Hiiii! It feels like it has been more than 2 weeks since I uploaded the story. Does time seem to pass slow and fast at the same time for you too these days, or is it just me?

Anyway, enough of my existential questions. Hope you'll enjoy today's update!

isabel97811, I hope the revenge didn't disappoint. As Rose, I honestly couldn't think of something more creative ;)) and about the contact part, I promise more of them will come

pjwalterman, oh, it will take them a while to get there - I have a lot of situations I want to create before the unraveling of their feelings

Love you lots guys!


CHAPTER 21 - That's some spicy thing going on

Rose's POV

I pray to god I get there in time. I run like crazy to make it.

My luck makes it that he was still a little busy with training when he received the envelope, so I have the chance to linger around and see him open it.

The other guardians leave and I try not to make too much noise as I spy on him through the open window.

He's curious about it, as the first thing he does is to get a hold of that envelope. He turns it around, but there is nothing to see on the outside.

When he opens it, that's when the magic happens.

Along with a note that falls, glitter explodes out of the envelope and covers him.

After a second of startlement, he picks up the note.

*I told you I'm going to get revenge on you for the Evette thing*, stands written on that.

He starts laughing copiously, shaking his head. It's the first time I hear him so uninhibited and I want to make a pirouette just because I was the one who made that happen.

"Oh, Rose."

His head turns and he looks straight at me.

Fuck. He knew I was here the whole time, didn't he?

He comes closer and opens the window.

"I worried all these days just for glitter?"

"Well, I mostly bet on the psychological aspect of this, as I couldn't really come up with a good enough plan. But… did it work?"

"In some ways. Even though, knowing all the things you pulled until now, I must say I expected something more… extravagant."

I chuckle. "Well, I guess I cannot surprise you all the time."

"Don't get me wrong, I was surprised."


When he comes to pick me up for the shopping spree, I see that he couldn't get rid of the glitter, and even if he changed his gym clothes, the pink specks are everywhere on his black uniform. I wonder what excuse he's using when people ask him what happened.

We go to the most expensive area in town, and I don't let him wait for too long for me to try on dresses. I saw the perfect one right away and I got the shoes to match it. I'm absolutely sure Ivan would love them.

Then, I make myself busy in a couple of lingerie shops, buying all sorts of things, just so it looks nice on the receipts Ivan will see later. And while I'm at it, I find a nice salon too, and I get my makeup and hair done. With bronze smoky eyes, dark red lipstick and my hair done in big waves, I'm irresistible. And hell will freeze whole if I let that man lay a single finger on me tonight.

Someone knocks on my door, rather insistently, and I cannot pretend I'm not in here. I open it and see Ivan standing before me.

"What do you want? You're not the one supposed to pick me up. And especially not at this hour. I still need to get ready."

He doesn't say anything, just stares at me, and it makes me feel overly conscious about only wearing a short robe right now.

"Hey! What are you doing here? And why are you looking at me like that?"

"You need to ask why?"

"I do."

He smiles, a boyish smile, that oh... I just hate it when he does that. I know that something stupid is going to get out of his mouth and I'm still upset about this morning, so he should pick his next words carefully.

"I never thought you could get more beautiful."

His comment makes me shy away and look at my toes for a second or two.

"Tha- thanks."

Don't fall for his shit, Rose. Keep your thinking straight.

"Why are you here?" I get back to being cold. One compliment will not sweep me off my feet.

"Yes. I had a purpose before I saw you looking like that."

"Which is?"

"What did you buy today, besides a dress?"

"Some shoes. You didn't expect-"

"Besides that."

I wave my hand around like it would be the most normal thing I've ever done. Let's see how mad I can get him.

"I bought a few pieces of lingerie."

"Do you consider modeling them for me later?"

"Not a chance in hell."

"So then, why did I buy twenty sets of lingerie today if I don't get to enjoy them?"

Yeah, I may have gotten overboard with it, but I am petty as hell and he should know it by now.

"So that you can dream of them at night."

I kind of thought that if he's using sexual stuff to try to win me, I could use it against him to nag him. I see it on his face that it's working.

"Now if you don't mind…"

I want to close the door, rather slam it in his face, but he stops it.

"What if I make you pay me back for it?"

Whoopsies, I might have not thought my petty revenge through. I don't have the money. Let's be clear, I have no money. And he knows it.

"Fine. I'll work for you to pay you back for those or something. I can go with you to events like this until my hair turns grey."

I'll have to go to events forever because that shit cost him a fuckload of money and they made it pretty clear at the store that they're not taking it back.

