The Malevolence of a Woman Wronged (PREQUEL)

Chapter 20- Dignified Dominance

"It's only right to tell me yours before asking for mine,"

"I guess that's true. I'm 28. You?"

"I'll be turning 25 next month," Her jaw fell open, clearly not having expected my answer.

"Do I look that old?" I almost felt offended, but this lady was fun to talk to, so I kept the conversation sailing.

"No, I just wouldn't have expected for a 24-year-old to become a divorcee at such a young age," I rolled my eyes at that, holding my laughter back.

"I got married at 23, got divorced at 24, and then I got married again. Now, I wonder how long this marriage will last?" I hummed to myself as I took another sip of my wine. I've barely reached 30, and there's already so much drama that's taken place in my life.

"What are you both talking about?" I didn't need to turn to see who it was as his arm slipped around my waist, his head leaning down as his lips grazed over my shoulder. If he continues to act like such a perfect husband, then I really will end up falling for him.

"About how young your wife is," Julia spoke.

"I'm not that young," I scoffed.

"Well, you're younger than your 30-year-old husband," I didn't let the surprise show on my face as I turned to look at Lucian who shrugged his shoulders. All this time I've been thinking that he's 28, max. I guess not.

The three of us talked for some time, and I didn't even realise that time was floating by because of how entertaining it was, Julia is a really likeable woman, and I could see myself getting closer to her in the future.

But as we talked, Lucian's arm was unmoving from my waist, and he was clearly getting comfortable as he rubbed circles on my waist, and I bit my lip to hold back the laughs at how ticklish it was.

"Am I tickling you?" He grinned down at me.

I quickly got rid of the uncomfortable look on my face, shaking my head at him.

"I'm not ticklish," I voiced.

An unfamiliar sound escaped through my lips when he wiggled his fingers on my waist. Yelping, I slapped his chest, and he laughed down at me, pointing out my lie.

Damn it, when I usually tell people I'm not ticklish, they leave it at that and don't try to tickle me, although those people were actually one person who was Donovan. He believed that I wasn't ticklish so I assumed Lucian would be the same in believing that lie, I guess not.

Talking about Donovan, I could feel his eyes on me. They haven't moved in the last few minutes, and I'm wondering how long I'll have to go with this uncomfortable feeling.

"Hey, you should try this peach champagne. It's delicious," Julia offered as I shook my head.

"I wish, peaches are my favourite fruit, but I'm allergic," I sadly sighed at the unfortunate fact.

"Really? You're allergic to your favourite fruit," I nodded. "Although, if anyone ever asks, I say strawberries simply because it's the most common favourite, you know," She hummed before taking a sip of her beverage.

"Anything else you're allergic to?" Lucian asked.

"Other than peaches; Pollen. I have really bad hay fever, which is also sad because I love flowers. Back at Belvedere Manor, when I was married to Donovan, the estate had hundreds of flowers, I'd be sneezing all day and night, and everyone just assumed that I caught colds easily, which I didn't bother correcting,"

"The more and more I hear about your life as Duchess, the more pathetic I learn that man is," Lucian scoffed with an annoyed look as I smiled at him. I had thought Donovan cared for me, but how ironic is it that I find myself being happier in this fake marriage than I was in my real one?

"Okay, what's your favourite movie genre? Mine has got to be, without a doubt, romance. Everyone loves romance, with all the hot main character, makes me swoon every time," Julia sighed dreamily, shifting the subject away from my ex-husband which I was grateful for.

"Mine's mystery and thriller, but I hate horror with a passion. And I couldn't care less about Romance, I always fall asleep watching romance movies. I watched them when I couldn't sleep, and believe it or not, but it worked every time," I proudly said with crossed arms.

"What about you?" I turned to ask my husband.

"I don't have time for movies, but as a child, I loved comedy which I'm guessing I still would," That's definitely a genre that I could picture him liking.

"Oh my god, that's so embarrassing," Julia whispered, looking at someone behind me, and I followed her gaze to see Nevaeh re-entering the room.

"Well, that's one way to take the spotlight back to herself," Lucian said, not caring for her messy appearance as he turned back to the bar and picked up his scotch.

"That's the emergency dress I kept in the boot of the car," I said, staring at the black dress she was wearing. I didn't think it looked good on me, but Donovan insisted it did so he bought it for me, but I really didn't like it, so I kept it in the boot as an excuse that it was an emergency dress, knowing that I'd never actually need it for any emergencies.

"Is her husband not buying her any clothes, or is she refusing to let him buy her any?" Julia mumbled to herself as I shrugged. Honestly, you can never know with them.

We went back to talking, but quietened down as Nevaeh approached the bar, getting herself a glass of wine, and I caught her gaze as she turned to look at me. Awkwardly nodding at her, I went to sip my wine before turning back to Julia who was telling Lucian about a hot actor she recently met.

"Honestly, he's got the cutest face ever, and his personality matches just as well, you know-" She cut herself off when she noticed the added presence, and we all turned to see Nevaeh standing there as she looked up at all of us with her significantly shorter height.

"Can I help you with something?" I asked with a raised brow.

"I don't know what you're playing at, but leave Donovan alone," She glared.

"Okay,"

"Because he's not married to you anymore- Wait, what?"

"I said okay. I'll leave him, and you, alone. Is that okay?" I cocked my head to the side as I smiled at her baffled self which clearly wasn't expecting what she got.

"What do you want from me?" She snapped. "I know I did you dirty when I told Donovan about my feelings, but you need to let it go. He loves me for me, and I love him for him, not his money or his looks-"

"I don't think I ever insinuated that you loved him for anything but himself," I cut her off. 

Moving forward, I stared her down with a condescending stare that caused her to flinch. I am going to take this woman down, and when I do, it will be done in such a dignified way that she'll never know what hit her.

"Love him all you want, I don't care. I don't want his love... I've put you both behind me and moved on, can't you see?" I gestured to Lucian who stood behind me as he leaned against the bar, sipping on his scotch with his hand tucked into his pants pocket.

And I watched as Nevaeh's face lit up with a surprised blush when she made eye contact with him, and I almost scoffed out loud at that.

"And, dear, I think you might be a bit confused, but you didn't do me dirty when you confessed your feelings to him, trust me, you're not the first that's done that in the time that I was married to him. But you are the first when it came to wriggling yourself into his bed," She released a surprised little squeak.

"And you've done me dirty by playing the innocent little heroine, instead of owning up to your dirty actions, and giving me an apology." I stood tall, my presence dominating over hers as she shivered like a little child.

"But don't worry, I decided to be the bigger person and let it go," I smirked through the offence that flashed over her face at the fact that I insinuated that she was a child.

"I wish you all the best with your marriage because I've found myself a better man who will never cheat on me," 

And that's something I was certain of; it was in our contract after all.

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