Chapter 37
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“So, the heiress of the Rossi fortune,” Melinda Harrison said with a sly smile, her champagne glass held delicately in her hand. “Calen, you’ve done well for yourself. I didn’t realize you were so persuasive.” She glanced at Mrs. Weiss with a teasing glint in her eye. “Cecil, it seems you’ll have quite the daughter–in–law. When’s the wedding?”
Cecil laughed lightly, her hand resting on Izzy’s arm. “Oh, Melinda, let’s
not get ahead of ourselves. These things take time.”
“Oh, nonsense,” Melinda said, waving her hand. “When I see two people who look as good together as these two do, I can’t help but ask.” She turned her attention to Izzy. “So, my dear, have you set a date yet?”
Izzy smiled politely, glancing at Calen from the corner of her eye. He stood beside her, his hand resting lightly on her back. “Not yet,” she replied. “We’re still… taking things one step at a time”
The women around them exchanged knowing looks, their Laughter soft but pointed.
“You’re playing it smart,” said another woman, Mrs. LeClair, a longtime friend of Cecil. “But don’t wait too long. Weddings are much more fun when everyone’s still young enough to dance the night away.”
“Oh, I don’t think Calen will let things drag on,” Melinda said with a wink. “After all, with the Rossi Group as part of the equation, he’s going to need all the time he can get to prepare himself.”
Calen’s expression barely shifted, but his grip on his champagne glass tightened slightly. “I don’t think preparation will be a problem,” he said smoothly. “But thank you for the concern.”
Izzy glanced up at him, a faint smile playing on her lips. “It’s a lot to take in, I suppose,” she said lightly, her words deflecting the attention away from herself.
Cecil beamed at the interaction, her eyes sparkling as she leaned toward Melinda. “You see? They’re perfect for each other. Izzy will keep him grounded, and Calen has the focus to handle the pressure. It’s a match made in heaven.”
“Better him than me.” Mr. Harrison chimed in. “If you ask me, Calen, you’ve got your work cut out for you. The Rossi Group
no small operation.”
I’m sure he’ll manage.” Izzy said smoothly, her smile not faltering. “Calen’s very capable.”
Her words earned a ripple of laughter from the group, with a few of the older women exchanging amused glances. “Well, I’ll drink to that,” Mrs. LeClair said, raising her glass. “To the happy couple–whenever that may officially happen
Izzy joined the toast, her face still carrying a warm, composed expression, though she could feel the weight of Calen’s gaze on her. For the rest of the conversation, she stayed quietly engaged, her responses perfectly measured. The laughter and light teasing continued, but as the group’s attention shifted elsewhere, she felt Calen lean slightly closer.
“Well handled,” he murmured, his lips barely moving.
Izzy didn’t look at him, but a faint smile curved her lips. “I’ve learned from the best.” Her gaze shifted to Monica, who stood not far away, her expression sharp with poorly veiled hostility. Izzy could feel the daggers in Monica’s stare since her arrival -and she was loving every second of it. With a sweet smile, she leaned closer to Calen. “I didn’t think you’d invite her.”
“Izzy, whatever happened between you and Monica-”
“It’s none of your business,” Izzy interrupted. Her eyes flicked toward him, meeting his gaze with a challenge. “Or am I missing something, Calen?“”
Calen gritted his teeth, a flicker of irritation flashing across his face. “Aren’t you blowing this out of proportion?” he asked tightly.
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Izzy snorted softly in response and drained the last of her champagne. “Oops. Your mother’s calling me,” she said. “I should go. The event’s about to start.”
Calen forced a smile, nodding toward his mother as if nothing was amiss. But as Izzy walked away, something in her demeanor gnawed at him. This version of Izzy–calm, composed, yet cutting–was infuriating. She’d changed, and for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out how or why.
He started to follow her, but Monica stepped into his path.
“She’s trying to make me jealous,” Monica said, her tone low. She could feel a lot of people looking at them but Monica doesn’t care.
“What?” Calen frowned. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“I don’t know. I just have this feeling that-
“What the hell are you doing!? Why are you making things so obvious?” Calen interrupted, his patience wearing thin “Everyone is watching us!”
“Calen, can’t you see? She’s bullying me!” Monica protested.
Calen’s face darkened, his voice dropping to a harsh whisper. “Izzy hasn’t even spoken to you since she got here. Do you think I’m fucking blind?”
You-
Now,” he cut her off. “Be a good little girl, smile, and get out of my way. You’re ruining my night.”
She opened her mouth, prepared to argue, but Calen beat her to it, “Don’t!” Calen hissed, the look on his eyes immediately shut all the thoughts that she wanted to say. “Just don’t” Calen added
Without waiting for Monica to step aside, he placed a firm hand on her shoulder and nudged her out of his path. Then, without sparing her another glance, he strode past her, determined to catch up with Izzy.
Now..” Arianna’s voice interrupted Monica’s stupor. “That man was rude.”
Monica turned towards her friend, who seemed to be half–drunk Oblivious to Monica’s mood, Arianna asked, “Have you seen Izzy? I tried to greet her, she didn’t even look at me.” Ariann snorted. “Did she finally eat some guts this morning?”