He smiles, and I'm guessing he's going to keep that in mind for future instances.

"Be ready at eight then."

At 8 o'clock, I open my door with a wide smile. It's not Ivan again. It's Dimitri, just as planned.

Needless to say, his expression doesn't match mine.

"No."

"No what?"

He makes his way inside, pushing past me.

"Yeah, sure, you're welcome," I point out to him that I didn't invite him inside, but that comment goes ignored.

"You're not wearing that dress."

When I said Ivan will love the dress I bought, I meant that he will loathe it with his whole being. It's slutty one, made out of thousands of sequins, in a screaming color, this tacky turquoise that looks horrible on me. It is too short for it to be considered even half decent, and it's so tight I'm afraid to take too long steps because it might lift and show my ass to the world. But if that wasn't enough, in the front, there are two pieces of material that cross over each other in an X and meet at the back of my neck, leaving my back bare and well, not even the front is too covered, some part of my abdomen and a good part of my breasts being exposed.

Dimitri doesn't seem to like it much either.

"Says who?"

"I do. Change it."

"Not going to happen, Belikov. It's my body."

"Rose-"

"I hate it!"

"Hate what? The dress? Me too, I'm glad we can agree-"

"That he takes me with him like an accessory! That he made me go!"

"Would you have gone with him if he'd asked you to join him?"

"Probably not."

"That was his point."

"His point makes no sense! It's not even related to any royal shit, you fuckers! You both lied to me! I talked to Lissa and she told me she knew nothing about such a party!"

"He just wanted you to- You're right. We lied to you. And you don't have to go, you're right. We just wanted… We thought…" he sighs. "You can-"

"I can't. Lissa told me I should go. That Ivan knows best what he's doing. So I guess I'm going."

"But not dressed like that."

"Fucking dressed like this! You can act like you don't know me, I don't fucking care. But the dress is staying on."

He clenches his jaw, but at last, he gives in.

"Fine. Let's go."

We get in the backseat of the car and let Mikhail take us wherever. We're going in complete silence, the tension from earlier not seeming to be going away soon.

The car stops in an underground parking lot and we get out. I see someone is waiting for us, holding a package. This person hands it to Dimitri and leaves.

I let my curiosity win.

"What's that?"

"Your new dress."

"No!"

"You're not going in there in that dress."

"Why not? You're afraid I'm going to embarrass Ivan?"

"Just get changed."

"Not fucking happening."

"Don't make me do it."

"I dare you to do it!"

He sets the package on the hood of the car and starts walking my way. Seeing him approach, I get defensive. Since earlier in my room, I've been looking for a chance to punch him and now seems like the best time to do so.

Of course, he doesn't give me any chance to get my fists close to his face, and taking a hold of my wrists, he might think that he got me out of the fight, but I'm not willing to give up that easily. My goal is to try to free my hands and I do that by putting my whole body into it.

His solution to that is to turn me around, pin my hands to my back and push me against the car. And I'm telling you, it kind of worked.

"Rose, stop."

"Fuck you."

I rock back and forth trying to get free, but he presses his body against mine.

"Stop, please."

I struggle some more, but his grip on me is perfect and tight that I can't find a way out.

"I know you're angry at us for what we've done and that you want to get back at me, and you have every right to, but-"

"Wow, thanks for allowing me to be angry! Now let go of me! I'm going in there in this dress and there's nothing that can stop me."

He sighs in my hair. "Oh, Rose… Hate us if you want to, but don't do this to yourself."

"What am I doing to myself?"

"Do you want those people to make that opinion about you? Do you want to affirm to them that yes, you got this marriage because you can wear a very short skirt? Because this is what they will think."

"The length of my skirt shouldn't matter."

"I know. I know it shouldn't. But it does and you know it too. The rumors are already out there. Cathleen made a good job at planting that in people's minds and if you choose to wear that, you're doing a disfavor to yourself. The second people get a confirmation on that, they won't stop to think you actually have so much to offer. They won't bother to throw you a second glance."

I've stopped resisting a while ago and I've calmed down considerably, so he finally releases me. I turn around and watch him. I appreciate that he's not watching me with that I-know-better look, but he has reasons to because all he said is true.

I take the dress from its package and open the door of the car.

"I hate it that you're right, you know?"

"I don't want to be right. I just want you to be well."

I get inside the car as Mikhail gets out and they both sit with their backs turned to me as I change.

