CHAPTER 16

Tristin fidgeted at the back seat of his father's Rolls Royce, unconsciously playing with the signet ring adorning his pinky ring. He gazed through the tinted windows only to be met by the darkening sky and the fast falling snowflakes.

"Nervous, son?" his father asked, tapping him on the knee.

Tristin snapped from his thoughts and looked at his father. "Uh, why do you say that?"

"Your ring twist," he pointed out.

Only his parents knew of his nervous tick. Apparently, his distracted thoughts brought out his nervous habit.

"I'm glad you can come out and join us tonight," his father continued on saying.

He let out a chuckle, "Yeah, me too."

"Sarcasm?" his mother asked. "You left the room rather in a hurry."

Tristin dropped his hands on his lap. "Well…"

"Well, what?" his dad inquired.

"Let's say I am acquainted with the groom-to-be," he hinted. "I just wanted to wish him luck."

"Am I to assume that this has something to do about a certain girl?" his mom pressed.

"A girl? Tristin having girl trouble?" Chandler chuckled. "I thought I'd never see the day."

Elsie playfully kicked her husband on the shin with her silver sling back Manolos.

"Just promise me this time you won't run away with the girl," she cautioned Tristin. "We had enough of that last Thanksgiving."

'Not if I can help it,' Tristin said to himself.

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Rory stood right outside the ballroom where Logan's party was being held. It was just a little past seven o'clock and she was having second thoughts on entering the room. Beautiful people stood in front of the hall like they were going to some gala. For something that was considered semi-formal, a huge number of the crowd being ushered in was dressed to the nines. She stared at her crimson-scooped sleeveless shirt with the black crepe knee length skirt she wore and she felt underdressed for the occasion. All she could hear in her head was her voice asking her whether her appearance at this party was right.

"I really would wish you wouldn't go to the party," Logan told her Thursday after the fight with Tristin.

"But Sydney was the one who invited me. Are you hiding something?" Rory asked.

"No," he lied. "I just know it won't be your cup of tea."

"You know, I may not run with your crowd but I know how to behave in social circles, you know," she informed him, albeit cross with his argument.

"It's not that," he huffed. "Why is it important for you to be at the party anyway?"

"Because I feel like you're ashamed of us as a couple," Rory accused.

"You know what? I am done with this argument," Logan said. "Show up. I don't care. I'll have Sydney call you tonight."

Just like that, he walked away. Since then, neither of them had spoken to each other.

That night, Rory went home with a broken heart. She was already confused with her attraction to Tristin. Her dissatisfaction with Logan did not make matters of the heart any better.

"Rory, it's Sydney. You're showing up, right?" Sydney asked her over the phone as Rory packed the last of the items she was taking home after her final that Friday.

"I don't know…" she honestly told Sydney.

"Don't worry about Logan. He's just worried about his dad. He can be a bastard," Sydney said offhandedly. "I, however, would love you to be there."

"Why?" Rory asked suspiciously. "You don't even know me."

"Logan had talked so much about you that I feel like you and I are connected. And I know I would love to see a friendly face in the crowd," she admitted.

A party being thrown and not have a friend there? Rory thought that the situation was rather odd.

"Sydney," Rory wailed.

"Come on. I promise it will be fun. Please?" she pleaded.

"Fine," Rory caved in asking for all the details.

Rory felt bad that at the moment. She was on better terms with a girl she barely knew than her boyfriend who was acting ridiculously strange.

"Your invitation, please?" the point man at the door asked, breaking into her reverie.

"My invitation?" Rory asked. She flushed immediately. She wasn't given an invite.

On cue, Sydney called out to her. "Rory! I'm glad you're here!" she yelled. "She's with me," she told the point man as she linked her arm around Rory's.

"I am so glad you're here," Sydney chatted away as she dragged Rory away from the door and the lines. "I think I can't handle this anymore!"

"Sydney… Hi," Rory managed to say. "Are you tipsy?"

"Trying to get there," Sydney admitted when they got to the wet bar. "Here, you need to catch up," she handed Rory a crystal glass with alcohol in it. She didn't know what the concoction was but she silently toasted Sydney when she raised her glass to her. Both of them drowned the amber liquid in one gulp.

