𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐲 | ✓

7

William pops open a bottle of champagne, careful not to spill the content over the papers of the contract.

The same girl with a white shirt and black skirt hurries to him, gets the bottle, and pours the drink into the nearby glasses set aside for us and ready for use.

Once we all have a drink in our hands and are up on our feet, William holds up his glass. "To our partnership and our coming success," he makes the toast.

A mischievous smile arches Kristian's lips as he raises his glass. His gaze fixated on me.

From the corner of my eye, I catch Amanda being overly excited.

But on the other hand, Spencer doesn't even raise his glass and Savannah is shooting daggers at me with her brilliant blue eyes. Julia is the only kind face, offering an encouraging smile at me.

I hate this feeling. This instant dread and regret coursing through me. It's wrong. This decision shouldn't feel so shitty so early on.

With a sigh and a small forced smile, I raise my glass to my lips, drinking to his toast. Mom and Mason play along too. I suppose it's too late for any protests and attempts at changing the course now. All it can be done is, trying to smoothen out the process as much as possible.

"When are you going to put on a ring?" Amanda asks, looking between me and Kristian. "I was thinking about throwing a grand party, something that will match our status." She waves her free hand around, emphasizing her words.

Sideways, I glance at Mom. She subtly raises her brows and purses her lips as if saying "I told you so". I bite the inside of my cheek to suppress a sigh.

Unaware, Amanda continues, "And then Kris proposes to Gracie in front of everyone, but she has to put up a convincing act that she's surprised and thrilled. Do you think you'll be able to do that?" she stares at me expectantly, widening her dark eyes.

"Sounds like a great idea to me," William starts as he bends down and places his glass on the coffee table. "And I'm sure Gracie will find a way to make her reaction convincing. Begin the preparations of the party." His gaze locks with mine as if daring me to oppose him. 

In what sort of fuckery have I gotten myself into? It hasn't even been ten minutes and they're making me dance around like their god damn puppet already.

I inhale sharply and tightly clutch the thin strings of my self-control stopping me from lashing out.

Amanda takes her husband's words as a cue to break into a full-on planning mode. I'm forced to plaster a fake sweet smile as she goes on and on with her plans. Somewhere in between Spencer excuses himself and leaves the room.

As Amanda reaches the details of the coming party, my phone goes off, interrupting her.

Half relieved, and half happy I jump up and grab my phone, it's from Erika and I dare say this is the first time I've gotten so happy from receiving a work-related phone call.

Faking a sincere apology, I rush out of the living room and once I'm down the corridor and past the wide set of staircases, I answer.

"Sorry for calling on a weekend, Ma'am, but something important has happened," Erika starts the second I get the word 'hello' out of my mouth.

I frown and pace the vacant hall. "It's all right, go on."

"Benjamin Stewart has sent an email asking for a meeting with you, and so has Alexander Ramirez."

"Together?" I ask with surprise, stopping dead in my tracks.

"No, but their emails were about thirty minutes apart."