When I emerge out of there, I might dare say I look something close to fabulous and if Dimitri picked out this dress, I am kind of jealous of his taste. The dress I'm now wearing couldn't be more different than the previous one. It is floor-long, beige with a very thin golden thread making it spark each time I move. It has long, loose sleeves, a more modest cleavage, and the only thing that actually shows a piece of my body is a slit on my left leg that stops at my knee.

"How do I look?" Both men give me their approval with a nod. "Let's go then. Aren't we getting late somewhere?"

"Right." He moves to the side to make space for me to pass. "Please, after you."

He lets me lead the way into the elevator, and after the doors close, he turns his head to look at me.

"Rose?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"For what I've done. I… it wasn't my place to do such a thing, to police your body like that."

"I understand why you did it."

"Only that the approach was a bit…"

"Shitty?"

He smiles. "Yes. I could have been nicer. But I… you should know that despite the wardrobe change, there will be men who will want to…"

"Thanks to those rumors, right?" He nods. "Thanks for the heads up, but Lissa already told me about it. I'll make sure to try and use that to my benefit, I guess."

"Don't promise them anything."

"Of course not. I'm not stupid. After all, I don't remember promising Ivan anything, but here we are."

I bet he has a witty thing to say about that, but the elevator doors open and he decides to keep it to himself.

But even if he would have said something that might've made me mad, I wouldn't have been able to talk back because I'm speechless.

Right in front of me, on the wall, is May. My May. My painting.

I get out of the elevator as Dimitri carries me along. I didn't even realize I latched onto his arm earlier. Looking around me, I realize we're in an art gallery.

We are in an art gallery and my painting is on one of the walls!

"Dimitri, what is this? What…"

"This is why we lied to you. Ivan wanted to surprise you with this and he didn't want you to suspect anything."

"Oh, god. I've been awful to him. To you."

"I think I deserved some of that."

"But-"

"It doesn't matter. Let's go. Ivan must be waiting for you."

Looking around the room, I see a big crowd. And more openly or not, they look our way. That look I know so well, from when I made my entrance at Dimitri's arm at the party.

In my startlement, I kind of refuse to move, and Dimitri, putting his hand on my back, urges me to advance into the crowd.

"Rose!" I hear Ivan and if people weren't looking then, they surely are now.

He comes and kisses me on my cheeks and drags me away from Dimitri. I let him do it even if on a usual I would have pulled away. But in my defense, I'm just so surprised! And some fear gets involved too. Plus, seeing that painting after so long…

"There are some people I want you to meet. And I wish you to kindly inform them you're taken. By me."

When my thoughts finally catch up to my brain, in the middle of the room, I stop and consecutively, he needs to stop too.

"What happened?"

"Nothing. I just… I wanted to say thank you."

He gives me a wide smile. "You'd better get used to it, kiddo. Oh! And before I forget. If anyone wants to buy May, you tell them it's not for sale. Dimitri made it very extremely and outspokenly clear he will kill me if that doesn't end up back at the Court."

Something about that makes me smile. "He did?"

"If one thing I've learned about that man, is to believe the words that get out of his mouth. Now let's go, I have some fuckers I want to spite with how gorgeous you are."

But I stop him once more.

"But honestly now. Thank you, Ivan. And for the way I behaved… I'll make it up to you."

"I'll keep that in mind." He winks and drags me away.

I meet a couple of people and as I have been warned, some men try to flatter me, but only when I'm alone, for Ivan does a great job at keeping them at bay when I'm around him.

"So, I should take notes on who not to piss off, huh?" I ask him in a moment when we're alone.

He laughs. "Kind of. These are rather important people around the Council's members."

"Noted."

When I get tired of meeting new people, I find refuge next to Dimitri, and Ivan delivers me to him.

Ivan didn't see it earlier, but now he is eyeing Dimitri's outfit, which is still covered in pink glitter.

"Did you have a party?"

Dimitri eyes me and I cannot contain my smile.

"Yes, I did. I was trying to get in the mood for tonight."

Ivan pouts. "You have fun for once and I wasn't invited? Disappointing." and with that, he leaves.

I sit next to Dimitri.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"What's the matter? You're not enjoying this?"

"I am. But…"

"But?"

"I feel like I've been unfair toward you. I've stepped out of line."

He shrugs. "I've stepped out of line, you did too, I'd say we're square."

"I wouldn't actually call it square. You see-"

I wanted to add something to that, but I get distracted by the elevator doors opening, or rather by the person I see in there.

"What the fuck is she doing here? What the fuck is Cathleen doing here?"

I think I mindlessly took a step toward her because I feel Dimitri's hand getting a hold of mine and pulling me back next to him.

"Relax. It will be alright."

