Chapter 7%
Before I could respond, Alison jumped in, eager to take a shot at me.}
“Soren, Fran’s not like me. She went to some island recently–got all tanned. Poor girl, her skin just can’t handle the sun… Let’s not remind her of it.”
As she spoke, she did a little dramatic shake of her shoulders, the light practically bouncing off her artificially glowing skin.
I let out a silent scoff. Even now, on her wedding day, she couldn’t resist taking a jab at me. Low–tier competition between women–so predictable, so pathetic.
Well, let’s see if she’s still smiling by the end of tonight.
I raised a glass for a toast with her, holding a wine I had chosen specifically. It wouldn’t affect a normal person, but for someone like Alison, with her “special” condition, it was a recipe for disaster.}
Sure enough, barely a moment after she took the drink, a thin sheen of sweat appeared on her forehead. Her hands began to tremble, clutching her bouquet like she was afraid it might slip away.
Soren noticed immediately, his concern evident as he leaned in. “Is everything okay? You don’t look well,” he asked, his voice soft but full of care.
Alison quickly tossed her bouquet off the stage, muttering that she wasn’t feeling well, before running off in a hurry. A few moments later, my phone buzzed. It was a text from her. She ordered me to bring her allergy meds–and quick. I ended up stuck in the room with her and the makeup artist, trying to salvage her look for the last half an hour.
Meanwhile, Aunt Hannah, who had been watching the whole scene unfold, shot me a suspicious look.
“Did you out something in that wine?”
I feigned ignorance to her accusation, “I’m sure it’s just an allergic reaction. Soren drank the same wine and he’s fine. He can vouch for me. But if you’re still not convinced, I’ll drink the rest of it.“}]
Then, I grabbed the remaining wine and took a big gulp. Unhappy with that, Aunt Hannah had someone check Alison’s wineglass. When nothing out of the ordinary was found, she turned back to me, glaring with suspicion.
“Don’t try any tricks,” she warned, her voice low but sharp. “Soren’s married now–he won’t even look at you. Know your place.“}
I lowered my head and gave a respectful nod, though inside, I was barely containing my excitement.
What would Soren do when he found out Alison’s secret tonight? I couldn’t help but smile at the thought.
After taking her allergy meds and with the makeup artist’s careful touch, Alison returned to the reception. Soren took her around to meet the guests, smiling for the cameras and exchanging pleasantries.}
After accepting all the compliments, Soren finally escorted her to their bridal suite.}]
That night, all the guests were settled in the resort hotel, enjoying drinks and chatting. The atmosphere was light and relaxed.}
Meanwhile, Aunt Hannah was in the garden, puffing herself up in front of her relatives, bragging about how well she’d raised her daughter.”
And of course, she made sure to take a jab at me.
“My Alison has never had a boyfriend–unlike some girls who’ve had so many, they’ve lost count.“>
“Yeah, girls these days don’t seem to have the same values as Alison. She’s so beautiful, talented and pure.“}
“Of course, the reason Soren Armitage is interested in her is because she’s still a virgin. You all know how precious a woman’s chastity is. Soren must think he hit the jackpot.“}]
I had to bite my lip to stop myself from laughing. The men I’d been with had all been swept away by Alison’s “purity.” It wasn’t hard to see why Aunt Hannah never noticed what her daughter was up to behind closed doors.
But I wasn’t the only one who saw through her facade. The other guests exchanged glances, some of them holding back knowing smirks. They remembered when Aunt Hannah had made a fool of herself being a homewrecker.
And honestly, who still talks about women like that in this day and age? It was outdated, embarrassing. But no one dared to say anything, so they just smiled and nodded, continuing to shower her with compliments.}
Aunt Hannah had drunk a little too much and she was floating on cloud nine, basking in her self–satisfaction.
At that moment, my phone buzzed.}
It was a message from Alison.
Alison: [Fran, something happen. I forgot to take the mold out when Soren and I… well, there was an accident.]}
Alison: [Get over here and help me fix it. DON’T TELL ANYONE.]}]
I couldn’t hold back a small grin as I made an excuse to slip away from the crowd, heading straight to their honeymoon suite.}
