Chapter 337: house party VII

Chapter 337: Chapter 337: house party VII

Evelyn kept her eyes on Vivienne.

She still couldn’t believe she was here.

And somehow, that wasn’t even the most irritating part.

She had noticed Anthony’s reaction the moment Vivienne arrived.

She had seen the surprise on his face.

The way his attention had immediately settled on her.

The way he had looked at her.

Evelyn had been watching Anthony since they arrived.

Not because she had come with him.

She hadn’t.

She had come with Rhea.

Rhea was Scott’s sister, and Scott was one of Anthony’s friends.

So when Scott came with Anthony, Leo, and Ronald, Rhea had naturally come along.

Evelyn and Elise had come with her.

It had all been perfectly ordinary.

At least, it was supposed to be.

Evelyn had stayed with Rhea and Elise after they arrived.

She had watched Anthony, standing just nearby.

Waiting.

Hoping he might come over.

Or hoping for a reason to speak to him.

So far, there hadn’t.

And then Vivienne had come along.

Suddenly, she had Anthony’s attention.

Evelyn looked at Vivienne again.

That innocent little sweater dress.

Those soft waves.

The gold earrings.

Everything about her looked sweet.

Almost painfully sweet.

Evelyn glanced down at herself.

Her white dress was fitted and sleeveless.

It suited her.

She looked good tonight.

Very good.

And yet Anthony hadn’t looked at her like that.

Evelyn smiled at Vivienne.

"You look lovely tonight."

Vivienne smiled back.

"Thank you."

She pushed a strand of golden hair behind her ear.

"I would like to say the same, but..."

She let the sentence trail off.

If she thinks I’m going to flatter her back, she can dream on.

Vivienne glanced at Evelyn’s dress.

"Don’t you feel cold?"

Evelyn blinked.

"Cold?"

"It’s rather chilly tonight."

Vivienne looked at the sleeveless white dress.

"Especially dressed like that."

For a second, Evelyn simply stared at her.

Then she smiled.

"We’re indoors."

"Oh."

Vivienne nodded.

"Right."

She smiled sweetly.

"I suppose that makes sense."

Evelyn’s jaw tightened.

God.

She was annoying.

Meanwhile, Claire lowered her eyes.

Amelia pressed her lips together.

Eleanor had already realized where this was going.

Across from them, Ronald glanced at Leo.

Leo gave the smallest shake of his head.

Scott looked toward Anthony.

Anthony was watching the two women with a quiet, increasingly wary expression.

"By the way..."

Evelyn’s eyes moved over Vivienne’s dress.

"What inspired the new look?"

Vivienne raised an eyebrow.

"The new look?"

Evelyn gestured lightly toward her.

"You know."

Her gaze moved from the sweater dress to Vivienne’s hair.

She smiled.

"You, wearing something considerably more conservative than usual."

Vivienne glanced down at herself.

Then back at Evelyn.

"Am I?"

"Mm."

Evelyn nodded.

"Perhaps you’re trying something new."

Vivienne smiled faintly.

"Oh?"

Evelyn continued.

"I was just wondering what brought about the change."

Vivienne said nothing.

She simply watched her.

Evelyn smiled.

"Perhaps you wanted to give a different impression tonight."

A small pause.

"Something a little more..."

She searched for the word.

"Innocent."

Vivienne’s lips curved.

"Oh."

Evelyn’s smile remained.

"Though I suppose there’s nothing wrong with that."

"Of course not."

Vivienne looked amused.

Evelyn continued.

"Perhaps you simply wanted people to take you a little more seriously."

Claire’s eyebrows rose.

Amelia looked at Vivienne.

Eleanor frowned.

Vivienne raised an eyebrow.

"Really?"

"Yes."

Evelyn’s voice remained light.

"After all, you’ve had quite a few changes lately."

"Have I?"

"Mm."

Evelyn nodded.

"Different people."

A tiny pause.

"Different situations."

"I suppose eventually one starts wondering what exactly someone is looking for."

Vivienne smiled.

"Oh."

She tilted her head.

"Is that a problem?"

Evelyn’s smile tightened.

"I didn’t say it was."

"No?"

Vivienne’s eyes gleamed.

"It sounded like you were building toward something."

Evelyn held her gaze.

"I was only making an observation."

"Of course."

Vivienne smiled.

"Please continue."

That irritated Evelyn more than it should have.

And for a moment, she forgot that Anthony was even standing there.

"You’ve been rather popular lately."

Vivienne’s smile widened.

"I have."

Evelyn paused.

She hadn’t expected her to agree so easily.

Vivienne shrugged.

"I don’t know what I can do about that."

Amelia looked down.

Claire’s lips twitched.

Eleanor was already smirking.

Vivienne continued, perfectly composed.

"I suppose that’s the problem with being too beautiful."

Evelyn stared at her.

Vivienne gave a tiny laugh.

"People tend to notice."

Evelyn’s smile became strained.

"I suppose."

Vivienne looked at her.

"Maybe you haven’t experienced that."

A small pause.

"I wouldn’t know."

Her smile became sweeter.

"Not everyone gets to have that problem."

Rhea looked at Evelyn.

Elise glanced quickly toward Anthony.

Scott shifted his weight.

Even Leo looked mildly uncomfortable now.

William though, he wanted to guffaw.

Evelyn’s eyes hardened.

Vivienne continued before she could answer.

"Though I suppose some people have other problems."

She glanced around innocently.

"Like trying very hard to get the attention of someone who isn’t interested."

Evelyn’s expression changed.

Ronald looked at Leo again.

This time, Leo didn’t even bother responding.

Vivienne smiled.

"Even when it’s obvious."

A beat.

"Sometimes even when the man is already engaged."

The smile remained on her lips.

