State of grace

chapter five

GRACE
26

It's been two weeks since the deal between Nikolai and I was made. We started making public appearances. For example, tonight, we're at the charity gala of Winona Darling.

Winona Darling, or if we want to by her real name, Winona Allister. A designer known for her excellent designs and for being the daughter of the biggest weapon dealer, Thomas Allister. Thomas Allister, father of Winona Allister and the husband of Andrea Allister. His secret? He's been having an affair with Lilianna, his assistant. How cliche but everyone has their secrets. Especially Winona, sleeping with her father's biggest rival. The Allister family is quite messy.

Nikolai is making his parents happy by making them think he found his bride and I'm making allies. Our engagement was announced a few days ago and let's say that his parents were delighted. By now, it is common knowledge that Nikolai cut off his parents but truthfully, it was only his father. That's what got lost in translation, I also thought it was both his parents but I recently learned it was just his father.  He still talked to his mother and that's how they learned of our engagement.

We walked into the room, Nikolai's arm wrapped around me. The room was busy, everyone lost in their own conversation or just too busy drinking. I looked up at Nikolai. "Let's get a drink." I said and he hummed in reply. We walked over to the bar and placed our orders, a glass of wine for me and whiskey for Nikolai. I took the glass of wine into my hand and Nikolai lifted his drink to his lips before putting it back on the bar, the drink being half empty.

Just before I knew it, we were socialising and people were coming up to us. "Nikolai!" Winona said as she walked over to us. She kissed him on the cheek and he returned the favour. "I haven't seen you in ages, is that my suit? Oh, of course it is. It's perfect, who else could make such perfection? You love it, right? I already know the answer is yes, I'm a genius."

Nikolai laughed. "Yes to both questions. " He said and she smiled. "This is my fiancé, Gracelyn Adams." Nikolai said, gesturing to me.

"Ah! I'm sorry, I sometimes get lost in my head when I see my designs! I'm Winona, pleasure." She said, a small hint of a French accent in her voice. "I adore your dress, is it from Valerie?" She asked. "She's so talented. I love Valerie."

"It is and the pleasure is all mine. I heard a lot about you." I said before sipping on my wine.

"You have to let me design your wedding dress, I can already see it. I promise you, if you'll let me, I'll make you look gorgeous." She says, her eyes lighting up like a child on christmas day. She clearly has a huge passion for designing, you can hear it in the way she talks, she gets so excited about it. It's refreshing. "Is there a date for the wedding? I love weddings. I love making wedding dresses, just everything about weddings is so magical."

This time I laughed. She was quite sweet, pure, in a way. Though her secret wasn't as pure, was it? It was none of my business though, she could do whatever she wanted. "I'll definitely let you know and no date yet. We just want to enjoy our engagement." I said with a small smile on my face.

"You're torturing me. Here is my card. Give me a call when you need a dress or absolutely anything." She said as she handed me her card before looking down at her watch. "I'm sorry, I have to run. So many people to talk to. Nikolai, you better come to me soon, I have a design in my head for you and it needs to happen and You Grace, you better give me that call! Au revoir!" And just like that she was already gone and talking to someone else.

"She's definitely something." I said to Nikolai, amused. She was that sort of person that could clearly make you laugh in one second.

"What can I say, Winona is full of personality. I've known her for around three years. She demands to make my clothes and says I can't wear anyone else's or I'm betraying her. She's like an annoying little sister."

"Cute."

"Did you just call me cute?" He asked, not quite believing it, that I would call him 'cute'.

"Maybe?" I said and he snorted. "Did you just snort?" I ask, amused.

"Yes. No one has called me 'cute' before." He says, trying to contain his laughter. The way he laughs just makes me want to smile. There's just something about his laugh... It's so genuine. If I could hear the sound of his laughter every day, I would die a happy woman.

_

We walked out of the building drunk and laughing. It was nice. I actually had a lot of fun. I talked to Winona more, made a bet with some British guy and I won so now he owes me a favour. And to add to that, Nikolai and I got slightly hammered, we may have drank too many drinks.

Nikolai's jacket was on my shoulders and his arm wrapped around me, we were walking through the streets just being drunk, laughing, kissing and being happy. I haven't felt this happy in a long time.

Being so carelessly happy is the best thing in the world, not caring about anything else and just being able to laugh and get drunk. I'm happy, what else can I say? Nikolai pulled me into another kiss, his mouth dominating mine. Life is good. I'm happy.

I'm at the top of the world and I'm not alone. Life is good, I'm happy. What else could I want from life? Everything is good, I'm winning.

thank you for reading! don't forget to vote!

i'm also thinking of writing a book about Winona, thoughts?