93 Chapter 96
Chapter 96 – Unexpected Kindness and an Old Rival’s Taunts O
The winter air bit at my cheeks as I stepped out of the high school auditorium, mentally checking off the delivery of my custom–designed outfits for their upcoming fashion show. My phone buzzed with a message from Clara, my college roommate.
“Just landed! Terminal B. Can’t wait to see you!”
I smiled, quickening my pace toward my car. Clara and I hadn’t seen each other in three years, and her impromptu visit for the weekend was exactly what I needed.
The airport was bustling when I arrived. I scanned the arrival board for Clara’s flight while shivering in my thin blazer–I’d dressed for the indoor fashion meeting, not anticipating standing in the drafty airport terminal.
“Hazel?”
That familiar deep voice sent a warm flutter through my chest before I even turned
around.
“Damien,” I breathed, drinking in the sight of him in a perfectly tailored dark suit, carry–on bag in hand. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
His eyes softened at the edges. “Just returning from Beijing. The same school anniversary you’ve been working on has international alumni involved.”
“Small world,” I murmured, suddenly aware of how I was hugging myself against the
cold.
Damien noticed immediately. He set down his bag and shrugged off his heavy cashmere overcoat. “You’re freezing.”
le coat around my shoulders. The
“Oh, no–I’m fine- My protest died as he draped wool was impossibly soft and still warm from his body.
“I won’t hear arguments,” he said firmly, but with a gentle smile that made my heart skip. “You’re picking someone up?”
I nodded, suddenly feeling shy. “My college roommate Clara. She’s visiting for the weekend.”
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“That’s nice.” His eyes lingered on my face for a moment longer than necessary. “Well, I won’t keep you. Enjoy your weekend, Hazel.”
As he turned to leave, I called out, “Your coat-”
“Keep it for now,” he said over his shoulder. “You can return it another time.”
I watched him walk away, his broad shoulders moving with confident grace through
the crowd. The coat smelled faintly of his cologne–sandalwood and something uniquely him. I pulled it tighter around me, feeling oddly protected.
Twenty minutes later, I spotted Clara waving enthusiastically across the terminal.
“Hazel!” she squealed, pulling me into a hug. “God, I’ve missed you!”
Clara looked exactly as I remembered–curly auburn hair, freckles, and a smile that lit up her entire face.
She stepped back, eyeing me up and down. “Wow, since when do you wear men’s coats?” Her eyes widened. “Is that Julian’s? Did you guys get back-”
“No, I cut her off quickly. “Julian and I are divorced. This belongs to… a friend.”
Clara’s eyebrows shot up. “A friend? With a very expensive coat? Okay, you’re telling me everything over dinner.”
Once we’d settled into a booth at the Imperial Garden–Victoria’s family’s upscale restaurant where she’d insisted on treating us–Clara leaned forward eagerly.
“So,” she prodded, pouring us both some tea, “start talking. Last I heard, you were planning your wedding to Mr. Perfect. Now you’re divorced and wearing some other man’s designer coat?”
I sighed, setting my cup down. “It’s been a complicated few months.”
Over steaming plates of Peking duck and dim sum, I filled Clara in on everything- Julian’s betrayal with Ivy, my public outburst at the wedding, meeting Damien, my father’s crimes and imprisonment, and the roller coaster my life had become.
“Holy shit,” Clara whispered when I finished. “That’s… that’s a lot, Hazel. Are you okay?”
“I’m getting there,” I admitted. “Some days are better than others.”
Clara studied me thoughtfully. “And this Damien guy–he’s definitely interested in
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I felt my cheeks warm, remembering our last conversation where I’d essentially rejected him. “It’s complicated.”
“It doesn’t sound complicated to me. Sounds like he’s crazy about you.” Clara’s practical nature had always balanced my emotional one. “You know what you should do? Have his baby.”
I nearly choked on my tea. “What?”
“I’m serious! Lock down that DNA. Men like him–wealthy, powerful–they take care of
their kids. You’d be set for life.”
“Clara!” I sputtered, both shocked and amused. “I can’t just… that’s not…”
But to my surprise, an unbidden image flashed in my mind: a small child with Damien’s intense eyes and my smile. The thought made something twist pleasantly in my chest.
“I’m just saying” Clara shrugged, grinning. “Think about it.”
“I don’t think the Sterling family would appreciate me as their next generation’s mother,” I said,
no to sound casual.
“Sterling?” Clara sat up straighter. “As in the Sterlings? Like, Sterling Heights Estate Sterlings? That’s who we’re talking about?”
I nodded, suddenly uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation.
“Oh, Hazel,” Clara whispered, looking both impressed and concerned. “You don’t do anything halfway, do you?”
Before I could respond, a sharp voice cut through our conversation.
“Well, well. Hazel Ashworth. I thought that was you.”
My spine stiffened at the familiar voice. Turning slowly, I found myself face–to–face with Bianca Sinclair, my former university rival who had always taken particular joy in putting me down.
“Bianca,” I managed to say evenly. “What a surprise.”
Her eyes glittered with malice beneath her perfectly styled blonde hair. She was dressed in head–to–toe designer wear, her diamond earrings catching the light as she
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tilted her head condescendingly.
“I hardly recognized you,” she said with false sweetness. “Last time I saw you was at that charity gala before your wedding. Oh wait-” She put a manicured hand to her mouth in mock surprise. “That wedding never happened, did it?”
Clara tensed beside me, but I placed a warning hand on her arm. Bianca had always been like this–looking for weakness, wanting a reaction.
“Life takes unexpected turns,” I said calmly. “How are you, Bianca?”
She ignored my question, scanning me from head to toe. “I heard about your father. Prison, hmm? And the family business bankrupt? That must be so difficult for you.”
My fingers curled into a fist under the table, but I kept my expression neutral. “We all have our challenges.”
“Indeed.” Her smile widened. “I’ve just been made senior creative director at Vogue. Can you believe it? All those times Professor Williams said I wasn’t as talented as you –“she let out a tinkling laugh. “Look at us now.”
I forced a smile. “Congratulations.”
Bianca glanced at our table, taking in the array of dishes with a disapproving eye. “This place is quite expensive, isn’t it? I wasn’t sure if you could still afford to eat here, what with everything…” She trailed off suggestively.
Clara began to speak, but I squeezed her arm harder. Getting into an altercation with Bianca would only make things worse.
“We’re doing fine,” I said tightly.
“Oh, of course,” Bianca nodded, her eyes full of false concern. “Though I did hear that new design company of yours is struggling to get off the ground.”
“Actually, Ashworth Bespoke is doing quite well,” I countered, unable to let that slide. “We’ve secured several major contracts recently.”
Bianca’s eyes narrowed slightly, annoyed that her barb hadn’t landed. She reached into her purse and pulled out a sleek credit card, waving it performatively.
“Well, don’t worry about the bill tonight,” she said loudly enough for nearby tables to hear. “It’s just the cost of a meal, isn’t it? Fine, consider it my treat for an old
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classmate.
She snapped her fingers to summon a waiter, smiling with triumphant cruelty as she watched for my reaction.
My face burned with humiliation as I caught sight of several diners turning to stare. Under the table, I gripped Clara’s wrist hard enough to warn her not to intervene. This wasn’t just about pride anymore–it was about dignity. I would handle Bianca my own
way.
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