Chapter 72 The princess and the predators II
Melissa's POV
His eyes found mine in the crowd. Held for just a moment. Then moved on.
“Diana and I are grateful for your continued support of Cross Enterprises and the Titans. Your presence here tonight means more than you know.”
Mom stepped forward, her smile warm. “And we’re so excited to celebrate this season with all of you. Thank you for being part of our family’s journey.”
Applause rippled through the crowd.
As people resumed their conversations, I tried to slip away to a quieter corner. But I’d barely taken three steps when I was surrounded.
Three women, all impossibly beautiful in their designer gowns, formed a semicircle around me. Their smiles were sharp, and almost scary.
“You must be Melissa,” the tallest one said. She had blonde hair styled in an elaborate updo and a red dress that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe. “Diana’s daughter.”
“I am,” I said carefully.
“I’m Brittany Ashford.” She gestured to her companions. “This is Madison and Courtney. We’ve been dying to meet you.”
The other two smiled, but it didn’t reach their eyes.
“It must be so interesting,” Madison said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. “Living here with Gavin and his son. So… cozy.”
“We heard you and Jason are quite close,” Courtney added, leaning in conspiratorially. “Practically inseparable, some people are saying.”
I felt my shoulders tense. “We’re friends.”
“Friends.” Brittany’s smile widened. “How nice. You know, Jason and I have known each other since we were children. Our families have been close for years.”
“Really close,” Madison emphasized, sharing a look with the others.
“So tell us,” Courtney said, her eyes sharp with curiosity. “What’s he really like? Living with him, I mean. Is he as wild as they say? We’ve heard stories, of course, but you must know things we don’t.”
“Does he bring girls home often?” Brittany asked. “Or has he settled down now that you’re living there?”
The questions came rapid-fire, each one more invasive than the last. They were circling me like sharks, looking for blood in the water.
“I don’t really…”
“Oh, come on,” Madison interrupted. “You must notice things. Does he have a girlfriend? Is he seeing anyone seriously?”
“We just want to know if he’s available,” Courtney said with a laugh that sounded like breaking glass. “Since you’re practically siblings now, you should give us the inside scoop, we are all .”
I opened my mouth to respond, but Brittany cut me off again.
“And what about Gavin?” Her eyes glittered with something ugly. “Is he treating your mother well? It must be strange, watching them together. Especially since their relationship happened so… quickly and forgive me for saying this.. he is impossibly attractive but he seems really cold. Don’t you think so?”
The implication hung in the air.
“My mother and Gavin are very happy,” I said firmly, my voice harder than before.
“Of course they are,” Madison said with mock sympathy. “It’s just that everyone’s been talking about how convenient the timing was. Your family losing everything, and then suddenly…” She gestured around the penthouse. “Here you are.”
My hands clenched into fists at my sides. How did they find out?
“I mean, we’re not judging,” Courtney added quickly, though her smirk said otherwise. “We’re just curious. It’s all very… fairy tale.”
“Like Cinderella,” Brittany said with a sharp laugh. “Except instead of a prince, your mother caught a billionaire. And you got the stepbrother as a bonus. Lucky you.”
The other two laughed.
I felt my face burning. These women didn’t know me. Didn’t know my mother. Didn’t know anything except gossip and assumptions.
“If you’ll excuse me,” I said coldly, moving to step past them.
Brittany’s hand shot out, catching my arm. “Oh, don’t run off. We’re just getting to know you. After all, you’re part of this world now. You should learn how things work.”
“And how they work,” Madison said, her smile turning vicious, “is that people like us have been in this circle for generations. We know everyone. We know everything.”
“So if you think you can just waltz in here and take what we’ve been working toward for years,” Courtney added, “you’re mistaken.”
I looked at Brittany’s hand on my arm, then up at her face.
“Let go,” I said quietly.
Something in my tone must have startled her because she dropped my arm immediately.
“We’re just being friendly,” she said, but her voice wavered slightly.
“No, you’re not.” I met each of their eyes in turn. “You’re being cruel because you can. Because you think I don’t belong here. And maybe you’re right. Maybe I don’t. But that doesn’t give you the right to treat me like I’m less than you.”
I took a step forward, and to my satisfaction, all three of them took a step back.
“Jason is my friend,” I continued. “Not your business. My mother’s relationship with Gavin is not your concern. And if you have a problem with me being here, I suggest you take it up with Gavin directly.”
Brittany’s face flushed red. “We were just…”
“I know exactly what you were doing.” I straightened my shoulders, channeling every ounce of the warrior princess Jason had called me. “And I’m done entertaining it.”
I walked past them, my head held high, my heart pounding.
Behind me, I heard one of them hiss something under her breath, but I didn’t turn around.
I’d survived worse than mean girls at a Christmas party.
I’d survived losing my home, my father, my sense of security.
I’d survived falling for the wrong man and having my heart broken.
I’d survived messages from strangers who watched me in the dark.
I could survive this too, those girls were literally nothing to me.
But as I made my way through the crowd, searching for a quiet corner to breathe, I couldn’t shake the feeling that tonight was just the beginning.
That the real test was still coming.And I wasn’t sure I was ready for it.