Chapter 14 - Blair
“What types of dresses do the women wear at these events?” I ask, squinting into a boutique of ball gowns that look over-the-top extravagant.
“Those types!” Talia says, nodding. She grabs my arm and pulls me into the store.
The dresses are exquisite. I trace my fingers gently over the hand-beaded crystals stitched into the bodice of a pale blue dress.
“Can I help you, young ladies?” An older woman with large, round eyeglasses smiles as she walks toward us.
“My friend and I are attending an event tonight, and she needs to look amazing,” Talia says boldly.
“Oh, well, I can certainly make sure she looks amazing,” the woman grins. “Let’s see what color tone we should be looking at. Come on and stand over here under the light, darling.”
She holds panels in various colors, hovering them beneath my chin to see how they brighten or dull my skin tone.
“I’m loving the emerald and the midnight red,” Talia says, standing close to scrutinize each option.
“I love that green,” I say, pointing to the panel. “I mean emerald.”
With the color decided, the woman leads us toward a rack of dresses all in various shades of green. Ranging from light to dark and looking like wedding dresses just in the wrong color.
I feel so out of my depth. I’m grateful to have Talia here to help me out.
The thing is, I was devastated when I found out that Simon doesn’t want me by his side. It kind of broke my heart. It makes me think he’s done with me now that he got to sleep with me. Isn’t that such a cliche? The guy gets what he wants and loses interest.
But I decided that he doesn’t get to just toss me aside like that.
And if I want to go to a gala, I can go with or without him.
In a way, I want to prove to him that I can stand on my own in his world.
I want to show him that it doesn’t scare me.
I don’t need to hold his hand or drag him down at these events.
And on top of that, I am determined to make a clear statement that I refuse to be someone who has to wait for his permission to do something.
I was invited to that gala by Marlen, which means I will be the one who decides whether to go.
And I am going.
Which is why Talia and I are out shopping for dresses today.
Originally, I called her to ask if I could borrow one of her dresses. But she wasn’t having any of that. She said it’s my first gala and I need to get the full experience, which includes wearing something chosen just for me.
It’s kind of exciting.
And instead of going as Simon’s guest, I am going as a guest of the family. Talia and I will arrive together.
“What about this?” the shop assistant asks, lifting a dress with a corset top and a skirt that has about a thousand layers of fabric on it.
“No, that’s a ball gown. I won’t even be able to move in it. I’ll be tripping over all of the layers. And how do you even sit down in that?”
Talia laughs. “Ok, then we don’t want poofy skirts, we want something super sleek and sexy,” she tells the woman.
“Oh, my goodness! I love that one!” Talia exclaims with excitement, pointing at a dark emerald dress as the woman browses through the options. The shop assistant holds it up for me to see.
“Oh wow. That’s a very high slit,” I say nervously.
“You have to try it on. Come on. Just give it a chance,” Talia insists.
In the dressing room, she helps me slip into it, and as I stand up to look at myself in the mirror, I gasp.
Immediately, I fell in love with it.
The dress is made from heavy silk that falls like liquid over my body. It hugs tight in all the right places and flares slightly over my hips. The slit is high, but it’s elegant. It sits right up at my hip and still manages not to show off too much.
Thin straps sit over my shoulders and dip into a low V-shaped neckline. There are no crystals, gems, or sequins. It’s just pure silky, and it looks too beautiful for words.
“Oh, my goodness, the back,” Talia squeals in excitement. I turn to see the back.
It dips so low you can see the dimples above my ass, and there are thin straps criss-crossed from the bottom to the top, creating a delicate effect over my whole back.
I fall even more in love with it and turn to grin at Talia.
“This is the one!”
“This is the one!” she agrees. “Now stilettos. Can you walk in high heels?! And you need a long necklace with a very sparkly pendant of some sort.”
***
Walking into the gala with Talia feels like we are two princesses arriving at our own personal party. We drove here in a limousine and sipped champagne on the way.
The dress is gorgeous; my hair is done up in a golden clip with delicate gold leaves woven into it and soft curls hanging around my face. A long gold chain hangs low in my cleavage and also has a beautiful leaf pendant.
As soon as we walk through the doors, I notice people smiling at us.
The attention makes me a little nervous, but I push my shoulders back and smile confidently, determined to prove that I belong here as much as anyone else.
And determined to show Simon that I don’t need his permission!
The place looks incredible. It’s elite and somewhat fairytale-ish. Crystal and golden chandeliers and glittering fairy lights cover the high ceilings. The lighting is soft and warm, creating an intimate ambiance.
Everyone looks beautiful.
I walk confidently in my high heels thanks to Talia, who helped me practice all afternoon. She leans close to me and asks, “Would you like a drink? Let’s get some champagne?”
“That sounds perfect,” I smile, letting her lead me deeper into the gala.
