"You have a hater too, by the way," I said, bursting her bubble. Her grin fell and she pouted. "Who?" "There's a waitress here who doesn't like you," I chuckled. "That's fine," she sighed. "A lot of people don't like me." She stared at me and I stared right back. This is usually when one person would compliment the other but neither of us will. "You look handsome tonight, Allister." Or she might. "And I look stunning, of course. Is the party happening outside?" I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and nodded to answer her question. She downed her champagne in one go and closed her eyes, swallowing it down. A waiter passing by took the empty glass from her and then went to the kitchen. Gianna then linked her arm with mine and I guided her outside where we waited for our guests to arrive. It took an hour for all the guests to arrive and I saw the guest list so I can guarantee that there are more than two hundred people here. Our circle of secret corrupt businessmen just keeps getting bigger and bigger. "We should go ahead with the ceremony," my dad said. "Why don't you two head to the gazebo? We'll bring the guests over." While we were walking, I heard her take a shaky breath. "Doing okay?" I asked, watching her. "Dizzy," she mumbled. We sat down at the gazebo and I watched her carefully. "Did you drink?" "Only that one champagne." "And have you eaten?" "Obviously." I narrowed my eyes. "When?" She stared at me. "This morning." I looked at her in disbelief. "Why haven't you eaten anything today?" "I was nervous and queasy, Allister," she hissed as a crowd formed around the gazebo. My father handed me her ring, her father handed her mine. I know I'm meant to go first, so I opened the box and took out the ring. "Don't pass out," I whispered. "I won't, just hurry," she mumbled, placing her hand in mine. I slipped the ring on, the camera flashing and snapping pictures. I hesitated to do the next thing but I did it anyway. I brought her hand up to my lips, kissing her knuckles. She watched me, a little stunned but didn't let it show through her smile. She took out my ring and slid it onto my finger, locking our hands together, fingers entwined. I put an arm around her waist and pulled her closer, both of us standing up, getting a few pictures taken while people clapped. We sat back down and the crowd dispersed a little. She leaned her head against the pillar, her eyes fluttering shut. She hasn't eaten so her blood sugar is probably low. I waved a waiter over. "Get me orange juice, please, quickly." He went inside and came back with a glass of cold orange juice. I grabbed her hand, placing the glass in it. The first thing we do as an engaged couple… Make sure she doesn't pass out. How romantic. She drank it slowly, looking at me. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you cared about me." She hid her smile behind the glass. "I don't. But there are cameras here and you're my fiance now. If I don't help you and protect you, who will?" She finished her juice and then scooted closer. She grabbed my hand with the ring on it and pulled it up and then lifted her hand beside mine, looking at both of our rings side by side while I watched her, not the rings. "Mine's better," she said, smiling. "I picked it," I stated. She pulled her hand in, staring at the ring while twisting it around her finger, still smiling softly. What has gotten into her? She looked up at me and I realized how close we were. If she leaned just a little forward I'd taste the orange on her tongue. "You're a horrible fiance," she frowned. "I called you handsome earlier and you didn't even call me pretty." She's not drunk, she's stone-cold sober. Then why is she acting so… different? It's like she's forgotten that she hates me. Tonight, she doesn't hate me. Tonight she is a fiance and she wants a fiance in return. "You didn't give me a chance to tell you that you look absolutely breathtaking. You called yourself beautiful," I said pointedly. "So? You still should have complimented me. You had all night." "I still do." She stared at me. "It really is pointless with you. I'm going to eat something." She stood up, gathering her skirts. I pulled her back down. "You do look absolutely breathtaking, Gianna." "That's all I get?" She lifted a sharp brow. "Gorgeous. Ravishing. Striking. Arresting. Bewitching. Heavenly. Elegant. Exquisite." She smiled, "Continue." "I don't know much more." Then she laughed. A laugh I'd never heard from her before. I thought her laughs and smiles were hidden from me and reserved for other people. But after tonight, these laughs and smiles will be reserved for me. They're mine now. "You're not half bad, Allister." "Are you sure you're sober?" "I am." She elbowed me. "I'm just letting myself forget everything for one night," she sighed, looking around and then back at me. "Just one." "Just one?" I echoed. She nodded. Then she did the last thing I expected her to do. She grabbed my jaw, turning my head the other way and leaned in, planting a soft kiss to my cheek. And the photographer isn't even here right now, he's photographing the other guests. So she really isn't doing it for show. She pulled away and I turned to her, not even blinking. "You have lipgloss on you now," she chuckled, reaching up to wipe it off. "Do I?" I grabbed her hand before she could erase the lip stain. "You want everyone to see it?" "Hmm," I nodded. She rolled her eyes with a smile and then wiped it off anyway. She's different tonight. And I like it. I like… her. This version of her at least. . . . . . Chapter 12