Dimitri’s jaw tightened, irritation flickering across his face, but he didn’t pull away from her. And that—that tiny detail—told me everything I needed to know.
I’d done my research over the past two weeks. Not because I was curious. No—far from it. It was just a know thy enemy kind of research. Garnia Pack was thriving under Dimitri’s leadership. Their territory had expanded, their businesses were flourishing. Ravencrest Global’s stock had nearly doubled. They’d secured major deals with companies across three continents. And Dimitri had married Selene Ashworth in a lavish ceremony that had been covered by every major werewolf publication.
I’d seen the photos—Dimitri in a tuxedo, Selene in a white dress that probably cost six figures, both of them looking like the perfect couple. The headlines had called it “the wedding of the decade”.
Looking at those photos had felt like being stabbed. Even though I’d known it was coming, even though I’d spent five years building anew life, seeing concrete proof that he’d moved on had reopened old wounds.
“Well, well…Isabella. I didn’t expect to see you here. I thought they didn’t let riffraff into events like this these days,” Selene said condescending as usual. But gone were the days when her words had any bite.
“And yet here you are,” I answered evenly, forcing a smile onto my face.
Her eyes narrowed. “My husband runs a Fortune 500 company. I’m here to support him.” Her gaze raked over me from head to toe, taking in every detail of my dress with barely concealed disdain. “Though I have to wonder—who did you sleep with to afford that dress? Or is it borrowed? It looks fake and cheap. Just like you.”
The insult was meant to remind me I was still, in her eyes, the charity case. The girl who had nothing.
I smiled wider, letting my diamond earrings catch the light. “I bought it myself, actually. With my own money. From my own very lucrative career.” I tilted my head. “But I suppose you wouldn’t understand the concept of earning things through your own merit.”
Selene’s face flushed with anger, her mouth opening for what would undoubtedly be a scathing retort, but an announcement stopped her before she could say anything.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” a voice boomed over the speakers, “if you would please take your seats, the program is about to begin.”
I grabbed my whiskey from the counter, sipped a little.
I caught his haze just before I walked away. A faint smirk tugged at his lips, and something that looked like pride and admiration swirling in his eyes. But I ignored it and walked away.
I made my way to my assigned table, where Marcus was already seated. He didn’t even have the courtesy to help me into my seat. I drew out my chair and sat, ignoring the questioning look in his eyes.
The program began, and while the host kept droning on about “the rise of ethical AI and global collaboration in the digital age”, I pulled out my phone and texted the nanny.
Me: How’s it going with Adele? Hope she’s being good.
The response came almost immediately.
Sarah: Oh, she’s adorable! Though she won’t stop arguing with me about whether dragons can beat unicorns in a fight. She’s very passionate about her dragons.
I chuckled to myself, wondering what got Adele so invested in dragons. I’d always presumed it had something to do with the bedtime story I’d read her once about the merchant who was half dragon, half human, and would fly up to the princess’s chambers high in the palace and take her somewhere special every night.
I chuckled again, clicking my phone shut and slipping it into my clutch. When I looked up, still smiling, I found Dimitri’s gaze locked on me from across the room. The smile instantly vanished, and my body did that thing it had been doing all night when Dimitri stared at me. I shifted in my seat, forcing my gaze back to the stage.
“And now, it’s time to introduce a very special guest,” the host’s voice rang out again. “A woman who has taken the tech world by storm, whose innovative strategies have revolutionized the industry. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Estelle Crawford, Vice President of Crane Internationale—one of the largest tech conglomerates in Europe!”
I stood, smoothing my dress, and walked to the stage.
As I passed Dimitri’s table, I caught the look on Selene’s face—anger, disgust, shock that I was someone. But Dimitri’s expression was different. It looked like…pride. I pushed aside the way it made me feel, climbed onto the stage, took the microphone, and began my speech.
I’d prepared for it, so it was smooth. Plus, I’d gotten used to speaking at events like this. I did it all the time back in Zurich.
Twenty minutes later, the audience was applauding as I concluded my speech. I bowed courteously, smiling toward the crowd before making my way back to my table.
Now that that was done, I thought it was time to call it a night. I was exhausted, not just physically, but emotionally. All I wanted was to go home to see my daughter. To hold Adele close and let herlaughter wash away everything this night had stirred up. She was my calm after the chaos. My entire world.
“I’m going to cut out early,” I leaned toward Marcus and whispered. “But um, thank you for being my date for the evening. I’ll let you know the conclusions about your proposal by Monday.”
“Right,” he said, his eyes dropping to my chest. “Are you certain you don’t want to come back with me? I’ll make it worth your while, I promise.”
I smiled, though the disgust in my face was evident enough to make Marcus catch himself. “Enjoy the rest of your evening, Marcus.”
I left the hall, and by the time I reached the entrance, the valet had already brought my car around. I slid in, started the engine, and drove off, desperate for the quiet. But even the solace of being alone didn’t last.
