Chapter 335: House party V

Chapter 335: Chapter 335: House party V

Four girls walked through University Town together.

It really wasn’t far.

Amelia had been right.

About fifteen minutes later, they could already see the house.

Lights glowed through the windows, music drifted out into the street, and several students were gathered outside.

Amelia pointed ahead.

"There."

Vivienne smiled.

"See? We’re not that late."

Claire raised an eyebrow.

"We absolutely are."

Vivienne laughed.

"Just fashionably late."

Eleanor shook her head.

"That’s what people say when they’re late."

"Exactly," Claire said.

Vivienne laughed again.

They continued toward the house.

The closer they got, the louder the music became.

Vivienne looked at the house.

It was much livelier than she had expected.

Amelia seemed completely unsurprised.

"Come on."

Vivienne took another step.

Then stopped.

"Wait."

Amelia turned.

"What?"

Vivienne reached into her shoulder bag and pulled out her phone.

Amelia narrowed her eyes.

"Vivienne."

"Just one message."

Claire sighed.

"Once we’re inside, no more texting, okay?"

Vivienne nodded.

"Okay."

Amelia crossed her arms.

"We’re here to enjoy the night."

Vivienne smiled.

"I know."

"So don’t be a killjoy."

"I won’t."

Vivienne quickly unlocked her phone.

She opened Christopher’s conversation.

Then typed.

V: We arrived just outside the host’s house. My friends blame me for being late. They warned me to stop texting you when we enter. They told me not to be a killjoy. Huhu. Sorry also, maybe I’m disturbing your rest? Uhm... in any case, we’re already here. I’ll tell you about it later or maybe tomorrow? So... goodnight in advance. ^_^

She sent it.

A moment later, her phone vibrated.

Christopher had replied.

C: Good. And no worries. I do appreciate the update. I like hearing from you. However, your friends are right. You just enjoy the night with them. You can tell me about everything later. Have fun.

Vivienne stared at the message.

Her heart softened.

He was so considerate.

So sweet.

So understanding.

And he liked hearing from her.

She smiled.

He was perfect.

"Seriously?"

Vivienne looked up.

Amelia was staring at her.

"What?"

"You’ve been texting him all night."

Vivienne smiled sheepishly.

"I know."

"And you’re still doing it."

"I just wanted to tell him we arrived."

Claire held out her hand.

"Alright. Now put it away."

Vivienne looked down at her phone one more time.

Then smiled.

"Okay."

She slipped it back into her bag.

Amelia immediately linked her arm through Vivienne’s.

"Come on."

They walked inside.

The house was already lively.

Loud music filled the living room.

Groups of students stood around talking.

There was a bar set up along one side, while others had already started dancing.

People moved between rooms, carrying drinks and laughing.

Vivienne looked around.

There were more people than she had expected.

Anyway, before she could really take anything in, Amelia suddenly looked ahead.

"There."

Vivienne followed her gaze.

A young man was standing a short distance away, watching the entrance.

The moment he saw Amelia, his face lit up.

"Amelia!"

Amelia smiled.

"William!"

He walked toward them.

Vivienne didn’t know him personally, but she had heard Amelia mention him.

William stopped in front of Amelia.

"You made it."

"Of course."

"You’re late."

Amelia laughed.

"Don’t start."

"I’ve been waiting."

Vivienne glanced at Amelia.

Amelia only smiled.

William then looked past her.

He noticed the three girls standing with her.

"And you brought friends."

"Of course."

He smiled.

"I’m William Dean."

"Nice to meet you, I’m Claire Whitmore" Claire said.

"Eleanor Hayes," Eleanor gave him a nod.

"Vivienne Beaumont." Vivienne smiled politely.

William’s eyes settled on her.

There was a brief pause.

He quickly connected the dots.

Ah.

Anthony Ashford’s ex-fiancé.

This might be fun.

William gave them a nod of acknowledgement, then turned to Amelia.

"You should come meet some of my friends."

Amelia blinked.

"Your friends?"

"Yeah. Some of my classmates are here."

"Let me introduce you."

Then he looked at Eleanor, Claire, and Vivienne.

"And your friends too, if they don’t mind."

Amelia looked at them.

"Sure."

Claire nodded.

"Okay."

Eleanor smiled.

Vivienne nodded as well.

"Alright."

William smiled.

"Then, let’s go."

--

(Damian POV)

Damian stopped.

Vivienne.

For a second, he simply stared.

Huh?

What was she doing here?

He hadn’t expected her.

His eyes moved instinctively around her.

Was she with Christopher?

He looked again.

No.

She had arrived with her friends.

Something inside him loosened.

He hadn’t even realized he’d been holding his breath.

She was here.

And, somehow, that made him happy.

Even though it shouldn’t have.

Even though he had spent the entire evening trying to convince himself that he could look at other women.

Even though he had been telling himself that he didn’t need her.

She was here.

And Damian couldn’t stop looking at her.

For a moment, everything else disappeared.

The music.

The conversations.

The people around him.

Even the thought he had just been considering.

Damian simply stared.

Vivienne was smiling as she stepped into the house.

Her golden-blonde hair fell softly around her face.

Her sky-blue eyes were bright.

He knew that face.

He knew every expression it could make.

The little pout she made when she was annoyed.

The way her brows came together when she was thinking.

The smile she tried to hide when he teased her.

The way her eyes softened when she was happy.

The shy expression she sometimes got when he caught her off guard.

The blush that rises when she’s embarrassed.

He loved all of it.

He loved teasing her.

Making her laugh.

Watching her get irritated.

Watching her smile.

Just being around her.

And physically—

There was simply no comparison.

His eyes moved over her face, her hair, her figure.

She was beautiful.

Everyone knew that.

Vivienne Beaumont had been called the most beautiful woman in the continent.

Damian had always understood why.

But now that he had actually had her—

Now that he knew what it felt like to touch her, kiss her, hold her—

There was no close second.

Catherine was beautiful.

Evelyn was beautiful.

There were plenty of beautiful women in the room.

But none of them were Vivienne.

Julian’s words from earlier came back to him.

Very, very close.

Damian almost wanted to laugh.

No.

Not even close enough.

His entire plan suddenly felt ridiculous.

The experience.

Finding someone else.

Catherine.

Maybe making her his girlfriend.

Evelyn.

The possibility of making Vivienne jealous.

All of it disappeared the moment he saw her.

Julian looked at Damian.

Then followed his gaze.

His expression changed immediately.

"Oh, for fuck’s sake."

Adrian looked over.

He saw Vivienne.

Then looked back at Damian.

"The mission is over."

"Completely," Julian said.

Damian didn’t hear either of them.

Julian shook his head.

"Let the loser stare."

He and Adrian walked away.

Damian barely noticed.

He was still watching Vivienne.

And after spending the entire evening trying to convince himself that there were other women in the world—

He finally had his answer.

There were.

He simply didn’t want any of them.

--

Tbc