ᴋɪꜱꜱᴇꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄʀᴏɪꜱꜱᴀɴᴛ | 𝘓𝘰𝘶 𝘹 𝘋𝘦𝘣𝘣𝘪𝘦

chapitre quarte | k&c

𝕂𝕀𝕊𝕊𝔼𝕊 𝔸ℕ𝔻 ℂℝ𝕆𝕀𝕊𝕊𝔸ℕ𝕋

—

ᴇᴠᴇɴᴛꜱ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜɪꜱ usually excite Lou. But that evening, as she stood on the red carpet, trying to compose herself and regain her poise, Lou felt as though everything she did this evening would be watched by people around her. She was no stranger to the watchful eyes of the public; her life had been a spectacle since the very beginning. But tonight was different—perhaps because she knew that amidst the sea of faces, somewhere within the walls of that grand building, was Alfonso, probably with a new girlfriend or date.

It's not because his presence still affects her. She does not give a fuck anymore about the man. But it was the prying gazes, the hushed whispers, and the unspoken judgments that lingered like an oppressive weight in the air. Lou could almost feel the heat of their stares, the invisible weight of their opinions. And in that moment, she longed to drown out their scrutiny with a single, defiant gesture. Oh, allez tous vous faire foutre!

Lou began flashing a smile, trying to get through act. You're good at playing pretend. She stood there, ready to take on the evening.

"Bonne soirée, Lou. Tu as l'air bien, hein." Good evening, Lou. Looking good, huh? A woman greeted her, pulling her from her thoughts. Lou turned to face the woman. Li Weiying, a successful businesswoman from Beijing. Who owns almost all the commercial buildings in the city. A multi-billionaire who owns a luxurious chain of international hotels.

Lou smiled and hugged the woman.

"Oh, Li! How come we haven't seen each other since forever?!"

Li chuckled. "Oh, you know, the business world keeps us apart!"

"En effet."

"How are you? You don't look like a newly divorced woman at all! Looking so stunning!"

Lou's smile was suddenly gone. Of course, people would not miss asking her about that issue. She tried her best to regain her composure as she smiled at the woman once more.

She let out a fake laugh and slightly tapped Li on the shoulder. "Life goes on, darling. And we're long over before the divorce came to finality. Aucun ressentiment." No hard feelings. She smiled.

More figures streamed into the venue, a parade of power and influence. The world's business elite, individuals from every corner of the globe, gathered under one roof.

ᴅᴇʙʙɪᴇ'ꜱ ꜱʜɪꜰᴛ ᴀᴛ the hospital had ended, leaving her tired yet oddly expectant. She found herself back at the same coffee shop. Tonight, the weather was fine. Clutching a fresh magazine, she settled into the same table at the corner, her fingers tracing the pages absentmindedly as she sipped her coffee.

Her gaze wandered, casually scanning the room, a silent hope residing within her.

Lou.

The woman, who had become a fleeting presence in her thoughts, was the subject of her discreet search tonight. But alas, the seat across remained unoccupied, leaving a void in the tableau. Where could she be?

The coffee's warmth danced against her lips as she leaned back, her eyes tracing the patterns in the steam that rose from her cup. The magazine's allure waned in comparison to the prospect of Lou's captivating smile.