Chapter 13
Stella's POV
I saw Lucy's face went from porcelain perfect to ghost white in about two seconds flat.
What she wore was my necklace - or more accurately, the one I'd designed for Sam's birthday.
I raised my glass in her direction, enjoying how her hands shook as she practically ripped off the necklace.
"You..." Lucy looked like she was about to have an aneurysm as she stuffed the necklace into her clutch.
"Something wrong with your necklace, dear?" I kept my voice sweet. "It looked so lovely on you."
Her glare could've melted steel, but we both knew she couldn't make a scene now.
\---
"Well, look who showed up." Mark's voice dripped with his usual smugness. He was leaning against a column,phone in hand.
I ignored him and sipped my champagne. Let him watch.
His fingers flew across his phone screen. Of course he's texting Adam. I hid my smile behind my glass.
\---
"Your work is incredible," a famous designer was saying as we discussed fall collections. "The metalwork especially..."
"Thanks." I smiled. "Though lately I've been more interested in sustainable materials. The environmental impact of luxury goods is something we need to talk about."
The conversation flowed easily among us.
I stepped out to the courtyard for some air. The stars were barely visible through New York's light pollution, but the break from the circus inside was worth it.
Deep breaths, Stella. Round two is coming up.
The violin's last note faded out in Lucy's hand, and right on cue, John stepped up to perform his proud papa act.
"Everyone," his voice boomed through the hall.′′tOInight isn't just about art. It's about family." He wrapped an arm around Lucy's shoulders like she was some prize poodle. "My daughter Lucy-has brought such joy to our lives."
“I heard there is only one daughter in the Winstons, is it Miss Stella?" A voice break the harmony. John pretended to show a sad expression." Lucy never had formal training, yet her current level of skill comes purely from her natural talent. As for Stella... her musical abilities have long been neglected, maybe her current level is now inferior to Lucy's.
Well. "Dad". I will show you latter. Just wait and see.
Anna clutched Lucy's hand, their matching bracelets catching the light. She also sighed. "If it weren't for that accident back then, and if Lucy had been raised by our side, she would certainly be even more accomplished than she is now."
The perfect family portrait. I wanted to gag. It seemed I was the outsider.
"Such a talent," someone whispered nearby. "Have you seen her latest collection?"
I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing. My collection,you mean. Every single piece of it.
"The Winston artistic legacy lives on," John continued.
Wow. He might as well have just pointed and yelled "fraud.""If only we'd spotted Lucy's potential earlier," Anna chimed in.voice dripping fake regret.11SOmuch time wasted on... other person." Twenty years of their "generosity" summed up in three words.Nice, "Mom".
Great. I pressed myself deeper into my corner of the Met's ballroom,watching Lucy enjoy herself in the crowd like she was born to it.
"Stella!" Lucy's voice made me wince internally. "Why are you hiding back there? Mom and Dad have been looking everywhere for you!"
Yeah, right. Like a shark looks for its next meal. She successfully attracted all attention to us. But I plastered on my society smile anyway. "Lucy. Having fun?"
The whispers started immediately. God, these people never get tired of the same old gossip, do they?
"Did you hear about her and Brian-"
"Can't believe she showed her face-"
"That dress is definitely last season-"
Deep breaths, Stella. Don't let them see you sweat. She was wearing white again - her attempt to look innocent probably. The irony almost made me smile. My own black gown suddenly felt like armor."Stella." Anna's voice hit me like ice water. "Come here, dear." Oh hell. One look at Lucy's smirking face told me everything.They had something planned. My stomach churned. Just smile and nod.
\---
Adam's POV
I watched her from the private balcony, my fingers drumming against the armrest of my wheelchair. Stella stood alone by a painting, somehow making her isolation look deliberate, even elegant
"Quite the show down there." Mark joined me, scotch in hand."Starting to think we might've gotten your wife all wrong."
I remained silent, my eyes fixed on Stella. The way she held herself, chin lifted slightly, shoulders back - a perfect mask of indifference. But I'd seen beneath that mask.
"Did you know about her experience with the Winstons?" Mark swirled his scotch, the ice clinking against the glass.′′Pretty poor woman." "Explain." I could hear the edge in my own voice, a dangerous undertone that made most people flinch. Mark, unfortunately,wasn't most people. "Your wife's been suffering more than anyone realized." Mark paused, and something in his tone made my muscles tense." Did you know the Winstons had a son?"
That caught my attention."Had?"
"Died young. They were old school -you know, daughters for marrying off, sons for inheriting." Mark's voice carried an unusual note of sympathy. "By the time they lost him,they'd already adopted Stella. Took forever for them to see Lucy as more than just a backup plan."
I watched as Lucy preened under the attention of her socialite circle,while Stella maintained her careful distance. Always on the outside. Something twisted in my chest-an unfamiliar sensation I chose not to examine too closely.
"Interesting." I kept my voice soft, controlled, even as my mind raced through the implications. So that's why you're sO determined to stand on your own, Mrs. Lancaster.
"And that necklace drama?" Mark grinned, oblivious to my thoughts. "Just proof of ownership. Your wife had signed every piece Lucy's claiming she designed. That's just the start."
You've been underestimated your whole life, haven't you?
"She's more... resourceful than I thought." The words came out before I could stop them, my eyes still tracking her movements.
"Oh?" Mark's eyebrows shot up, his grin widening. "From you,that's practically a love confession."