"Good, isn't it?" Sydney giggled. "I think I've drank half the bottle already."

"What is it?" Rory asked, wiping her lips with the back of her hand.

"Amaretto. Come on, let's cruise," she took Rory's hand into hers and dragged her away from the bar. Rory let the blonde lead her around the room leaving her no time to admire the ice sculpture or the Christmas lilies or the fact that Tristin was watching her like a hawk from the corner of the room.

As they left their spot, Rory caught a glimpse of two of Logan's henchmen, Finn and Collin.

"Hi, Finn! Bye, Finn!" Rory greeted as they passed by.

"Rory?" Collin sounded surprised when she passed them by.

Finn looked at Collin. "So, I am not drunk and I did see Rory."

"Yes, you did," Collin confirmed.

"And Rory was being led by the hand by Sydney," Finn asked again.

"That is correct," Collin agreed.

"Do you think Logan knows about her being with Syd?" Finn questioned once more.

"I hope so because if he doesn't, there will be some major PR work that needs to be done before the morning paper goes out," Collin hinted. "Let's go find Logan."

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Logan isolated himself from the party that had been in full swing for about an hour. He stared out into the darkness, with nothing but the city's twinkling lights to brighten the dour, chilly sky. He welcomed the silence that engulfed him momentarily for he knew that tonight was going to change everything.

He tugged on the cuffs of his heavy starched white shirt. Then he pulled down the black coat that framed his sinewy frame. Now if only his life would be like his outfit: perfect, immaculate and simple.

He can picture it now: Rory on to one side, Sydney next to him. All he wanted to do was to tell Rory the truth he'd been hiding from her for over a year.

"Logan, we've been looking all over for you, man!" Finn scolded as he took a gulp from his scotch bottle.

Logan turned around to face his friends.

"Yeah, Rory's here. Did you know she was coming?" Collin asked with reverence.

"Yeah, he knew she was coming," Tristin responded from behind the two gentlemen. He seemed to have just materialized behind them.

Collin and Finn looked at each other before they stared at the stranger that responded for Logan. Their baffled look gave away the truth that even Logan's most trusted confidantes didn't know what was going on.

"Tristin, it's a surprise to see you here!" Logan said smugly. Finn and Collin left the room as Logan's commanding voice seem to fill in the spacious room. "I don't remember seeing your name on the guest list."

"I thought I'd be an exception since my father happens to be a powerful ally to your father's fortunes," Tristin smugly responded. "I guess congratulations are in order?"

"Why don't you just come out and say it, DuGrey?" Logan hissed.

"Because I want to watch a snake slither out of this," Tristin replied, taunting Logan.

Right outside the room, Mitchum Huntzberger took his place on a make shift set of bleacher steps that was set close to the jazz band that was playing in one corner. Almost smack dab in the middle of the room were Rory and Sydney, still holding hands, talking to some twenty-something Wall Street moguls that were trying to impress them with their stock and bond knowledge and when they expect to be part of the Fortune 500 list. The ladies have at least downed three amaretto sours within the hour of Rory's arrival.

"Wow, how impressive," Sydney said. "And how often again do you get laid for being so conceited?' she added dryly trying to keep a straight face.

Rory on the other hand was trying to stifle an alcohol-induced giggle. The gentlemen they were speaking to were aghast at her off-comment.

"Everyone, if I could just get your attention," Mr. Huntzberger tried to get the room to quiet down. The mogul had to be commended. He had everyone's attention in a heartbeat.

"As you all know, this is a very significant night…"

"Why didn't you tell her?" Tristin grilled Logan again. They could hear Logan's father in the background.

"Because I can't," Logan admitted.

"So now you expect your dad to do it for you?" Tristin harassed him.

"It was not supposed to be this way," Logan explained. "I didn't want her to come."

"… When my son turned twenty-one, a milestone had been reached…" the speech went on.

"Oh boy, here comes the speech," Sydney stage whispered in Rory's ear, both of them still holding their giggles in.

