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Still, every time I look away from my table, there’s a sleek woman in a black gown glaring daggers at me. By the third time I look over, she starts to make her way toward me.

“Uh oh.” I hear Aiden’s sister mumble a warning, just as the woman gets to our table. She plops herself down in Aiden’s chair and curtly starts speaking.

“Well you must be Aiden’s newthing,” she says with a sardonic smile. I nod, although her description makes me uncomfortable. If she notices, she doesn’t care.

“Well, you just look all dolled up. Like a child in her mother’s closet.” She pokes and prods at my dress, feeling the fabric as if it were cheap.

“Ada. That’s enough.” The warning tone in Aleighia’s voice is enough to worry me, but the woman pays it no mind. If I had any doubts from her glaring, at least now it is confirmed that this woman must be Aiden’s ex, Ada.

“What, Ally? I’m just trying to be friends with this homewrecker.” She says the last word much too loudly, and I can tell all eyes are on our table now. I am mortified. I need to get up, to leave. I stand out of my chair with an unfortunate wobble, the energy in the room making my knees feel weak.

Ada stands, too, picking up a glass of wine. She takes a small sip of it before swishing it around in her hand.

“Nice wine. Want to try some?” She lifts the glass, angling it toward me. Before I know it, her arm rears back to throw the drink.

18

AIDEN

I’m halfway through an exaggerated laugh when I hear a voice I know all too well. She sounds upset, and Lord only knows just what has gotten in her way. I turn my head with the rest of my group, as one clear word passes over the crowd.Homewrecker.

My eyes find the source of the noise. No surprise, it’s Ada. But who she’s talking to makes me want to drop my glass of scotch. It’s Josephine.Shit.

I politely excuse myself from the group of men and start to calmly make my way over to the table. I see my sister trying to intervene, but Ada is having none of it. Josephine stands, and it looks like Ada is about to do something rash.

I butt in between them. Somehow, as I slide between their bodies, I inadvertently knock into Ada’s arm. The wine glass that was meant to go on Josephine ends up on her, and a shrill, annoying sound of anger rips from her throat. I turn to look, and I have to physically hold myself back from laughing.

Ada’s dress is covered in wine, and so is part of her chest. She backs up, and I use the opportunity to get securely in front of my fiance.

“Are you okay?” I scan her face, trying to read her emotions. She just meekly nods. “Thanks for stopping her,” she mumbles. I give her a quick hug and notice that everyone is still staring.

This seems as good a time as any. All eyes are already on us, so let’s get this show on the road.

“Stay by my side,” I say, and she looks up at me with a puzzled expression. I step back from her and look around the room.

“Could I have everyone’s attention, please?” I call out, waiting for everyone to stop their conversations. Ada is standing off to the side with her parents, and she glares past me at Josephine. When the room is as quiet as it’s going to get, I clear my throat.

“Everyone, thank you for coming tonight. I would like to formally introduce my girlfriend, Josephine.”

The reaction is mixed. There are shocked faces scattered throughout, likely people who already knew of my alleged engagement to Ada. There are also claps from people who don’t fully understand just what this means.

My sister stands off to the side, with a happy and trusting smile. I lock eyes with my dad, and he looks at me disapprovingly. I take Josephine’s hand and walk her toward my parents. My mother looks happy for us, but it’s my dad I really need to convince.

“Dad. This is the girl I want to marry. Josephine is someone I actually like, and I want to build a future with her.”

My father’s face usually stays unchanged. But I think he sees the sincerity in my eyes because for a split-second, his gaze softens. I know he has a soft spot for mom, and if I can convince him she is just as important to me as my mom is to him, this might just work.

My mother is holding his arm and whispering to him. His stoic expression finally breaks, and so does his unnerving silence.

“Fine. If this is the girl you want to marry, then I expect you to be responsible for your decision.” He stares right at me, and I nod furiously. I can’t believe it worked.

Glancing down at Josephine, she looks shell-shocked. Still beautiful but also incredibly surprised. She doesn’t look upset, though, which is a plus in my book.

There are angry sounds from my left. Ada is quietly fighting with her father while her mother tries to shush her incessantly. My ex casts a look angry enough to summon the devil himself before she storms out of the building.

Her parents look embarrassed. I would be, too, if my daughter behaved like a thirty-year-old child. Her father is the first one to come over, and he gruffly congratulates us. I practically beam. Josephine says only a few words, but they’re all thankful and kind. His wife wishes us well before turning to our parents to talk.

The rest of the evening goes by well. There’s an inordinate amount of congratulations, mostly all guests of my dad's. He knows way too many people, all of them through business.

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