Chapter 51: Jealousy 1.

I come downstairs wearing the dress I chose.

Not the one Lysander sent.

Mine.

I take my time walking down the stairs, mostly because these damn heels are already beginning to punish me.

The moment I reach the entrance, I spot the cars waiting outside.

Lysander is already sitting inside one of them.

The driver notices me and immediately gets out to open the door.

I walk toward the car, ignoring Lysander’s stare as I get in.

He looks me up and down then he sighs.

"You really don’t listen, do you?"

I don’t give him any response. Instead, I pull out my phone.

My heart is beating a little faster as I unlock it.

I immediately check my messages.

Nothing.

I refresh and check again.

Then finally, I see it...

A message from Olivia.

My heart practically jumps out of my chest. ℴ

**We are here and safe thank you.**

That’s it. Simple and short but those few words are enough to make me breathe again.

They’re safe.

I stare at the message for a few seconds, smiling despite myself.

I want to respond immediately and I almost type something but then I stop.

No.

I shouldn’t. Not from my normal phone, I don’t know who might be watching me here.

I’ll call her from the burner phone when I get back.

That will be safer.

I lock my phone and finally look up.

Lysander is watching me.

"What?"

"Nothing."

I narrow my eyes.

"Then stop staring."

He looks away and I turn back toward the window as the car starts moving.

For the first few minutes, neither of us says anything.

I’m honestly too relieved to care.

Olivia and Nathaniel are safe, that’s all I need to know.

Whatever happens tonight, at least the reason I agreed to this marriage worked.

The car ride continues for a little over ten minutes before we finally arrive.

I notice the lights first, the crowd, then the cars.

There’s a lot of them.

Expensive cars line the entrance, their polished surfaces reflecting the bright lights surrounding the venue.

I sit up straighter.

"What is this?"

Lysander doesn’t answer immediately as he looks out the window.

An enormous red carpet stretches from the entrance of the building toward the waiting cars.

There are photographers everywhere.

Whatever this is, it isn’t some small dinner. This is a big event.....a very big one.

When the driver pulls up to the entrance.

I look at Lysander.

H e doesn’t move, neither do I.

I’m waiting.

He finally glances at me.

"What?"

I raise an eyebrow.

"Are you getting out?"

He stares at me for a second before apparently realizing what I’m waiting for.

The bastard gets out.

At least he remembers how this whole husband thing works in public.

The driver opens my door and before I can step out, Lysander is already standing there.

He offers me his hand and I take it.

The second my feet touch the ground, cameras start flashing...Hundreds of them.

I instinctively give them a big smile. The kind of smile that says I’m perfectly happy to be here.

Lysander’s hand closes around mine and he leads me onto the red carpet.

For the cameras, we are exactly what everyone expects us to be.

A newly married couple, a powerful Don and his beautiful wife.

I smile and he smiles as we walk together.

His thumb moves lightly against the back of my hand, and I almost look at him.

Almost.

Instead, I keep my attention on the cameras.

Someone calls Lysander’s name, another photographer asks us to look toward them.

Lysander does and I follow.

We look like a perfect couple.

It would almost be convincing if I didn’t know how much we dislike each other.

Eventually, we reach the entrance and the moment we step inside, Lysander’s hand leaves mine.

He moves away from me like I’m burning him.

I stare after him.

"Jezz."

Seriously? He couldn’t even pretend for another thirty seconds?

I open my mouth, ready to say something, but before I can, someone approaches him.

The man says something to Lysander, Lysander nods then he follows him.

Just like that.

He doesn’t even look back.

The fucker.

He brought me here and immediately abandoned me.

I stand there alone for a moment. People move around me, greeting each other and laughing.

I recognize some faces. Others are complete strangers and every single one of them looks like they belong here.

I don’t...Not yet.

I scan the room and I spot a bar.

Perfect.

At least I can sit down, these heels are killing me.

I’m not much of a high heel person.

Don’t judge.

I make my way toward the bar and take one of the seats.

Finally.

Sweet sweet relief.

I shift my feet beneath the chair and glance around.

The venue is beautiful. Everything is expensive and polished with crystal lights hang from the ceiling. Tables are arranged around the massive room, each one decorated with flowers and candles. Waiters move between guests carrying trays of drinks.

People are dressed like they stepped straight out of a magazine.

Men in perfectly tailored suits, women in gowns that probably cost more than some people’s houses.

I sit there quietly, watching.

I’m not exactly bored...just overwhelmed.

This is a completely different world from the one I’m used to and apparently, it’s Lysander’s world.

I wonder how long it will take before people stop looking at me like I’m an intruder.

I reach for my phone again, no new messages.

I put it away.

"You’re at a bar and you’re not drinking?"

I turn.

A woman is standing beside me.

She’s a bit young, around my age....maybe a little younger.

And she’s really pretty.

Her features are soft, her eyes bright, and there is something about her face that looks strangely familiar.

She smiles at me.

"Hi. I’m Isabella, Lysander’s younger sister."

Oh.

I straighten.

"Oh, hi. I’m..."

She laughs lightly.

"I already know your name, Nerissa."

I blink.

"You do?"

"Of course."

She pulls out the seat beside me and sits.

"You’re my brother’s wife now."

The way she says it makes the words sound almost strange.

Wife.

I’m still not used to hearing that.

She looks me over for a moment.

"You’re really pretty."

I feel myself blush.

"Thank you."

I smile at her.

"You’re even prettier."

She immediately waves her hand.

"Oh, please. Please."

I laugh.

Okay. I kinda like her already.

She turns toward the bar.

"You’re sitting at a bar and you aren’t drinking?"