"But she did. What do you expect to do now?" Tristin pushed.

"Tell her the truth," Logan responded through gritted teeth. He didn't need this extra pressure.

" When? After she finds out that you're betrothed to someone else?" Tristin asked.

"It's not my choice!" Logan replied, giving Tristin a shove.

"Then whose is it, huh?" Tristin shoved back. "She loves you, man. How could you betray her?"

"I did not betray her," Logan grunted. "Our grandparents did."

"… so it is my honor to present my son…" Mitchum continued on the microphone.

Tristin was confused. "Your grandparents?"

"The night you saw me at the Gilmore's, I was going to break up with Rory then," he said. "But Emily kicked me out before I could do it. After that, I was hoping that I could break off this engagement before it actually took place. That's why I wanted Rory to be with you."

"But Tiffany's…" Tristin's voice trailed off.

"I cannot hurt Sydney," Logan admitted. "She means a lot to me and she cannot be part of my parents and her parents schemes."

"But it was okay to hurt Rory," Tristin pointed out, anger emanating from every pore of his body.

"We can't be together," Logan raised his voice to Tristin.

"… Logan, come out here, son," Mitchum invited his son, his head turned towards the room Logan and Tristin occupied.

"What do you mean?" Tristin asked as Logan stepped away from him and into the larger room.

"Ask her about Pennilyn Lott. She will understand," Logan muttered, almost solemnly before he took his spot right next to his father.

"It's show time," Sydney sighed, squeezing Rory's hand. Sydney closed her eyes and let out a loud sigh. Like a veteran actress, she opened her perfect eyelash curled eyes and put on a staged smile.

Tristin had started making a beeline towards Rory who was still unaware of his presence.

"I'd also like to take this opportunity to introduce the newest addition to the Huntzberger family, Sydney DuPont. She accepted Logan's proposal and we're hoping for a wedding to be announced in the next couple of months!" Mitchum said gleefully, raising his champagne glass in one hand and hugging Logan with the other.

Sydney left a stunned Rory. The room erupted in cheers with the exception of the three people who knew the truth… Finally. A solitary tear rolled down Rory's cheek. She was numb and cold. How could he?

Logan's eyes lasered on to Rory as he saw his unsuspecting fiancée leave her side. It was an evil joke that everyone would prefer to forget. He looked at her big, dark blue eyes. He knew he should've been more persistent not to have her come.

"Rory, let's go," Tristin urged her, his hand already on her elbow.

"Tristin!" she responded, shocked to hear his voice. "You're here."

"Come on," he urged her on.

The band struck up the first chord to "The Way You Look Tonight" when Tristin led Rory out of the mob scene. He could see that she was still stunned. He hoped he could just help her forget.

Tristin went through the motion of retrieving their coats and have the valet pull up Rory's car when Logan caught up with them.

"Rory, wait!" he yelled out.

Rory turned around, her grip tightening around Tristin's fingers. "What do you want? Haven't you made enough of a fool of me for one day?"

"I'm sorry," he apologized.

"Save it, Logan," she said, fresh tears streaming down her face. "And I thought I knew you. I loved you. I made everyone believe you were the one for me… And it's all a farce."

"Please don't say that," he pleaded reverently. "I did and I still do love you."

"Then why do it?" Rory asked. Her upset tone gathered enough attention for an audience to build.

Logan said nothing. From the closed doors, Sydney emerged. "Hey, Rory. I was looking…" her voice trailed off.

She realized at that moment what words could not have strung together. Logan was not worried about his father. He was worried about her, the girl that is part of his past and Rory, the one that will get away. All his stories about Rory were not for their entertainment. It was his way of seeking her acceptance when it came to Rory.

Rory looked into Sydney's perplexed and saddened expression. "Sydney, thank you for everything. Congratulations," Rory extended her salutations despite her grieving heart. "I wish I could've known you. I also hope that-that Logan will make you proud."

Sydney tried to hold back her tears.

"Tristin, drive me home," she pleaded, handing her the valet ticket.

He took the stub and escorted her away from the party's noise. He supported most of her weight as she leaned against him and let out long, sorrowful cry.