In the ballroom, crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and a band yed quiet jazz music on an elevated stage. Servers walked around with trays of champagne flutes and mini appetizers. A group of businessmen made a beeline for Alexander, wanting to discuss potentially working for hispany.


    “This is my date and colleague, Olivia,” Alexander said, introducing <ol><li>me. </li></ol>


    The businessman eyed me, and I could tell that they knew of my past with Ethan. They all nodded at me in greeting but then turned back to Alexander to continue to talk to him.


    I scanned the crowd, hoping that I saw a familiar face. My heart lifted in relief when I saw my friend Rose smile and wave at me from across the room.


    “I see someone I know,” I muttered to Alexander. “I’ll leave you here to talk business.”


    To my surprise, as soon as I began walking toward Rose, Alexander said goodbye to the man and started to follow me. He quickened his pace to keep up with me.


    “Why are you in such a hurry?” Alexander demanded in a loud voice, catching the attention of the other guests.


    They eyed us with interest since those words made it seem like we were much more than work colleagues. I even saw Rose’s eyebrows raise much to my embarrassment.


    “Ah, I see Felipe,” Alexander said, finally slowing down.


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    Felipe was another CEO of apany that ours did business with from time to time. He was grabbing two sses of champagne, and when he saw Alexander, he began to make his way over to us.


    I gestured to Rose as she walked up, looking pretty in a sleek ck dress. I envied her for fitting in with the other well–dressed women at this event.


    “I’m going to talk with my friend, Rose,” I said.


    Alexander’s body rxed when he saw that I had been walking toward a woman before. I wanted to roll my eyes.


    When he put his hand on the small of my back, my stomach jolted. “I’ll leave you with your friend while I talk to Felipe,” he said.


    I nodded.


    “Hi, there,” Rose said.


    We chatted for a while. The band increased their volume, and guests kept piling into the hall. Even though it was a big space, since I’d been trapped in the private room earlier today, I began to feel slightly ustrophobic. Rose seemed to notice and grabbed two champagne sses off of a passing tray and handed me the cool ss.


    “Would you like to get some air outside?”


    “Yes,” I answered gratefully and followed her out onto a terrace that overlooked the dark night.


    Lights twinkled below us as I breathed in the cool air. I gripped the stone railing and allowed the sharp wind to clear my head.


    “You know, it’s good that you came with Alexander,” Rose said as she sipped her champagne.


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    “Why?” I asked.


    “Everyone automatically respects you because you’re with one of the most respected businessmen in the country.”


    I leaned against the railing and took a small sip of the bubbly drink. “We aren’t a couple.”


    “Could have fooled me,” she said


    My face flushed, and I averted my gaze.


    Below us, there were people milling around the beautiful garden that wasplete with a water fountain.


    “Did you see who was on Alexander Green’s arm tonight?” a woman’s loud voice floated up to us.


    I froze, and Rose widened her eyes and looked at me.


    “I know,” another woman’s voice replied in a judgmental tone. “I couldn’t believe he would waste his time with used goods like her.”


    “Oh, he’s only using her for one thing,” the loudmouthed woman said flippantly. “Once he tires of her warming his bed every night, Alexander will move one. Men like that always do.”


    “He’ll never take a divorced woman seriously,” the other woman said nastily. “The Green family would never allow a marriage that would stain their prestigious reputation.”


    The two womenughed, and they moved on to other guests to gossip about.


    Rose stared down at them with an outraged look on her face. She opened her mouth to yell at them, but Iid a hand on her arm to stop


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    “Let them talk,” I said. “They’re only gossiping about me because they‘ re bored with their own pathetic lives.”


    We looked back down as another woman ran out to the garden to join her friends.


    “Did you guys see who Alexander Green is here with?” the woman asked.


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