"The fuck it will."

"Will you lose that language? At least here."

"I will fucking not. Especially not with her around."

"Rose."

"What?"

He sighs. "Don't pay her any attention. She's here to mess with you. Show her she cannot."

"Well, I cannot."

And with that, I get away from him. He's trying to calm me down, which would make me angrier.

I make my way to the bar, as I feel I will need alcohol to help me with that woman around. But the bartender was told I'm not the legal age to touch that. Fuck me!

I sit at the bar and try not to care too much about what she is doing, but the murmuring around the room makes me curious, so I turn around to see Ivan next to Cathleen. They're talking. Well, I mean, it looks more like they are fighting, the spirits are surely tense, but this sight doesn't make me any happier. I wish he wouldn't be around her at all.

At last, he may have said something she didn't like because she decides to exit the scene and he follows immediately. Little fucker, he shouldn't go after her!

After they head toward the exit, the murmuring turns into private conversations, which means the volume of that got turned up, and I can hear a lot more of what people think.

The main subject is, as expected, centered around the three of us. They talk about how I am so out of his league, about how could a man like that look at a woman like me, and about how I supposedly lifted my skirt in front of the right people to get the marriage. These are mostly the subjects the women approach, but it doesn't surprise me. With Cathleen around to talk to these women at the Court beforehand, thanks to this made-up rivalry between us, I'm surprised I haven't heard another outrageous rumor about me.

When it comes to the men, I find them admiring Ivan's courage to bring his future wife and his mistress in the same room. They're rather proud of him.

All this makes me sick to my stomach. And so angry. After all, I'm aware I'm not her.

When she comes back, I know from the look in her eyes that I've lost on a plane we weren't competing on.

She enters the room smiling and content, and the first person her eyes search for is me, and that smugness in her, lord! She's not his anything, right? Ivan told me he… but I guess his needs need to be fulfilled in some way, don't they?

Whatever. I don't know why I care. I don't even want to be his wife! I never want to be the one who takes care of his needs!

I turn around in my seat, ready to ask the bartender for something stronger than my virgin cocktail. He heard it all, he must show me some sympathy.

But when I've come to face the bar, there is someone taking a seat next to me. A new face.

"Hey there. Care to buy me a drink?"

Taking a fast look at him, I wonder, why the hell not? He's a tall man, well-built, with short, dark blond hair, brown eyes, and small, but full lips. Conventionally attractive. So again, why not? I can play the same game as Ivan and embarrass him just as much as he embarrassed me.

"Give me one good reason."

"Well, I am obviously the most handsome man in here tonight."

I could easily contradict him about that by telling him to take a look at Dimitri, but I do have to pump up his ego for this to work, right?

I make it obvious, me checking him out, then I smile.

"Deal."

We order and I wait for him to do the next step.

It doesn't cease to come.

"Don't get me wrong, I only came to you because it was the logical thing to do."

"The logical thing, huh?"

"Of course. I am supposed to be with the most beautiful woman in the building, right?"

Considering the way I feel, his words don't change my opinion much. Still, I smile at his flattering. Men will say the most outrageous things just to get into your panties, wouldn't they?

"Thanks. But you know, I am more than my looks."

"I bet you are. And I'd like to find out more about that. What do you do for a living?"

If he's playing dumb about not knowing who I am, I don't care much. I decide to look interesting, playing the artist card, and not mention all the shits I've done before.

"I mostly draw. Paint." When I'm not fighting to stay alive, or annoy the people around me. "Yeah, I could say I fill my time with painting, even though I haven't lately had the time to enjoy that."

"Oh, so one of these paintings is yours."

"Care to guess which one?"

But his phone starts ringing. Oh, all these important men and their calls.

"Excuse me for a second, darling." Darling. We've gotten so far so fast.

But as I'm alone, Ivan comes to sit on that empty chair. I decide to ignore him.

"Did anyone mess with you?"

"Do you think they had the courage to?"

He has marked your territory so obvious they're afraid to come close to me after their first try. Besides the people I talked to through Ivan, no one dared get closer, except that guy earlier.

"That must be some kind of superpower, Zeklos."

People think I am fucking him. Despite him doing whatever he did with her! And he dared come to me after that!

"Ivan!"

My guy is back, but what do I see? They know each other. Ivan gets up and they hug and all the friendly stuff, then he introduces him to me.

His name is Lev. Lev, who now, is looking at me quite distressed.

"You must forgive me, Rose. I usually hit on anything that breathes, but I have my limits. If you're with Ivan, you're safe from my charms," he ends with a wink.

