Chapter 71 The princess and the predators
Melissa’s POV
After spending the rest of the day hiding in my room and crying like a literal horse I fell asleep. The next day i woke up feeling like death.
My body was heavy, my stomach churned, and my head throbbed with a dull, persistent ache. The message from yesterday haunted me, replaying over and over in my mind like a broken record.
I stretched slowly, wincing at the stiffness in my muscles. Every part of me wanted to crawl back under the covers and hide. The thought of facing a party full of strangers, of smiling and pretending everything was fine, made me want to be sick all over again.
But I didn’t have a choice.
This was important to Mom. Important to Gavin. And I couldn’t let them see me fall apart.
I dragged myself out of bed and into the shower, letting the hot water cascade over me until my skin turned pink. It didn’t help. The nausea remained, sitting heavy in my gut like a stone.
When I was finally done and made my way downstairs, I stopped short at the bottom of the staircase.
The penthouse had been transformed into something out of a magazine. Garland wrapped around every banister, twinkling lights hung from the ceiling, and an enormous Christmas tree dominated the living room, decorated in silver and gold. Tables were being set up by staff I’d never seen before, chairs arranged in perfect rows, champagne glasses gleaming on white tablecloths.
It looked like a carnival. A beautiful, expensive carnival.
“Melissa!” Mom’s voice cut through my daze. “There you are, sweetheart. Come here, quickly!”
She grabbed my hand before I could respond, practically dragging me down a hallway I rarely used. We entered what looked like a temporary dressing room…racks upon racks of designer dresses lined the walls, shoes organized by color on shelves, jewelry glittering under professional lighting.
“Mom, what…”
“Pick one.” She gestured to the dresses with barely contained excitement. “Today is a very important day. All of Gavin’s business associates will be here.” She squeezed my hands. “You need to look perfect.”
I stared at the overwhelming display of fabric and sparkle. Normally, this would have been exciting. Fun, even. But right now, all I felt was exhausted. And honestly rich people party too much. I have had enough for the year.
Still, I forced a smile. For her.
“Okay,” I said, injecting as much enthusiasm as I could manage. “Let’s find something beautiful.”
We went through dress after dress. Mom holding them up, me nodding or shaking my head. She was in her element, practically glowing with happiness.
Finally, I found a floor-length gown in deep emerald green. The bodice was fitted with delicate beading that caught the light, and the skirt flowed like water. It had long sleeves that would cover any remaining bruises and a neckline that was elegant without being too revealing.
“That one,” I said softly.
Mom’s eyes lit up. “It’s perfect. Oh, Melissa, you’re going to look stunning.”
The next few hours passed in a blur.
Hair. Makeup. Nails. A team of professionals worked on me like I was a doll, transforming me piece by piece. My dark hair was styled in loose waves that cascaded down my back. My makeup was dramatic but elegant…smokey eyes with gold accents, nude lips, a subtle glow to my skin.
When they finally let me look in the mirror, I barely recognized myself.
I looked like I had my life together.The irony wasn’t lost on me.
“Beautiful,” one of the makeup artists breathed. “Absolutely beautiful.”
I stood carefully, the dress swishing around my legs. The heels they’d given me were higher than I normally wore, but they made my legs look endless.
I walked out of the dressing room slowly, still getting used to the height of the shoes.
One of the catering staff was walking past with a tray. When he saw me, he stumbled, his eyes going wide. The tray tilted dangerously.
“Careful!” I reached out instinctively.
He caught himself, but in the process, he backed into a decorative stand. There was a terrible ripping sound.
His pants had caught on something and torn straight up the back seam.
“Oh no,” he muttered, his face going bright red.
I couldn’t help it. A giggle bubbled up from my chest, then another, until I was laughing…for the first time since last night.
“I am so sorry, miss,” he stammered, trying to hold the torn fabric together while balancing his tray. “I didn’t mean to…you just…you look…”
“It’s fine,” I managed through my laughter, shaking my head. “Really. Are you okay?”
He nodded, still beet red, and shuffled away as quickly as he could while maintaining some dignity.
I was still smiling when I heard footsteps behind me.
“What’s so funny?”
I turned to find Jason descending the stairs.And damn, he looked good.
He wore a tailored black tuxedo that fit him perfectly, his dark hair styled back, a crisp white shirt and black bow tie completing the look. He looked every inch the wealthy playboy heir, all sharp lines and confident swagger.
But it was his eyes that caught me…warm and genuine as they took me in.
“You are beautiful every day, no doubt,” he said, stopping in front of me. “But today you look like a warrior princess.”
Heat crept up my neck. “Jason…”
“Save a dance for me tonight?” He winked, that cocky grin firmly in place.
I found myself blushing despite everything. “Maybe.”
“I’ll take that as a yes.” He offered his arm. “Shall we? The festivities are about to begin.”
—-
By evening, the penthouse was packed.
Hundreds of people filled the space…men in tuxedos, women in designer gowns, everyone holding champagne glasses and making polite conversation. Classical music played softly in the background, nearly drowned out by the buzz of voices.
I stood near the Christmas tree, trying to blend into the background, when Mom and Gavin appeared at the center of the room.
“Everyone!” Gavin’s voice cut through the noise. “If I could have your attention, please.”
The room quieted immediately. All eyes turned to him.
He stood tall and commanding in his tuxedo, one hand resting on Mom’s lower back. She looked radiant beside him in a champagne-colored gown, her face glowing with happiness.
“Thank you all for coming tonight,” Gavin continued. “This season is about gratitude, about family, about looking forward to the future while honoring where we’ve come from.”