natural; your friend’s watching.”
What friend?
My hands immediately fell on Hardy’s shoulder, and I let his mouth cover mine. Suddenly, like a crazy couple who love PDA, Hardy’s hand rested on my thighs while my fingers twirled his hair.
Almost eating each other out, we ended our kiss with faux smiles, and when I glanced in the corner of my eyes,.
I noticed Ruby standing by the door and pretending to be on her phone.
What is she? Some sort of weird spy?
What the hell is this?
“She’s not my friend. Neither of them are,” I scoffed at Hardy.
Minutes ago, she was pretending to be my friend, and now she wants dirt on me-something to excite the ladies while having tea.
–
The afterparty was held at a five-star hotel. And this time, it was more like having dinner and actually eating, instead of a boring ass party where everyone walked around with wine glasses in their hands to show off and spy on fake couples.
After Hardy and I were escorted to our designated seats, meeting the others and saying hello, we took our seats.
With exactly six couples, including us, the table became full of different delicacies and drinks.
But the look of it didn’t actually make me hungry.
With exactly twelve people around the oval, almost round-shaped table and one empty seat, it felt like everyone ignored everything and everyone else stared at us, Hardy and me.
Or maybe I was just extremely nervous and imagining things.
Hardy looked down at me, and I turned to him.
He forced a smile that almost got me cackling as he tucked some strands of my hair behind my ear.
He leaned down like he was about to kiss me, but his mouth rested above my ear.
“Ruby and Chloe are on to us; do not blow this,” he whispered.
With a little rub on my lower back, he pulled away.
I took my time before raising my head and noticing Ruby at the side of the table, trying to absorb Spenser’s existence.
At the other end of the table is Chloe, pretending not to care about me, but I caught her eyes still flickering around me.
Okay, these women are on to me like leeches.
I hate this already.
I tried to look away, but my eyes caught Kaleb, whom I didn’t expect to see around the table, and he flashed me a smile.
I smiled back and turned to the roasted beef jerky in front of my eyes.
“Uh, sorry for keeping you all waiting.” A familiar, tired voice took over the entire table, and when I looked up, it was The Man of the Day, whom I had met earlier when I took a bathroom break.
Trevor.
“Finally, you joined us.” A dude looking pale in his white tux raised a brow at Trevor, and Trevor chuckled.
His eyes found mine, and he slowly let out a smile.
And there I noticed that Hardy was making an uncomfortable shift in his seat.
–