"Who says I am?"

This gets Ivan obviously upset and Lev gets confused.

"So I've heard… or the other rumors are true? You're back with-"

"No," Ivan cuts it. Why is he the one upset?

Lev smiles, but that's not happiness that made him smile. It's the awkwardness of the situation that gets this reaction from him.

"I think I'd better go."

I'd beg him not to, but he made himself scarce in less than a second.

"Let's go look at the paintings," he proposes.

"There's not a chance in hell I'm doing anything with you." It's bad enough that he's here now.

"You said you'd make it up to me. Doing that with me will do."

"No."

"It's just us walking around. What are you afraid of?"

"Being further associated with you."

"Oh, come on, don't be silly. You're going to be my wife, you can't avoid that." when I open my mouth to protest, he speaks further. "Take me on a tour. Impress me with your artistic interpretation of these paintings."

Not seeing a way out of this, another thought comes to my mind. I can play the same game as Cathleen. I can show her she doesn't mean too much to him either because after being with her, he's with me now. At this point I don't care what everyone around us thinks, I only want to get back at her for coming here and messing everything up. Now I want her around to see it all happen.

"Fine, but note I'm doing this against my will."

He smiles. "Noted. And if you truly don't like it after five minutes, I'll let you go."

"I already don't like it. Can't I already walk away?"

"Offer me those minutes. It's all I'm asking for."

"Fine. I'm already counting."

I try my best to come up with explanations for what the artist wanted to say and he pitches in at times, and we eventually reach my painting.

"Now it's your turn to impress me."

He assumes it was something happy that made me paint that.

"It was supposed to be that." at least when I started it.

"But it wasn't?"

"Not really."

"Care to share?"

I will never reveal to anyone what that means, so I shrug.

"Just a sad moment. I guess I had more inspiration then."

"Yeah, Dimitri mentioned that kind of being the theme of your paintings, but I thought this was different."

"What's that supposed to mean? My paintings? You…"

"Yeah… about that. Your fath- Lord Yilmaz sent me a couple of your paintings, plus a lot of your old supplies. I kept them all a secret because I wanted to surprise you with this."

"And you two analyzed my work?"

"In some way. I mean… I didn't think I could understand it and I asked for his help. He's really good at that."

So he can't make up flower sculptures, but he can deeply analyze what I paint, huh?

"What for?"

"I wanted to know you."

"Know me?"

"I wanted to know something about my future wife. You're not too much an open book, you know?"

"And did you find something?"

"Plenty. You have crazy talent, Rose. You should never stop painting. I'll have your old stuff sent to your room. Use them."

We get in front of another painting, but my thoughts are not about that at all. My thoughts keep on slipping toward her.

"You talked to… her." You have done more, are the words I don't dare add.

"I did." Then he doesn't say anything else.

I puff, letting my frustration out. "I guess your silence says enough."

"I'm sorry. I didn't get to tell her much. She left." Yeah, and he followed. He sighs. "She's… difficult."

"Exactly your type, I heard."

He smiles. "Rose…"

"What, Ivan? You… it doesn't fucking matter."

"Hey, what happened?"

"Absolutely nothing. I need to… I need to go."

I go out into the little garden on the balcony and I snatch a glass of wine off a waiter's tray. It surely will make my night easier. And it might be only one glass, but I must say that got me tipsy pretty fast.

I hide as best as I can through the bushes, but he still manages to find me somehow.

"There you were. I thought you ran away."

I push the empty glass away, so he won't scold me for it.

"No, here I am. You couldn't stay away, huh?"

"I know that what happened there wasn't quite right."

"Yeah, Ivan, it wasn't right. You, with her…"

He furrows his brows. "What do you think happened?"

"Don't make me fucking say it!"

"You think we…"

"I don't think it!"

"Rose, I didn't-"

"Mister Zeklos?" Oh, god, it's his guardian. It wouldn't surprise me if Dimitri would make his entrance too. "Can we have a word? It's important."

With an apologetic look on his face, he turns to look at me.

"Sure. Sure, of course. I'll let you two talk."

I leave them out there and head inside. I'm not in the mood to hang around here for longer.

And I don't want to talk about this, but I find Emma around, and she is enraged about the Cathleen incident.

"It doesn't matter anymore."

"It does matter! You're much more than what she's making you be."

"It's alright. It doesn't matter, really. Enjoy your night, okay?"

She kisses me on my cheeks. "I believe you're pissed at Ivan, so, you need a ride? I can fetch you one."

"No thanks. I'll manage by myself."

