Page 45 of Dancing With Delusion

I frown as I stare at the message. Great, he’s left his goon to babysit me. He could have at least left Marshall. Nik can’t stand me, which he makes clear on a regular basis just by the way he rolls his eyes or glares at me whenever I’m near.

My stomach growls in hunger. I don’t remember the last proper meal I had, but Harriet said the medication would curb my appetite. I sit and my head screams in protest, so I squeeze my eyes shut. I need some painkillers to get rid of this throbbing in my head.

I stand and grab my dressing gown from the walk-in wardrobe, wrapping it around myself as I pad down the stairs. I hear Nik’s voice coming from the kitchen, so I slow down, stopping just outside the door to listen.

“He’s got me babysitting his fucking whore,” he complains, and when I don’t hear a reply, I realise he’s on his phone. “Nah, man, the woman’s a fucking fruit loop. She’s been writing the letters to herself. Why he couldn’t just settle for Vivian, I’ll never know.” It goes silent for a few moments and then his reply comes. “He’s at a charity ball with Vivian.”

The hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention. Dmitry left me again to be with that bitch. “Yeah, a masquerade ball.”

I tiptoe away from the kitchen so as not to alert him to my presence, and I enter Dmitry’s office and close the door quietly.

I go over to the desk and pull open a drawer, riffling through it in the hopes of finding an invitation. A plan begins to form in my head, and I smile to myself. It’s a masquerade ball, so I can turn up and no one will even know I’m there. Because I have to know once and for all if things between him and Vivian are truly done.

He might have been right earlier when he said I don’t have anywhere to go or no one to turn to, but I won’t live a lie or stick around while he makes a fool out of me.

I take one last look in the floor-length mirror before sliding the black mask in place. The intricate design is perfect for keeping my identity hidden.

I smooth my hands over the fabric of the dress and take a deep breath. I’ve opted for a black mermaid gown. It has an elaborate lace overlay that sparkles in the light and a small train that pools around my feet. It really is beautiful, but more importantly, it’s not something I would usually opt for and something Dmitry certainly wouldn’t recognise me in.

“You can do this, Tori,” I say to my reflection, trying to psych myself up.

I snatch my heels from the floor and keep them in my hand so they don’t make a noise on my way out the manor.

When I reach the bottom of the stairs, I peer into the lounge to find Nik engrossed in football, his feet on the table, and I smirk to myself. I certainly wouldn’t mind if Dmitry gave this bastard a beating for letting me out of his sight.

I open the front door, leaving it slightly ajar so it doesn’t make a noise as I close it. I hurry down the long driveway, pulling my jacket around myself. The fresh evening air hits me and a shiver runs down my spine as I book an Uber to collect me at the end of the driveway.

There’s no backing out now.

Twenty minutes later, I grab my purse from the back of the taxi, looking up at the huge building dominating the skyline. I’ve always loved the Hilton, but it certainly isn’t my usual stomping ground.

I take some steadying breaths, squaring my shoulders and adjusting my mask. On your best behaviour, Tori. No dramatics, I warn myself, imagining Phoebe was here to keep me out of trouble. I grin to myself. I must be bloody losing it. Isn’t talking to yourself the first sign of madness?

I smile sweetly at the concierge holding the door open for my arrival and nod in thanks as I pass. Here goes nothing. I head for the hall where I see people gathered. Chandeliers hang from the ceilings and the lights sparkle. If I wasn’t so pissed that he’s here with Vivian, I would be blown away by how magical it looks.

Making my way to the bar, I scan the room looking for my man and his whore. My heart pounds in my chest as I approach the bar and spot them together. Vivian leans into Dmitry, lovingly staring up at him, as his father throws his head back laughing at something.

My jaw clenches as I will myself not to react. That’s what they all want, right?

I stand at the opposite end of the bar, giving a small wave to grab the barman’s attention. “Gin and tonic, please?”

I can’t take my eyes off them as they chat animatedly. Dmitry even smiles at something Vivian says. I haven’t seen him smile at me like that in so long, and that breaks my heart a little more. A lump forms in my throat as the barman brings over my drink. I present my card and thank him, my voice merely a whisper. My hands shake as I bring the glass to my lips, then I knock it back in one and allow the familiar buzz to comfort my aching heart.

I take my phone out my purse and quickly respond to the text he left on my phone earlier.

Me: Enjoy your evening and remember . . .

I watch for his reaction. He pulls his phone from his pocket and frowns.

Distraction: Remember what? D x

His brows pinch together as he stares at the screen, awaiting my reply.

Me: That I’m your lyubov always.

I watch the way Vivian smiles at him, reaching up on her tiptoes to place a chaste kiss on his cheek. Anyone watching would think they’re a couple. He places his phone back in his pocket without replying.

My heart twists painfully and my eyes fill with tears. They begin to flow freely, sliding down behind my mask. Marcus’s words race through my mind, the ones he spat right before I ended his miserable life. Dmitry would never really want me while he has her on his arm. He was right. She’s the one who shines beside him, and me, I’m just the embarrassment he likes to fuck.

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