"And yet they keep trying."

Vivienne gave a soft little laugh.

"I suppose that’s another kind of persistence."

Evelyn’s face had gone still.

Rhea looked at her.

Then at Anthony.

Elise suddenly found the floor very interesting.

Scott looked at Anthony again.

Anthony’s expression remained controlled, but his eyes had narrowed slightly.

Vivienne just looked at Evelyn.

"So I wouldn’t worry too much about me."

Then she smiled almost angelically.

"I seem to be doing just fine."

Evelyn stared at her.

For the first time that evening, the sweetness in her expression was beginning to crack.

And Vivienne saw it.

She smiled.

She had wanted to see how long Evelyn could keep pretending.

Apparently—

Not very long.

Evelyn took a slow breath.

Then she smiled again.

"Well."

Her voice was still pleasant.

"I suppose you are."

Vivienne raised an eyebrow.

Evelyn glanced toward the room.

"Though I was actually wondering something."

Vivienne waited.

Evelyn looked back at her.

"Where’s your date tonight?"

Vivienne blinked.

"My date?"

"Yes."

Evelyn gave a small shrug.

"I simply assumed you would have one."

Vivienne smiled.

"I didn’t come with one."

"Oh?"

"I came with my friends."

She gestured lightly toward Amelia, Claire, and Eleanor.

Evelyn nodded slowly.

"I see."

A small pause.

"Or perhaps..."

Her smile became slightly more pointed.

"No one wanted to take you anymore?"

Amelia’s head lifted.

Claire stopped smiling.

Eleanor looked directly at Evelyn.

Vivienne’s expression remained pleasant.

Evelyn continued before she could answer.

"Oh, sorry."

She gave a tiny laugh.

"Perhaps they’ve finally discovered that you’re rather fickle."

Vivienne’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Evelyn tilted her head.

"Maybe no one wants to date you seriously anymore."

She smiled sweetly.

"Sorry. I didn’t mean to say that."

There was a brief silence.

Ronald looked toward Anthony.

Scott’s eyebrows rose.

Leo slowly took a sip of his drink.

William, meanwhile, looked like he was trying very hard not to laugh.

Vivienne stared at Evelyn for a moment.

Then she smiled.

"How about you?"

Evelyn blinked.

"Me?"

"Where’s your date?"

Evelyn’s eyes drifted instinctively toward Anthony.

Vivienne followed her gaze.

Then looked back at her.

A small laugh escaped her.

"Oh."

She glanced at Anthony again.

"Lord Ashford?"

Evelyn said nothing.

William looked between them with open interest.

Anthony finally looked at Evelyn.

Then at Vivienne.

He had been listening long enough.

Vivienne smiled.

"You can’t think that just because you got a man to agree to bring you along, it means he’s taking you here as his date."

Evelyn’s expression changed.

Anthony finally spoke.

"Lady Beaumont."

Vivienne looked at him.

"Lady Sinclair came with her friends."

His tone remained calm.

"Rhea invited her."

Vivienne blinked.

She looked toward Rhea.

Rhea gave a small nod.

"Yes. I invited them."

Vivienne turned back toward Evelyn.

For a moment, she simply stared at her.

Then she laughed softly.

"Oh."

Evelyn watched her carefully.

Vivienne’s smile widened.

"Is that so?"

She tilted her head.

"I thought Lord Ashford was the one who brought you along."

A beat.

"My mistake."

Her smile became sweeter.

"Apparently, you still had to go through other channels."

Silence.

Rhea looked away.

Elise pressed her lips together.

Amelia could no longer suppress chuckling.

Claire was trying not to laugh too.

Eleanor found it too difficult to pretend but was able to settle with a smirk.

Ronald looked down.

Leo exhaled quietly through his nose.

Scott looked like he wanted to disappear from the conversation altogether.

Even William had to look away for a moment because he was smiling too broadly.

Evelyn’s face warmed.

"I never said I came because of Lord Ashford."

"No."

Vivienne smiled.

"You didn’t."

She gave a small shrug.

"That was only my assumption."

A beat.

"Apparently, I was wrong."

Anthony closed his eyes for the briefest moment.

Then opened them again.

"Lady Beaumont, I think that is quite enough."

Vivienne looked at him.

For a second, she almost laughed again.

But then she stopped.

Perhaps he was right.

She had already said enough.

And besides—

What if Christopher heard about this?

She really didn’t want him hearing that she had spent the evening arguing with Evelyn.

So Vivienne smiled politely.

"Of course."

Anthony gave her a look that suggested he wasn’t entirely convinced.

William, however, was having the time of his life.

He had watched the entire exchange with barely concealed amusement.

Evelyn had been irritated.

Vivienne had been even worse.

Anthony had tried to stop them.

Neither had listened.

And somehow, Anthony had managed to stand between them looking perfectly composed while everyone else watched the whole thing unfold.

William almost felt sorry for him.

Almost.

But then he looked at Vivienne.

Then Evelyn.

Then Anthony.

A slow smile spread across his face.

This was far too entertaining to waste.

And, more importantly—

Anthony had somehow gotten away completely unscathed.

William couldn’t have that.

There was no reason the evening had to end there.

"Oh, Lady Beaumont."

Vivienne turned toward him.

William smiled innocently.

"I almost forgot."

"I think there’s someone here you’ll probably be happy to see."

Vivienne blinked.

What did William mean?

She had only met him tonight.

She couldn’t imagine who he could possibly be talking about.

William looked across the room.

His eyes moved over the crowd.

Then stopped.

His smile widened.

There.

Near the bar.

"Hey, Blackwood!"

Damian looked up.

William gestured with his hand.

"Come here!"

Vivienne turned toward where William was looking.

And then—

Her eyes met Damian’s.

--

Tbc