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I stuff another spoonful of ice cream in my mouth. "I'm not going there to look pretty. I just have to go there to mark my attendance."
The front door opens, and Maya immediately looks up. "Tony, did you bring the fried chicken?"
Tony walks in with two large containers of food in one hand and a large rectangular box in the other.
"This was lying outside your door." He places the box on the coffee table.
Maya abandons the black train she's stitching and hurries over to the box. "This looks fancy, Cynthia."
I get up and open the box.
It's a dress.
A ruby red dress with silver highlights and intricate embroidery. It's both simple and elegant.
"There are shoes here as well. And jewelry." Maya gasps.
Tony's expression is hard, but he doesn't say anything. "Do you want to wear this?"
I know this dress. I saw it in one of the shops I visited with Adam.
And I know it was him who sent it.
My lips press together into a thin line.
"No."
CHAPTER 14
Cynthia
I didn't want to wear the dress.
I was fine with the black dress.
But then Maya 'accidentally' tripped over the train and it snagged on her shears, and that's why I now have to stand in the back of the ballroom, sulking in a pretty red dress that I actually like and still don't want to wear.
I have a glass of champagne in my hand, which I touch to my lips every couple of minutes to pretend I'm drinking. I've never really been to one of these things, but I see a lot of faces I recognize. However, I don't want to go meet them. I don't want to engage in any small talk. I just want to stay for another hour until enough people have seen me and then go back home.
However, I'm not that lucky.
One of the CEOs of a local company in our area spots me and waves me over. I've worked with this man directly, and he introduces me to his companions. Once in the center of the ballroom, I inevitably have to socialize. More and more people I've worked with and alongside come to say hi and discuss things. I find out that KDL Foods has lost a couple of customers who are also business owners ever since I left. Some of the customers and suppliers voice their dissent about the newliaison they've had to work with, and that does make me feel slightly better.
However, that doesn't mean I'm completely comfortable in this setting. Usually, I'm facing these men in boardrooms and meetings, and now I have to make chitchat. Once they find out I'm working as an assistant, I get numerous job offers which I don't know whether to take seriously or not. Several business cards are handed to me with secretive smiles and offers to set up a meeting.
The small purse that Maya made me carry is heavy with business cards.
An hour or so passes before I manage to retreat to a corner of the room.
I close my eyes and let out a sigh.
I've had too many people I worked with introduce me to their single sons. I can barely manage the one man I seem to have in my life. What am I supposed to do with so many of them?
"You look like you could use a drink," comes a vaguely familiar voice that has me opening my eyes.
The man before me is holding out a wine glass that has apple juice in it. My eyes linger on the scar on the side of his face.
"I know you," I murmur, accepting the glass. "That day in the lobby a few weeks ago…"