I think Mikhail will be nice enough to take me back. I will only need to find a way to make Dimitri leave me alone.

Before that, I go to the bathroom, wanting to see if I have any smudged lipstick. But when I get inside, there's a little cinema session going on. There are about five women in here, and they're all shocked about what's happening in a video they're watching on a phone.

It doesn't take a genius to know what they're watching. I mean, Cathleen is vocal enough in that video, calling his name. And from the way they all look at me… I know. But I want to see with my own eyes. Some small part of me hopes it didn't happen.

"Can I…"

The one holding the phone looks at me reticently. "You're sure about that, honey?"

"Yes."

The images are pretty graphical. That's some spicy thing going on. I see a lot of passion for a couple of minutes. And he's pretty rough too. He seems to be… holding her neck?

And he had the guts to lie to me.

I get out of there and enter the elevator as fast as humanly possible, while trying to pass unnoticed. As I'm going down, it stops way too soon for it to be the parking lot.

When the doors open, I see there's a party going on in there.

In the heat of the moment, I get inside. I'll come up with a good lie if someone questions my presence here. I am a friend of Mike's friend. There always seems to be a Mike around.

I head for the bar first and here, no one questions my age. As I am sipping on my drink, a hard one, a guy approaches me. At first, I consider telling him I'm not interested, but if Ivan could, why can't I? He came here with me, so he could at least have kept it in his pants for a couple of hours. I mean, I was the one attached to his arm earlier! But he didn't. So why would I keep it in my pants?

The conversation with this guy is easy and on my second glass of booze, we somehow end up on a sofa. We're both rather drunk so when I lean in to kiss him, he doesn't question my decision too much.

But as we pull away, I do the bad decision to look around the room and my eyes land on Dimitri. How long has he been sitting there?

He stands there with his arms crossed, jaw tight and his eyes are sending fiery arrows my way.

I pretend I need another drink and send my guy away as I go send Dimitri on his way. When he sees me coming, he does the same, meeting me halfway.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"What am I doing? What the hell you're doing? How did you know I was here?"

"That's not relevant now."

"It is! Is there a tracker anywhere on me?"

"Don't go that far. The guardians outside told me you didn't leave the building, you weren't with Mikhail either, so this was the next logical option. You left without telling me."

"I don't think I'm any of your responsibility."

"You very much are. And I should get you back to the Court."

"Well, that doesn't sound very fun or likely."

"Too bad. Because it's happening."

"The fuck it is. And again, I am none of your responsibility right now."

"You are and I'm afraid I can't approve of that."

"Excuse me? Approve of what?"

"What you're doing with that man," he says through gritted teeth.

"And why is what? You're afraid it might hurt Ivan? Great! Now he knows how I feel after what he did!"

"Rose," he sighs. "I get it that you're mad, but you're acting irrationally and irresponsibly."

"Um, excuse me, when did you exactly turn into my father? If I want to fuck that guy, I'm going to fuck him."

"I don't like the idea of you doing this. You're drunk and-"

"Well, get used to it because what I do is none of your damned business. You may be my guardian or whatever, but you don't-"

"Come on, let me take you back. You've had enough fun for one night."

"You don't need to, thanks. Maybe go help Ivan take care of Cathleen, she seemed to need a lot of attention tonight."

"Rose… you don't want to do this."

"Fuck off. I'm not fucking stupid. I know what he has done, Dimitri, so don't come here to give me lectures."

"You two should talk. It's not what you think."

"Yeah, sure. I have just imagined that fucking video." I am thankful when I see that guy coming toward me. "Oh, look." I put his arm around my middle and dare Dimitri to do something about it. He doesn't. "My knight in shiny armor. He comes to rescue me from you."

I take the drink from him, planning to chug it down, but Dimitri takes it from me.

"Hey! That's mine!"

"Voice your objections when you turn 21," he counters fast.

"Whatever. I'm going for a walk. Do you care to join me?" I propose to the guy.

"Sure."

He wants to put his arm back around me, but Dimitri gets in our way.

"Can I talk to her for a minute longer?" He watches the guy, who seems to not understand what's happening. "Tête-à-tête?" He doesn't understand that either. "Alone?"

I assure him that it's okay and promise him I'll come in a minute.

"Nice choice. He's a philistine."

I laugh. "Excuse me you parade your stupid ass intellectuality everywhere, Dimitri. Not everyone has read as many books as you. Maybe people actually do fun things with their lives."

He completely ignores my sting. "You're not going with him."

"Says who?"

"I do. And that wasn't a question. Nor a request. I am taking you back."

