CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

KIM's POV

The events of the past two days were raving mad. You had to have witnessed it to believe though. About a week ago, I noticed that someone was persistently following me. At first, I felt it was random and absolutely nothing to worry about so I paid it no mind. Over the following days, I realized it was the same car, same make, same model. No way that kind of detail was random!

I had spoken about it with my driver Hugo and he has expressed the same concerns. I immediately decided to tell Craig and I did. He surprisingly had been so incensed and incredibly worried. It was kinda hot to me though especially as I had been trying to get his attention and all.

So yesterday I was on my to Jane's, we were supposed to meet up to rehearse for the award night. As the stars would have it I had pulled an award and the red carpet event was coming closer. I was almost at Jane's when my driver and I heard the commotion behind us. It was Craig and Keith in a scuffle.

I'd damn near lost my mind because I had no idea how and why the fuck my husband was fighting my brother in the middle of a busy street in Paris. Was he not thinking about his reputation? Why on earth would he engage Keith for any reason?

"He was the one," Hugo said casually. I was clearly confused- one who did what? I raised my head in askance without quite saying the words.

"He must have been the one trailing us. The boss called me to get the details and I knew he was going to bust whoever was making you worried," he said that with so much confidence that I literally got a confidence boost from hearing how my husband sprang into action.

I asked him to pull over and when we got out, I heard Craig telling Keith that the next time he saw him anywhere near his wife then it would be clear he wanted to go to jail for real.

Craig had roughly tossed him into his car and warned him off. So typical of Keith to cause trouble every time. I honestly thought I had seen the last of him after the wedding and I was really disappointed to find out that the fool was trying to be persistent with a messy goal.

I was relieved that I didn't have to look over my shoulders after that incident but other matters were beginning to be really bothersome like Craig treating me like we were roommates or something.

Ok, I understood that he was probably traumatized from what happened during the honeymoon but there had been enough time to do something either negative or positive, but all I had gotten from him was the cold shoulder.

Constantly, I had to put in the effort to make him understand that these things were not only one-time things but were also things that would stay behind in the past. But he had refused to budge nor listen. I had it up to my neck and I wasn't willing to back down anymore.

I had info that they had an industry thing coming up. Everyone important in the world of fashion in Paris was going to not only put in an appearance but make an absolute show of the evening. The day I caught wind of that, I had sworn that I was going with Craig.

I was not going to take no for an answer. Everyone was coming with their significant other and if he felt it of no consequence to invite me then he was joking.

The event was today and the red carpet was at 7 pm prompt. I had gotten all the details needed. I also knew that his stylist was going to be available at 5 pm so I made my stylist and wardrobe assistant come to the house at the same time.

When Craig got back and saw me talking to my glam team, he looked a little bit startled. I was sure he assumed I had an event to attend that he didn't know about because he went up to his room without saying a word.

I did an inner chuckle and I literally felt my toxic side full-blown get activated and reminded me of one time I heard someone say they were 'tuxique' and not toxic since they were bougie.

I laughed under my breath because there was no way I wasn't going to that event with him tonight.

"I need to shine like the brightest diamond at today's event. I'm going for 'diamond of the first water' energy and I hope we can achieve that in 2 hours," I was already saying to my glam team.

I loved them because they absolutely understood the assignment and delivered! Every single time. This night was not going to be an exception and I was going to make sure of that.

"Oh Mrs Lionel, do you doubt my expertise?!" My very dramatic wardrobe assistant enthused. "You should know that you're in safe hands and especially for a fashion night like this one."

That was all the assurance I needed from Fiona. She was one of the best stylists in Paris and Craig had hired her for the first time during my wedding. She had left an indelible mark in my mind. I had asked for her to be retained and this night, I was ready for us to do another set of miracles.

We spent the next hour choosing the perfect outfit from the assortment of outfits that I had gotten from my last shopping spree. When we finally chose it was an ethereal champagne gold slip dress that enhanced my alluring figure, added highlights to my hair, and caused my eyes to look like liquid pools of seduction. I was raving and absolutely in love.

My makeup artist got to work, defining every edge, plane, and angle on my face. All the while I was keeping tabs on Craig because I wanted to be down before he was ready to leave.

Eventually, we were done. One look in the mirror and I knew I was going to be causing a lot of drama tonight. When I got downstairs, Craig's driver was already getting his car ready. It was going to be showtime soon.

When I saw Craig at the top of the stairs, it felt like a scene out of a movie. Our eyes met and held, and his started a downward dance to the rest of my body. I could feel him mentally gag but I was also very busy taking in just how handsome he really was. He looked so fucking hot, hot enough that I was willing to risk everything, cancel the event, and disregard the tons of time it took me to get ready if that was what he wanted.

When I looked up again, the molten look in his eyes had disappeared and the shutter was back but I didn't mind because that was not going to deter me tonight.

"You realize we are going to the same event and I'm riding on your invite, right?" I said when he got down the stairs.

He looked thrown aback and stunned. That was exactly the reaction I expected so I wasn't fazed. He simply nodded and led the way, I followed without questions.

In the car, I wasn't expecting small talk but it felt kinda lonely to be in the same car with my husband, attending an event together, and not be spoken to.

I knew the plans that I had for the night and I knew that his cold shoulder was a small price to pay for the results it would yield.

"Hello, Mrs Lionel," it was the hyping woman from the other day. She was with her boyfriend and they looked dashing.

"Hello darling, fancy meeting you here. I hope you have a great night."

I couldn't engage because I didn't save all that strength for pleasantries. Besides, Craig was already almost on the red carpet and I wanted to be on it with him. He just had to prepare to get sick of me today because that was going to happen.

"Hello Mr Lionel, who are wearing today?" the ras carpet was asking Craig and after him, I got the same questions. I mentioned a couple of the top designers in Paris I was wearing and elicited a shocked response. I knew, oh I knew what I was doing but I was only getting ready for the night.

Craig had a couple of seats reserved in the area that sat all the prominent people in Paris fashion. I sat right next to him. He still wasn't talking to me but I didn't mind. I was just really happy to be there.

It was almost time to swing into action.