Page 3 of King of Deception

“Women say it’s so hard for them out there,” Jude had once said over dinner with friends. “But honestly? If you’re pretty and you know how to use that, you’re golden!”

The memory—once again—caused my insides to contract, so I took another sip of champagne.

Just as the conversation ended and as if to rescue me from pointlessly hovering like a dork, Jude appeared out of nowhere. “There you are,” he exhaled as though in relief. “Your cheeks are so flushed. Are you happy to see me?”

Staring into his eyes, I felt the elevated alcohol levels in my blood push my confidence up by a notch. “Read my lips.” I articulated, “Drinking. To. Forget.”

He shook his head without losing the smug smirk on his face, pressing his chest against my shoulder as he slid his arm around my waist. “You know very well that that bratty attitude turns me on.”

“And you know that now… I am officially drunk,” I challenged him with my eyes while my hand pushed him away. “Are you really gonna force yourself on an inebriated woman?”

“You’re putting me in a tough situation, honey. You know you’re sexiest when you drink.”

An expression of disgust turned the corners of my lips upside down as I blinked repeatedly, studying his face. “Are you listening to yourself?”

“My honesty can be shocking, I know. But there was a time when you reveled in it.”

“Well, people change,” I enunciated.

“Thank you, everyone, for being here tonight…” Mr. Engelbert’s voice rang through the microphone.

“Shush.” I took a step forward, paying attention to our CEO as he began his toast.

“Since when do you care?” Jude complained. “It’s not like it’s a company speech!”

“Shush!” I drew it out, turning to him with wide eyes.

“You can’t imagine…” Mr. Engelbert continued.

“Oh, please,” Jude mocked.

My head was buzzing. So many people with their lips sealed to give Engelbert the respect he deserved on his daughter’s big night. Except for Jude—my impromptu plus one.

What a disaster.

Another waiter passed. Another tray of liquor. Another glass in my hand. And down it went, drowning my embarrassment deeper under layers of alcohol and helplessness.

I had mistakenly thought that by breaking up with Jude, he would be out of the picture by now. Instead, I’d been unpleasantly surprised by his sporadic bouts of possessiveness every time the whim hit him.

Unable to take another minute of his juvenile behavior, I turned around with the wrath of the world in my eyes. “Shut up,” I whispered from between my teeth. “I can’t believe I’m saying this to you, but seriously, shut your fucking mouth and let me be!”

“Ella, you’re—”

Angrily downing the last sip of still cool champagne, I squeezed my eyes shut and hissed, “I’ve fucking had it with you! Don’t you get it? What you’re doing is the opposite of pride.” Pushing my face forward, I left nothing but a slither of space between us, letting him feel my breath on his skin. “Have some dignity, Jude, and walk away before I cause a scene.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” his lips turned with revolted anger. “Not tonight. Not right here.”

“And I can’t express in words how happy I am that my Lily and Ewan are…” Mr. Engelbert’s toast never seemed to end, making me lose the last trace of focus I had left.

“I fucking hate you!” I raised my voice at Jude just enough for the people around us to turn and stare in visible disapproval.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw another waiter walk past my shoulder, so I quickly placed the empty glass in his hand, readying to move away from Jude. Jude’s eyebrows suddenly shot up, and I turned to look beside me at the set of fingers frozen in the air, clasping the glass. My gaze then rose to the waiter’s face, and as if all my anger had boiled up to the point of no return, I grunted, “Why don’t you take a fucking picture? It’ll last longer.”

Turning away, I pinched the fabric of my long dress with both hands, hiking it up just enough for me to rush through the still bodies without tripping.

“Ella? Ella Rose! Don’t you dare walk away from me!” Jude’s voice barely made it through the mumbles of the crowd surrounding us.

My night was ruined. The aim of my coming here was slowly dissolving into one big mush of failure. I was petrified and needed to disappear, if only for a while until Engelbert was done talking.

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