"Stop telling me what to do."

"I have a good reason to. You're obviously drunk and-"

"I don't care!"

"You came here with me."

"Yeah. But I'm leaving without you."

He takes a deep breath in, pinching the root of his nose.

"What? Am I giving you a headache?"

He ignores that too. "He is bad news. That guy is not good for you."

"So is Ivan. Bad news. What's the difference between him and that guy, huh? At least he's not trying his luck with two women at a time, that manipulative asshole!"

"Rose-"

"Just because he wants me for himself, that doesn't mean I'm his to have. I'm not. That should get into his head, so if I want to fuck another, I will fuck another. And something else that he should get into his head is that I won't believe a single lie he's telling me. So fuck him and you know what, fuck you too for being on his side!"

"Go tell that guy you're leaving."

"Or else?"

"Now, Rose."

I know I cannot get rid of him, so all I can do is look at him defiantly.

"Yes, Sir."

His jaw tightens. "Oh, one day you'll say that and you'll mean it."

"Sure. Keep dreaming, Belikov."

I want to turn around and leave, but he gets a hold of my wrist and more or less, starts dragging me out. And he's pretty rushed, only that I cannot keep up with him.

"Stop."

"No. We're leaving. Right now."

"I said stop."

"I'm not going to."

"Hey, I think the lady told you to stop."

Another man steps in to rescue me, but Dimitri won't have it.

"Get out of my face before I pop your kneecap off." wow. If he went for the jealous boyfriend scenario, he did a great job.

With little effort, he pushes the man aside and continues to carry me along.

I drag him back and oblige him to stop.

"Slow down, god fucking dammit! My feet hurt." He drops my hand. "These shoes are too tight and they bothered me all night, okay? So let me… I'll come with you, okay? Just let me walk slower."

He waits for me to start walking and that happens fast because people are watching and I've made a fool of myself more times than I can count tonight.

The trip with the elevator is tense and I cannot stop myself from speaking.

"You cannot control me as you please, Dimitri. I am not your fucking toy."

"Noted," he puffs.

"You have some fucking guts, Belikov! How dare you be the one who's upset?"

"Because I can't believe you actually think he did that!"

This time I puff. "Because he obviously didn't. He fucked half the Court, you really want me to believe he hasn't been with her tonight?!"

"Maybe he did! But that happened before you!"

"Do you really expect me to think he didn't bang Cathleen on the damned roof?"

"He didn't!"

"Tell that to someone who actually buys that crap!"

"Fine! Think whatever you want! Believe that woman you met only twice in your life!"

"She was fucking moaning his name! What else am I supposed to believe?! He had his hand wrapped around her neck! No one in this fucking world would think anything else!"

"It wasn't him!"

"Sure. Great excuse, Belikov. Because I'm that fucking stupid to believe that! I saw that damned video with my own eyes!"

As soon as the doors open, I run out of the elevator.

"Don't you dare go anywhere else but to the car, Rose!"

God fucking dammit! I know he'll come after me if I go another way, so you know what? The sooner this ends, the sooner I get rid of him. So I head to his car.

I was stomping and rushing and I failed to see a grate in front of me, so my heel gets stuck in it.

"Rose!"

With his arm around my middle, he steadies me on my feet.

He looks down at me when I tilt my head up. "You're alright?"

"Do I look alright?!"

"Right, right. Maybe we should get rid of those heels, okay?"

"Yeah…"

I want to bend, but he stops me. "Let me."

I'm kind of glad about that because bending, with my dizzy head, doesn't seem like a good idea.

He crouches in front of me and takes my hands and puts them on his shoulders, to help me be steady. With slow movements, he undoes my sandals and helps me take them off.

"Thanks."

"Now I'm going to pick you up, is that alright?"

"No." I still have some dignity left, I hope.

"But Rose, you're bare-"

"I said no."

He lets me walk by myself and this time I take a good look at the ground I'm walking on.

Finally, I make it to the car. I sit in the backseat, but he doesn't let me close the door. I suppose that the fact that Mikhail is not here means something. I foresee a shitty car ride back.

He goes to the back of the car, and when he comes back, he has the first aid kit in hand. I guess he saw my feet were bleeding a little from the scratching of the sandal.

"I don't need your help."

"Don't be stubborn," he says crouching next to me.

"Fuck off."

"Give that leg to me, Rose."

I extend it out of the car. The sooner we get driving, the sooner this ends. I need to suck it up just a little longer.

"You being nice to me will not change a thing. I'm not falling for that again." he being on Ivan's side is a big sign of what kind of man he is too and I hate myself for all the times I trusted him.

