Chapter 338: house party VIII

Chapter 338: Chapter 338: house party VIII

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Vivienne looked at Damian.

And, annoyingly, the first thing she noticed was how handsome he was.

Black hair.

Blue eyes.

A dark shirt.

He looked very good tonight.

Far too good.

She hated that she noticed.

Then the memory of this morning came back.

Oh.

She had lied to him.

She had told Damian she wasn’t feeling well.

That she was tired.

That she wanted to stay in.

And now she was standing here.

At a party.

Looking perfectly fine.

Vivienne swallowed.

What would he think?

She also felt guilty about last night.

It was true that they were just friends with benefits.

But she had asked him if he wanted more.

He had admitted that he did.

And she had told him she would think about it.

Then, that same night, she had confessed to Christopher.

And Christopher had agreed to be with her.

Damian didn’t need to know exactly how quickly everything had happened.

That wasn’t really the issue.

The issue was that Julian and Adrian had seen her with Christopher earlier.

Had they told him?

And if they had, what did Damian think?

Did he think she had led him on?

That she had told him she would think about what he wanted, and then hadn’t even bothered to tell him what she had decided?

Or worse—

Did he think she hadn’t even had the courtesy to tell him herself?

Ugh.

She had intended to tell Damian.

She really had.

She just hadn’t found the right moment.

Everything had happened so quickly.

There had never been a proper chance to talk to him.

And she hadn’t wanted to do it over the phone.

That would have been rude.

Now, somehow, this felt even worse.

Vivienne looked at Damian again.

She didn’t know what to say.

She didn’t know what he knew.

She didn’t know what he thought she had done.

So, instinctively, out of guilt—

She looked away.

—

Damian noticed.

He had seen the way she looked at him first.

Just for a moment.

Then she looked away.

And Damian remembered why he was angry.

He was angry.

He had been angry with her all day.

But looking at her now, he was reminded of something else.

He still wanted her.

That was the problem.

No matter how angry he was.

No matter what he had seen that morning.

He still wanted her.

And if she hadn’t told him that she was with Christopher, then perhaps he didn’t have to let her know that he knew.

He could still talk to her.

He could still see what she wanted.

Perhaps there was still something between them.

He wasn’t ready to give that possibility up.

So Damian walked toward them.

The people around William noticed him approaching.

Ronald straightened slightly.

Leo and Scott each gave him a small nod.

"Blackwood."

"Lord Blackwood."

Damian returned the greetings easily.

"Good evening."

His manner was as composed as ever.

Nothing in his face suggested that anything was wrong.

He stopped in front of Vivienne.

For a brief second, they simply looked at each other.

Then Damian smiled.

"Hello, Vivienne."

Vivienne felt awkward.

"Ah... hello, Damian."

William watched them.

Then he glanced toward Anthony.

Just briefly.

There was something almost amused in his expression.

Anthony noticed.

Before he could say anything, William looked back at Damian.

"Oh, Blackwood."

Damian looked at him.

William gestured lightly between him and Vivienne.

"You and your girlfriend look good together."

Silence.

It was almost immediate.

Vivienne’s eyes widened.

Claire looked at her.

Eleanor looked from Vivienne to Damian.

Amelia’s eyebrows rose.

They knew about Damian.

They knew about Christopher.

But they didn’t know everything that had happened since last night.

So for a moment, even they looked genuinely confused.

Had Vivienne changed her mind?

Was she still seeing Damian?

Had something happened that they didn’t know about?

Scott glanced at Anthony.

Ronald looked between the two.

Even Rhea and Elise turned toward them.

And Anthony—

Anthony simply looked at them.

For a second, it really did look like William had just confirmed something everyone had been wondering about.

Damian Blackwood.

Vivienne Beaumont.

Together.

Vivienne’s eyes widened.

"What?"

She looked at William.

Then at Damian.

Girlfriend?

Why would he think she was Damian’s girlfriend?

And then—

Oh.

Of course.

She and Damian had been rather affectionate in public lately.

Around campus.

At the pool party.

Anyone could have misunderstood.

That had been fine before.

But now—

Definitely not.

"No, no."

Vivienne laughed nervously.

"Damian and I are just friends."

She looked around at everyone.

She needed to explain.

"Besides, I already have—"

She was about to say it.

She had a boyfriend.

She was with Christopher.

But before she could continue, Damian interrupted.

"Yeah."

His voice was calm.

"Vivienne and I are just friends."

Vivienne stopped.

She turned toward him.

Damian was looking at her.

And he smiled.

It was a small smile.

Almost reassuring.

As though he understood exactly what she had been about to say.

Vivienne stared at him for a moment.

She wasn’t sure why he had interrupted her.

William looked between them.

"Oh."

He nodded slowly.

"Not together?"

"Not together," Damian said.

William raised both hands.

"Sorry. My mistake."

A few people relaxed.

Claire gave Vivienne a small look.

Eleanor looked relieved that the awkward moment was apparently over.

Scott smiled faintly.

Rhea turned back toward Elise.

The conversation around them began to move again.

But Anthony remained quiet.

His eyebrow had lifted slightly.

He looked at Damian.

Then at Vivienne.

Damian noticed.

He gave Anthony nothing.

He simply turned back toward William.

"In any case..."

William looked at him.

Damian smiled politely.

"Can I borrow my friend for a while?"

William’s expression changed.

Damian looked at Vivienne.

"Can we talk?"

He paused.

"Privately."

Vivienne looked at him.

She hesitated.

She didn’t know what he wanted to say.

But she knew what she needed to say.

Perhaps this was the right time.

Perhaps it was better to get it over with.

She was just about to answer when...

"Hey, William."

Someone stepped closer to the group.

"Archibald is here."

William looked up.

"Christopher Archibald?"

Vivienne froze.

What?

Christopher?

"Yeah."

The other guy confirmed, gesturing with his chin toward the other side of the room.

William and the rest of their group turned to look.

Vivienne turned too.

And there he was.

Christopher.

Across the room.

His platinum-blond hair was swept neatly to the side.

He was wearing a comfortable long-sleeved knit and dark trousers.

Casual.

Polished.

Effortlessly handsome.

So handsome.

Vivienne’s heart gave a ridiculous little leap.

And then she noticed something else.

His sweater was almost the same color as hers.

She blinked.

She hadn’t even told him what she was wearing tonight.

And somehow, they were matching.

Her smile bloomed before she could stop it.

Then, as if by fate, he looked in her direction.

And his eyes found hers.

He looked at her for a moment, as if drinking the sight of her in.

Then, Christopher gave her a small smile.

And Vivienne’s heart went completely crazy.

Oh my God.

That was her boyfriend.

Christopher.

He was here.

And suddenly, she forgot everything.

--

Tbc