Chapter 26
Natalia
Walking into the venue, the small vial in my clutch was the most precious thing to me.
Max hadn’t touched me in weeks—nothing, not even a kiss on the cheek.
It made me doubt whether the pills were working, but I couldn’t risk stopping.
That night would end with us in our bed, and with Max finally planting a baby in me.
I needed this—we needed this. Max had become unpredictable, moody, and withdrawn. Everything I tried seemed to backfire. The countdown in my brain was loud and bright, reminding me of how little time I had left to secure my spot in the Townsend family.
Max drove himself to the event, and I was put out that we hadn’t arrived together.
This was better, though, as eyes followed me across the ballroom, tracking over my skin, making me feel sexy and daring.
I was wearing a floor-length black dress covered in sequins.
It had swaths of sheer fabric crossing my torso and back, giving everyone glimpses of my body.
Low cut in the front, my professionally crafted breasts held the dress up. Max was standing next to Helen at one of the tables closest to the dance floor. I made my way over, forcing my face to relax and shaping my lips into a sexy smile.
Checking my reflection, I was pleased to see the bloodred lipstick I had carefully applied looked perfect and hadn’t moved an inch. When I reached Max’s side, I stepped close to him and leaned in for a kiss. He turned his head, giving me a cheek, and embarrassment burned in my gut.
“Be careful. I don’t want any lipstick on me,” he said as he took in my appearance.
His eyes were calculated as he scanned my form from top to bottom.
Max’s brow was furrowed, and his jaw was clenched.
Am I getting to him? Is it finally happening?
I straightened up, pulling my shoulders back and pressing my chest forward.
Latching onto Max’s arm, I curled up against his side. His hand instinctively went to my back, where he encountered bare skin. I shivered at the sensation, a thrill running through me at the contact. I tilted my head up, and my eyes met Max’s as he studied me closely.
“Is this dress new?” he asked, staring at my chest.
“Of course! Wanted to look my best for you,” I told him, reaching out to slide a hand down his chest. He pulled back, and I froze, unsure of what was going on.
“Don’t you think it’s a bit tacky? You’re a little old to be showing that much skin.
” Like being plunged into the Arctic, my body felt like it went into shock.
My blood felt cold in my veins, and I had to resist the urge to wrap my arms around myself.
The old Max—my Max—would have loved this.
The Max who bought me expensive lingerie that was nothing more than lace and straps.
Where did that man go? Before I could reply, I felt him stiffen next to me before he muttered “Fuck” and stepped away from me.
I turned to see what he was looking at, only to spot Sophie’s boyfriend.
He was waiting at the bar, dressed in a tuxedo.
No wonder Max was so upset. That man looked incredible.
Big, strong, the suit highlighting all sharp angles and harsh lines that made up his features.
Disappointment and rage ran through me. How is everything going badly already?
“I need a drink,” Max muttered, looking around the room so he wouldn’t have to go near the bar.
“I’ll grab you some champagne,” I offered, and he looked at me, hesitantly judging my sincerity before nodding.
Only a few feet away from the table was a waitress walking around with a tray of champagne flutes. Grabbing two glasses, I placed them down on a corner table that was hidden from most of the room.
Opening my clutch, I pretended to fish around for my lipstick while I prepared a full vial of the Spanish fly liquid. Aurora had said a few drops would do the trick, but I was done putting up with this bullshit.
Using the little dropper, I filled it to the top before squeezing it into one of the champagne glasses. Looking around to make sure no one was watching me, I swirled the glass idly as I checked out my makeup in a compact. Satisfied that it was ready to go, I made my way back to the table.
“Here you go, darling.” I passed the drink to Max, who downed it in two gulps.
A sliver of alarm ran through me. Maybe I shouldn’t have done such a big dose?
Max’s eyes were locked on that man, and any concern I had washed away.
I had to focus on what was best for me. I couldn’t count on Max to do that anymore.
“Going to the bar,” Max said, as if muttering to himself, instead of telling me. He had a faraway look, as if talking through me rather than to me. I took my assigned seat, already exhausted and upset. I took a sip of the untampered champagne and watched as Max confronted Sophie’s man.
It was comical, seeing the two together. Max looked like a chihuahua trying to intimidate a grizzly bear. I could tell the conversation was getting heated. Max was fidgeting, his face getting red as he went back and forth with the man.