"Yeah, because you fell for something else."

The alcohol on my skin stings and I think this would be a good moment to pretend my reflexes got into action and I kicked him in the face with my leg, but I decide not to do that.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I told you she's going to try to mess with you. I told you not to listen to her. Not to trust her."

"And who should I believe? You? Ivan?"

"Let me show you something."

"What could you possibly show me?"

"Thirty seconds. It's all I'm asking for."

"Fine." Maybe I owe him this little after all the trouble.

But he doesn't show me anything. The one who comes to show me that is Ivan. I guess he was hiding in the other car with Mikhail and his guardian all this time.

"I don't want to see your fucking face right now."

"You don't have to watch my face. Just look at this."

He gets his phone out and plays me a video. It's of her. Cathleen. She's with… Ivan? I mean, the man looks like him, but not really. The figure and the hair are the same, but his face doesn't add up to the equation. If he was with his back turned to me, I could have sworn that was Ivan. I see where this is heading and my stomach hollows.

She seems to give him some money.

"Thank you for your services."

"My pleasure."

His face was the only thing I didn't see in that video.

Wow, she played me well with this one.

"Can I… I want to go back to the Court. Please, take me back."

I extend the phone back to Ivan and he takes it.

"Sure. Dimitri, take her back. I'll take the other car."

"Don't be stupid. Get in."

"Are you sure?"

"I said get in, okay?"

He does, sitting in the front seat and I'm grateful for that.

I try to keep quiet, but a couple of my sobs are loud enough for them to hear in the front. Sniffing my nose is not quiet either, and that's when Ivan tries to look at me.

"Please don't. Please."

I hide some more in my corner, praying none of them can see me in the mirrors.

I feel so fucking stupid. I believed her charade and I made a fool of myself in all the possible ways.

But they are considerate enough to not say anything, even though they have plenty of reasons to. Ivan even opens the glove box and from there, he hands me a box of tissues.

"Thanks," I almost whine as I take it from him.

Dimitri on the radio to some degree, the sound covering my sniffs, and their kind gestures make it all worse.

When we arrive, Dimitri stops the car and gets out, leaving me with Ivan.

"I guess we're supposed to talk, right?"

"Not if you don't want to."

Trying to make it better, I find myself talking.

"When is the next party?"

He turns in his seat and watches me.

"You think you could endure another party without scooping my eyes out?"

"I have to pay for that damned lingerie. Plus, it's part of my job as your wife, isn't it?"

"Not anymore."

"You're firing me already?"

"Of course not. But you see, I don't want to push you into… being around me. It doesn't really end up well, does it? Plus, I already tried that, and you made it clear you don't want it. So, if you don't… I am not going to force you into any other party or anything else like that. I still might ask, though," he tries to bring the mood up.

Isn't it funny how I keep on doing so much shit and he is still kind to me? But somehow, I still want to be the prideful one.

"Your reputation precedes you, Ivan. I'm not going to apologize for it."

"And I am not expecting you to. If I were you, I would have believed too that I'm a cheating bastard."

"I wasn't jealous."

He smiles. "I know."

"I'd better go," I say before he decides to say something else. That smile of his didn't tell me he actually believed I am not jealous.

"Sure. Goodnight. And I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"This wasn't how the night was supposed to end. I wanted you to enjoy it."

"I did. As long as it was nice." before I open the door, I know I can't leave like this. "And I'm sorry too. I could have handled this differently."

Dimitri takes me to my room, watching over me, in order not to break my neck. Yes, I am still drunk.

He even needs to unlock the door of my room for me, and the moment that happens, I enter and head straight to bed, letting myself fall on it with a thud.

"You're going to sleep like that?"

"Yup."

He enters the room too and goes to the bathroom, god knows what for.

When he comes back, he helps me get up to my butt.

"You cannot go to sleep like that."

I see he brought a couple of cotton pads and the bottle of makeup remover, and he starts cleaning up my face.

"Why are you good to me after what I've done?"

He now wipes my tears instead of the makeup, but he was kind enough not to mention it.

"People make mistakes."

"Not as many as I do. I fuck everything up."

"That doesn't mean you shouldn't be forgiven."

I start crying for good, sobs and all.

"I'm so fucking stupid."

"Stop that. You're not. Everyone would have thought the same."

"You didn't."

"Because I know him."

"And I don't."

"But you have time to get to know him."

But what if it's not him I want to get to know?

"I'm sorry I've been so stubborn."

He shrugs. "You wouldn't be you if you weren't."