“You’re drunk. You should go home,” Monica said, gripping Arianna’s wrist and pulling her aside. Earlier, she had thought bringing Arianna to the event would work to her advantage. It was meant to create a striking contrast–Monica as the sweet and gentle one, while Arianna played the wild and unpredictable opposite. The plan was simple: the stark difference would immediately highlight Monica’s charm, almost guaranteeing Mr. Weiss’s attention
What she never expected was for Izzy to come and ruin her nightt
“The main event is about to start..“Arianna said. “Both of us are still participating, right?”
“You are fucking embarrassing yourself. I’ll call a cab-
“Do you think I would waste this opportunity and leave?” Ariann hissed. “This place is crawling with rich, divorced men. Do you
really think I would leave without catching one of them?”
“What about Liam Horvath?”
“He’s not here, is he?” Arianna rolled her eyes. “Besides, I’m just trying to have some fun.”
“Well, ladies and gentlemen, the main event of the night is about to start. May I request the ladies who are participating to please proceed backstage? We will begin in two minutes.” A voice echoed through the grand hall
10:41 Sat, Jan 4G.
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Before Monica could respond, Arianna had already grabbed her wrist and started pulling her, toward the backstage area. Irritated, Monica glared at Arianna’s back but knew better than to cause a scene. Reluctantly, she followed.
The charity event Cecil Weiss had organized was as unique as it was bold. Dubbed An Evening of Elegance, it featured playful yet sophisticated “date auction, where prominent women volunteered to be “auctioned off” for a one–day, no- strings–attached outing with the highest bidder. The proceeds, of course, were to benefit a scholarship fund for underprivileged youth, one of Cecil’s favored causes.
Backstage, the atmosphere buzzed with a mix of excitement and nerves. The volunteers–ranging from socialites to professionals–were dressed in their finest, each woman presenting her best self to entice bids and, hopefully, raise significant funds for charity.
Arianna adjusted her dress, her earlier tipsiness seeming to evaporate. “This is my moment,” she muttered under her breath. “I’m going to make someone pay a fortune for me.”
Monica stood off to the side, her irritation barely contained as she watched the organizers make last–minute adjustments. She hadn’t planned to be part of this spectacle, but knew backing out now would be disastrous for her image. Swallowing her annoyance, she forced herself to focus.
An organizer approached them, clipboard in hand. “Miss Arianna, Miss Monica, you’re both on the list. Please follow the usher when it’s your turn. Remember, this is all in good fun and for a great cause. Just smile, and the rest will fall into place.”
Arianna beamed, clearly ready to revel in the attention. Monica meanwhile, managed a polite nod, her thoughts already racing on how to navigate the night without embarrassing herself–or worse, letting someone bid too low,
The stage was set elegantly, with warm lighting and a sleek podium, where the emcee announced the participants one by one. Each volunteer had their moment to walk out, introduce themselves briefly, and let the bidding begin. The audience, a mix of affluent men and women, sipped champagne as the bids flew, their laughter and cheers filling the grand hall
Monica peeked out from behind the curtain, her eyes scanning the crowd. She spotted Calen seated at one of the tables, his posture relaxed, but his eyes sharp as they followed the proceedings. Next to him sat Cecil, beaming with delight at the event’s success. Monica noted with satisfaction that Izzy was nowhere in sight.
u’re up after me,” Arianna whispered with a wink, straightening her posture as her name was called. She strutted onto the ge with practiced confidence, her cocktail dress glittering under the lights. The emcee introduced her, rattling off a few of her supposed accomplishments, and the bidding began.
Monica watched as the numbers climbed higher than she had expected. Arianna played to the crowd, offering playful smiles and small waves, and the men responded enthusiastically. Finally, the gavel struck, and Arianna’s winning bid was announced to applause.
Returning backstage, Arianna smirked. “See? Easy money. Now it’s your turn.”
Monica took a steadying breath. She stepped forward as her name was called, her tailored pantsuit catching the light in a way that emphasized its understated elegance. The emcee introduced her, mentioning her connections to Cecil and her philanthropic interests. Monica plastered on a charming smile and glided onto the stage.
The bidding began at a leisurely pace, but as the men in the audience took notice of her poised and elegant demeanor, the numbers steadily rose. Monica’s confidence swelled with each passing second, especially under the weight of Calen’s sharp gaze, which remained fixed on her. Though the bidding was conducted discreetly through small devices, leaving her unaware if Calen had placed a bid, his unwavering attention was enough to make her feel triumphant.
The bids continued until the gavel struck again, the winning amount drawing polite applause. Monica curtsied lightly and exited the stage. She never thought that someone would actually bid 20,000 USD just to date her for a day. So far, she was the one who received the most amount tonight. Sadly, she wouldn’t know who bid for her until the event was over. However, a part of her was confident that Calen did win that bidding.
She found Arianna waiting for her backstage, already chatting with a group of other volunteers about the bids. “Not bad.” Arianna said, raising an eyebrow. “You handled yourself well.”
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Monica offered a tight smile, her eyes flicking toward the curtain She couldn’t wait to return to the crowd and see if Calen had anything to say about her performance. After all, everything she did tonight was for him to notice–and for Izzy to
envy.
Then Monica froze. Not far from her stood the very woman who had just occupied her thoughts–Izzy.
What the hell was she doing here!?