My eyes roam the sea of faces in search of Simon, but the place is busy, and I’m not even sure if he’s here yet.
With champagne in hand, we start mingling with the guests, and I begin to relax a little and enjoy myself. We meet lots of people, and I know I’ll never remember all of their names.
Talia waves at someone she knows, and he comes over to us.
“This is Blair. Blair, this is Antonio,” Talia says. “Antonio works with our family. He has for many years,” she explains.
“Hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” I smile as he takes my hand to shake it. He steps closer, cocking his head to the side. “I don’t believe I’ve seen you at any of these events before?” he asks, his eyes drifting over me.
From the corner of my eye, I notice Simon from across the room. My heart leaps in my chest, but I try to stay focused on Antonio so that I don’t seem impolite.
“This is my first event as a guest of the Popov family,” I smile at him.
“Well, I do hope to be seeing you at many more. Would you like to get a drink with me? I see your champagne is low,” he remarks.
“Blair, you look absolutely stunning,” Simon says, arriving next to me and slipping his arm around my waist to pull me close against his side. He doesn’t look impressed to see me, but there is an immediate positivity as he holds me, trying to claim me as his date.
Despite how good it feels to be against him, I make a point of stepping away from him, as though the embrace was just a quick greeting.
“You look good too,” I smile at him, leaving a space between us as I stare up at him with defiance behind my friendly smile.
His eyes narrow for a moment.
Antonio, who has been watching this exchange, holds his hand out to shake Simon’s. “Good to see you, man. How is business going?” he asks.
Simon replies, and they start discussing topics that don’t interest me, so I turn to Talia and say, “Shall we get a refill?”
She grins and nods.
“Wait,” Simon says, gently taking my arm. “I thought I might introduce you to some people?” he says, clearly reluctant to let me leave.
“Oh, thank you, but I’m here with Talia. I might find you and say hello again later,” I say politely, making it clear that I am not his date for the evening and that was his choice, not mine.
He scowls, but, reluctant to make a scene, he lets me go.
Sometimes Talia is with me, sometimes she gets whisked away by someone she knows. But I’ve grown confident enough that I am wandering the party on my own and meeting a lot of people.
But as I move through the crowds having different conversations, I can always feel Simon’s eyes on me. To be fair, I can’t keep my eyes off him either. He looks absolutely gorgeous in his black Armani suit, perfectly fitted over his broad shoulders.
“Hi,” a friendly voice chimes, and I turn to see a beautiful girl standing in front of me.
She holds out her hand. “My name is Lindsey.”
“I’m Blair,” I smile, shaking her hand.
“I saw you talking to my future in-laws earlier. The older couple over there,” she points into the crowd. I look where she’s pointing at an older couple. They were lovely. Very sweet and very friendly.
“I’ve been meeting some wonderful people this evening,” I smile, reassured that she will be similar to them if she is about to marry into their family.
“My fiancé’s parents are lovely. Have you met their son yet?” she asks.
“Oh, I’m not sure. He wasn’t with them when we were talking,” I say.
“Mm. Jaco is around here somewhere,” she says, glancing over the crowd. “You really should meet him. You know, Jaco and Simon used to be very good friends.” Her voice has turned sly and cold, and it’s making my skin crawl as I realize she’s referring to that Jaco.
I press my lips together, tilting my head to the side. “You know Simon?” I ask, as my heart skips a beat. He told me Jaco stole his girlfriend. Could this be her?
“Of course, I know Simon,” she giggles. Lindsey leans a little closer and lowers her voice.
“I know him better than anyone. We were very close. We dated for a while. I know all of the things that drive that man wild with desire. You’re with him, aren’t you?
If you like, I could give you some tips. ” Her lips curl into a nasty smile.
Anxiety knots in my stomach as I do my best not to show how much her words are getting to me.
Simon told me she was the first girl he ever loved. Maybe even the only girl he’s ever loved. And now she’s standing in front of me, telling me she knows all the things he wants from a woman, and I’m so clueless about those things that I wouldn’t even know the slightest bit about turning him on.
I bite my lip and swallow hard.
“Simon told me you two were together once. How are things between you and Jaco?” I ask, trying to change the subject.
“Simon once told me that being with me was the most incredible thing he had ever experienced in his entire life. I think we just had a connection that was deeper than anyone else could understand,” she says.
My stomach churns, and I glance nervously around, looking for a way out of this conversation.
I’ve never felt so inadequate and embarrassed in my life.
How can I compete with a girl as beautiful as her?
Perfect blonde hair, red lips, and bright blue eyes.
And apparently, a connection to Simon so deep that she could give him everything he ever needed.
I guess I can see now why he is so angry at Jaco for stealing her away.
He probably still dreams about being with her.
Suddenly, I don’t just want to escape the conversation; I want to escape the whole event.