Just as I was about to get up to head that way, everyone was distracted by Eloise.
She gave a god-awful screech as she ran through the guests to get to Linc.
It was unseemly, just another display of the poor etiquette Eloise was brought up to display.
The old adage that children should be seen but not heard still applied at events like these.
Everyone was staring, no doubt wondering who would let their child behave in such a way.
To make matters worse, everyone could see how much Eloise clung to him, even when her real father was standing right there.
Then, Sophie appeared, effortlessly gliding into the group, presenting a very united front against my husband.
Linc’s arm was wrapped around both Sophie and Eloise now, holding them possessively. His body language said the same thing about both of them: back off. He wasn’t about to let anyone get near them. As he looked down into Sophie’s face, the connection between them was palpable.
For a moment, something inside me cracked. The way he looked at her, touched her… That was what I wanted. Both protective and possessive, he was everything that Max wasn’t. The group dispersed shortly after, and I couldn’t help but watch my husband.
He didn’t return to the table, didn’t walk over to me for comfort.
Instead, Max shuffled off to a dark corner where he could sulk in private, stalking Sophie’s every move with his eyes.
Did he ever look at me like that? What do I have to do to get his attention?
! For some of that focus to be on me, for once.
“What is happening here?” Helen hissed as she took the seat next to me.
“I-I don’t know,” I stuttered out. She was furious. To the casual eye, you wouldn’t be able to tell, but I saw how on edge she was.
“Where’s Max? Did he know they were coming?” she asked. My mouth just opened and closed, but no words came out.
“God, you’re useless,” Helen snapped before scanning the room. Sophie was chatting with Pops, which only seemed to fan Helen’s fury. After another sweep of the room, she faced me.
“Let me go talk to Maxwell. In the meantime, go and get Lou. She’s supposed to be at our table. That’s what the seating chart says.”
“But…” I hesitated. Lou and I had never really vibed. In the beginning, I desperately wanted to be that bonus parent, the fun stepmom to go shopping with and play with makeup—all the fun, girly stuff—but that never happened.
“We don’t have time for this Natalia. Go.” Helen was already walking over to Max, not giving me an option to argue. Getting up slowly, I walked around the ballroom, taking the longest route possible.
By the time I made it to their side of the ballroom, Helen was walking away from Max, and joined me at the table where Eloise sat.
Both of us came together to stand in a spot right next to the group.
From my research on Sophie’s social media, I knew they were her boyfriend, Linc, and his family.
Eloise was sitting on a young woman’s lap—Linc’s sister, I assumed, from her looks.
She had the same dark hair and hazel eyes, and was getting a lot of attention from all of the men and women as she played some sort of hand game with Eloise.
“Eloise, dear, I haven’t seen you all night. Can you come say hello to me?” Helen posed it as a question, but we all knew the routine. Even Eloise understood by now. The little girl looked up at the two of us, her vibrant smile dropping as she realized what we were asking.
“Sorry, Grandma Helen. Auntie Quinn was just showing me a game,” Eloise said, her eyes round and worried.
“And you’re doing just marvelous at it, my dear! Better than Quinn already,” the woman at the head of the table said before standing up to face us.
“Hello, there. You must be Natalia and Helen? My name is Abigail Carson, Linc’s mom.
You can call me Judge Lennox.” The smile on her face didn’t move, but there was an aggressive undercurrent to her words.
I had heard about her before. She was notoriously tough, had worked her ass off, and was held in high esteem by anyone who had met her.
I looked to Helen, unsure how to respond.
“Yes, nice to meet you as well. We’re just stopping by to grab little Eloise. They’re going to start dinner soon, and we wouldn’t want her to miss it,” I offered, aware of the silence that now surrounded us, every eye and ear attuned to our little circle.
“But… Mimi said I could eat with them.” Eloise looked back at the table, clearly upset. Linc instinctually reached for her. With her in his arms, he came to stand near his mother.
“Don’t worry, Lou. Mimi wouldn’t lie to you.” His eyes locked with mine, and I flinched.
The unfiltered disgust on his face made me want to disappear. It was a look that would haunt me. How could someone I didn’t even know judge me? What did I ever do to him?