Chapter 14 Kiss Me
“Vivienne, what… what are you doing?” Eliza’s voice was shaking.
“You’re clever, right? Take a guess,” Vivienne said.
Her face turned cold. In one swift move, she yanked the gown off Eliza.
Eliza screamed, scrambling to cover herself with her arms.
She was left wearing only nipple covers and shapewear.
“Hit me, yell at me, whatever. Just give my dress back, please,” Eliza begged.
“You think there would be payback, huh?
“Eli, this jewelry? Looks way better without the dress. Now shut up, sit still, and wait for your precious brother to come save you.”
With that, Vivienne walked out, her eyes flashing with contempt.
Eliza curled up in the corner of the couch, hugging herself, crying silently.
She had nothing to hide behind. And this was the men’s lounge. Someone could walk in any second.
Footsteps passed now and then outside. Every one made her flinch.
Making a noise could bring someone in. So she whispered, “Seb, where are you? Please, just come.”
Meanwhile, Sebastian was deep in a business chat over wine.
Then a woman brushed past behind him.
She was tall, poised, wearing the same cool scent Vivienne used to wear.
He looked up and watched her walk away.
Just as he was about to go after her, a voice stopped him.
“Hey, one of the servers said there’s a surprise in one of the men’s lounges. Let’s check it out.”
Sebastian didn’t think much of it until a guy said the surprise was a naked woman.
It dragged up something from years ago. Sebastian’s face tightened, and the glass slipped from his hand. He took off for the lounge.
Eliza cried out, “Stop! Please stop filming…”
Eliza was curled up, trembling in tears, just like she had been that day.
The guy closest to her was filming. Sebastian snatched his phone and smashed it against the wall.
“Anyone else wanna try?” Sebastian snapped. “Out. Now.”
He turned, shrugged off his jacket, and wrapped it around her fast, not giving a damn about manners. Eliza was badly shaken, and he started helping her get dressed.
Outside, Vivienne spotted Celina’s car.
Waving a hand, she walked over.
Celina gave her a weird look. “Why are you dressed like that?”
Vivienne shrugged. “Had to sneak in. I’m here for Eliza.”
Eliza? She’s here?” Oh no. I’m not going in.”
You should. Drama to watch in there.”
Celina raised an eyebrow but didn’t press for details.
As soon as Vivienne walked in, she noticed the exchanged glances and whispers about some naked woman in the men’s lounge
And they said the Hartwell family was always giving people something to talk about.
she didn’t piece it together until she turned and saw Sebastian. He was walking out with Eliza in his arms, his face tight with
inger.
But Vivienne didn’t feel satisfied.
This was barely the start, and they deserved worse.
she wandered downtown, hoping the lights and noise might drown out the hurt.
Somehow, she ended up at Obscura Bar.
Kimberly used to joke that nothing could take Vivienne down, except three drinks.
One got her tipsy. Two knocked her sideways. Three meant a blackout.
Vivienne never believed her until she downed three different cocktails.
Just as everything started to blur, Frederick showed up.
I Walked Away Naked and Returned as Wla Queer
བམས་་ བ་་ས་༦ བ་མ་
az azt.
The top button was undone, his Adam’s apple catching the light. He had that hot, mature vibe.
“You are?” Vivienne shut her eyes, thinking.
“Frederick,” he replied.
She grinned, pointing vaguely in his direction. “Yes! Dr. Kingsley.”
Frederick gently took her hand and guided it back toward him. “I’m right here.”
Vivienne huffed, “Yeah, I can see that.”
He gave a helpless smile.
“Dr. Kingsley, I’ve got a secret. But you can’t tell anyone,” she announced, way too loud.
‘I stripped Eliza, like, completely. She ruined the dress my mom made. I paid her back. Not even her boobs-”
Frederick quickly covered her mouth and whispered, “I know. Honestly, she had it coming.”
She did?” But then something crossed Vivienne’s mind, and her smile faded.
‘Sebastian’s gonna come after me.
You’re a doctor. Can’t you fix whatever’s wrong in his head? Why doesn’t he get that I’d never go after Eliza just to be mean?”
Frederick looked into her sad eyes. “You still want him to come back?”
Vivienne didn’t answer.
Her hands curled into fists in her lap, shoulders shaking as she tried not to fall apart.
Frederick patted her back. “It’s okay. Stop thinking about him. Just let it go.”
Slowly, the tension left her. She leaned into him and drifted off.
He already knew where she had been staying.
Yesterday, he saw her go into Celina’s place, leave, and head to a hotel.
He bent down, picked her up, hooked a finger through her bag, and carried her out of the bar.
The nightmare hit fast.
Pain, rage, shame, and desire twisted inside Vivienne until she couldn’t breathe.
She was soaked in sweat, her chest tight and hollow, like there was nothing left inside her.
A scream caught in her throat. She needed something to drown these feelings.
Then came a voice, soft and steady. “Vivienne, Vivienne…”
She jolted awake, eyes wide, breath ragged. Then her eyes turned red.
Without thinking, she pulled Frederick down and let his weight settle over her.
Somehow, his presence made her feel real, grounded.
Fighting back tears, she caught the silver edge of his glasses and took them off.
“Kiss me,” she whispered hoarsely.
