Chapter 283
Slanders thrived on ambiguity and speculation. But me? I had pure frickin‘ evidence.
That was why Edward complained about my fixation on details. He was panicking. He knew he wasn’t winning this.
As if these so–called “details” weren’t the fact that I’d saved his fucking life over the years.
The comment section had exploded under my response. A few people whined about how “scary” it was for a woman to hyper–fixate on every little thing, but most were on my side. They even correctly identified Edward as an ungrateful bastard.
My phone beeped.
Soren texted that he’d be here in an hour.
I looked up, realizing the sky had started to darken. I washed up and put on my best fit.
After this sudden narrative war on the Internet, I no longer cared how being seen with Soren would reflect on me. Tomorrow marked the first day of the new year. It was supposed to be a joyous occasion–the start of something
new.
I wasn’t about to let the Kennedys or some internet trolls ruin my life. They wanted my reputation in shambles, my world to burn?
Well, they could take that and shove it. I was going to walk like a queen, dress like a queen, and blind them like a frickin‘ queen at the countdown to midnight.
By the time Soren arrived, I had just finished getting ready.
I’d chosen a long red dress and a black trench coat for the occasion. Since my knees were still recovering, I skipped the heels in favor of flat–heeled brogues.
See, I was already tall and stunning. I didn’t really need heels now, did I?
I permed my hair into curls, dabbed on some light makeup, and swiped on my most flaming red lipstick to match my dress.
I smiled at the mirror. God, I was beautiful. I wondered what Soren would think. No way he’d be able to stop himself from saying something.
I still didn’t know if I should take that step, to be honest. After everything that happened online today, this felt like a terrible time to get closer. You know?
And yet, my nerves did nothing to weaken my anticipation. If anything, it showed in the way I presented myself. I had to look my best–just in case.
I descended to the lobby, heart fluttering. The moment I spotted him by his car, it practically leaped.
Soren shifted his stance, and I caught a glimpse of an evening suit peeking from beneath his coat.
The streetlights flicked on just as I saw him, illuminating him like they were part of his aura. Shadows deepened the sharpness of his features, and his smile almost seemed gilded.
Soren had dressed up for tonight, too. I had a feeling he had a confession at the ready.
The thought sent a ringing through my ears. Reason told me to turn him down, and yet–my legs moved of their
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Chapter 293
own accord.
I sidled up to him as he took me in. His expression flickered with awe and shock. He hadn’t expected me to dress up like this.
He blinked, finally finding his voice. “Not bad.”
He smiled, opening the car door for me. “You’ve got a pep in your step. You look gorgeous and spirited… I’m starting to think my earlier worries were hilariously unwarranted.”
“Well, I told you before. I’ve weathered worse. What happened this morning? Small fry.”
Chapter 284
