Page 32 of Beautiful Deception

“Disappointing, Viktor,” Samuel says. “What happened?”

“The cake was dropped on the floor last minute. An accident, I can assure you. My maid didn’t mean it. It was too late to buy a new one.”

“Well… human error is something that can happen. But if you’re maid is clumsy, then you really should fire her and get a new one.”

My heart is going to leap out of my throat and make me vomit. The last thing that can happen is for me to lose this job.

“Thank you for your advice,” Viktor says in a tight voice. “Since dinner is over, let’s convene in the living room for after dinner drinks.”

“Since there’s no dessert,” Natasha mutters.

A flare of anger hits me. She’s the reason there’s no dessert. She did this to make me look bad.

I keep my mouth clamped shut. Getting into an argument with Natasha in front of everyone will surely get me fired.

Once the guests have left the dining room, I clean up all the dishes as fast as I can. I just want to go to bed and have this day be done with.

But I have to stay up since the guests are all here. What if Viktor needs me?

I stop myself from crying as I pick up the ruined cake and throw it away. I’ve cried so much that I’m tired of it.

With nothing else to do, I decide to listen in on the guests’ conversations. I hide behind a wall near the living room.

“Can you believe that maid?” Natasha asks. “Forgetting to make dessert? Who does that?”

“A very incompetent one,” Samuel mutters.

“It was an accident,” Viktor reminds him. “She didn’t mean to ruin the cake. I’ll make it up to you another day, Samuel. I promise.”

“You better, Viktor. I’m not happy about this.”

I wonder why Viktor even tolerates Samuel… unless it’s because Samuel has money. I know Viktor is at war with Erik Koslov and Dante Moretti. He must need all the money he can get right now in his efforts to bring them down.

But bringing Erik and Dante down are the last things I want. Elena could get hurt in the process since she’s married to Aiden and Aiden works for Dante.

I feel someone behind me and whirl around. It’s Finn.

The sight of him almost makes me scream but I tamp it down at the last second.

“Hello,” he says in his dark voice. His eyes are even darker.

“Hi,” I manage to squeak out.

“What are you doing in the shadows?”

“I didn’t know you were here.”

He shoves his hands in his pockets and rocks back on his heels. “I wasn’t invited to the party. Viktor thinks I’m a little too reckless to be around nice company.”

“Are you?”

“Am I what?”

“Reckless?”

He sidles up closer to me. “Would you like to find out?"

I take a deliberate step back. “I would rather not.”

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