Twenty-one and ready to take on the world, orphan Lizzie Gold didn't expect her chance encounter with a stranger to lead to a damnable task - to take down a rising business tycoon.
Ryan Pierce - her viciously handsome target and her new boss - might...
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L I Z Z I E 30 | the gala
Rich people don't know how to party.
"My husband gifted me this for our first anniversary," the finely-dressed woman in the circle of four surrounding me gushes, touching her diamond necklace. "It's one of the first pieces from Claire Jackson's exclusive collection."
"It's gorgeous," another woman, a blondie who closely resembles Katy Perry, stresses upon the word with too much effort.
"Are you kidding me?" I breeze my fingers through the woman's necklace much to her disgust as she eyes me like I am a pest. "I got an exact looking one for a hundred dollars at the store near my apartment. I don't see any difference."
The woman staggers back while the other three part their mouths like I have said something obscene. I look around at their shocked faces, noticing their horrified paleness.
"What's wrong with her?" The cheap Katy Perry rolls her eyes, spinning on her stilettos and the others follow behind her, not inviting me to join them.
"But...I swear, I'm telling the truth," I say behind them, heart thudding as I wonder what my mistake was. "...I'm sorry."
When they don't look back, I know they no longer want my company so I stand there, alone in a corner of the big ballroom of Greek Gardens, taking a delightful sip of my champagne. My mood is off. I thought Ryan would be here to keep me company but after he finished his speech for the charity, his friends dragged him away for drinks.
He is across the hall from me, chatting with his friends while looking dashingly handsome in his three-piece suit and straight grey tie. I dressed my best too, borrowing Tia's trumpet black gown which is a little too tight to accommodate my curves. Yet, I managed to hold up in it, doing my make-up with particular attention and bunching my hair up in a French bun. I even let Tia stick those decorative pins into my scalp to hold my hair in place.
When Ryan came to pick me up, his gaze lingered on me before he kissed me, promising a night of fun.
He couldn't keep his promise because I am bored like hell.
These aren't how parties should be. Ignoring the fact that I have never been to a gala, I would still expect a party to have loud music at least, not the soft instrumentals that play overhead while people chat over civilized conversations, not even drinking from their champagne glasses.
I am the only one currently nursing my fourth drink.
"Lizzie..." I spin to see Gloria rounding me up, shimmering like a bright disco light in her expensive mermaid-style gown.
If I thought my makeup was too much, hers can be referred to as the godown of makeup products slapped on her face. She even has fake lashes which made me not even recognize her at first glance.
