Page 58 of Tangled in Temptation

Regina’s gaze shifted to Catherine, her smile widening as if relishing the discomfort she caused. Catherine looked as if she’d been struck speechless, her cheeks turning a bright red color. I didn’t know how to help her.

Catherine’s discomfort was palpable, her eyes darting between Regina and me as if searching for an escape route. I wanted to reach out to her, to shield her from Regina’s vitriol. Regina didn’t have to curse or make a scene to cut someone to the core. She was very skilled at making someone feel like shit with just one of her withering glares. She could wrap an insult up in flowery words that sounded innocent enough to any eavesdroppers, but the intended victim would feel the pain.

“I didn’t realize you had a plus one,” Catherine said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“It was a last-minute arrangement,” I replied, my words feeling hollow even to my own ears.

Regina’s smile tightened, a subtle warning beneath its saccharine veneer. “Indeed, a last-minute arrangement,” she echoed. “You know, when I was young, they used to call women who attended parties uninvited... what was it? Oh yes, party crashers. Unless you’ve brought a date.”

Regina’s words hung heavy between us, cutting through the air like a sharp knife. Catherine blushed even more deeply, her eyes wide with hurt and embarrassment.

“I have not brought a date,” Catherine replied. “Is that a requirement?”

“Oh, not at all,” Regina replied immediately, her voice still filled with faux sweetness. “It just makes the evening so much more enjoyable, don’t you think? Sharing the night with someone special.” She turned to me then, entwining her arm through mine in a possessive gesture.

Catherine’s gaze fell to the floor as an uncomfortable silence settled between us. I felt a surge of anger toward Regina. She didn’t have to be so cruel. It was my fault for not making it clear to Catherine about Regina’s presence tonight, but it wasn’t Catherine’s fault for accepting my invitation.

“Regina, stop,” I hissed.

“Did you plan on introducing your contractor to your friends?” Regina asked. She made sure the word contractor was said loud enough to be heard by those mingling nearby.

“This might be hard for you to believe, but I’m not just a contractor,” Catherine replied.

Her words were confident with a spark of defiance flickering in her eyes. Her chin was lifted, a silent declaration of her unwillingness to be bullied by my ex-wife.

“Oh?” Regina quirked an eyebrow, a faint smirk playing on her lips. “And what else do you consider yourself?”

“I consider myself a woman who doesn’t need a man on her arm to enjoy an evening,” Catherine replied, all traces of earlier embarrassment wiped clean. She looked at me then, her gaze softening ever so slightly before focusing back on Regina. “I also believe that one person’s profession does not define their worth.”

Regina’s cackle made my skin crawl. “Technically, I think that’s exactly what it does. Your worth is determined by your wealth.”

“Maybe your worth is determined by your bank account, but I would never want to be so shallow,” Catherine replied with a smile. She was giving as good as she got.

Regina’s grip tightened on my arm. She did not like being challenged. She wasn’t used to it. Most people backed down when Regina started spewing her bullshit.

I was proud of Catherine for standing up to her. Someone had to.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Catherine

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I COULDN’T BELIEVE my eyes, yet deep down, a part of me had been bracing for this moment. There he stood, amidst the sea of faces, his gaze locked with mine for a fleeting instant before Regina’s possessive grip on his arm shattered the fragile connection. Tears threatened to spill from my eyes, but I refused to give Regina the satisfaction.

I felt a shiver of vulnerability ripple through me, my heart pounding in my chest as Regina’s harsh words echoed in my ears. It was one thing to be confronted by an ex-spouse, another to have your self-worth questioned so publicly. But as I stood there, looking at Regina and then at him, something dawned on me. I was not the issue here.

“Regina,” I said, forcing a calmness into my voice that I did not feel. “Your opinions are just that—opinions. They do not define me or anyone else in this room.”

“I beg to differ,” Regina scoffed, her grip tightening on Timothy’s arm.

I saw the regret in his eyes. But it didn’t make me feel any better. There was a level of betrayal that I had never experienced before. He hadn’t expected me to show up. To see him with her on what was supposed to be our date made my heart break. But I was not going to back down from Regina.

“No, Regina,” I retorted, my words softer now. “You don’t get to define who I am or what I’m worth solely on the basis of what I do for a living. My profession is only one part of who I am.”

Regina let out a curt laugh, her gaze narrowing as she looked me up and down. “Well then, my dear, I suppose that’s where you and I differ.”

“Yes, I suppose we do,” I replied, standing up taller with newfound determination. “Because unlike you, Regina, I don’t need to belittle others to feel good about myself.”