Azalea Faye Larau - The sweetheart socialite with a fire underneath and an up and coming ballet dancer in London striving to stay afloat in an ocean of sharks, all the while dealing with heartbreak and loss.
Harlan Emeric Marchetti - The Italian Maf...
"I know I'll fall in love with you, and that's not what I want to do."
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"Ms. Larau, I wasn't expecting to see you here." I turn around at the sound of Mrs. Simmons, her daughter standing next to her with her blonde hair pulled into a sleek, low ponytail, wearing a beautiful green dress that reached her knees as her eyes rake over me quickly.
"Mrs. Simmons, Claire, it's good to see you too. You look lovely." I tell her as I feel a familiar brawny arm wrap around me and both women's eyes flit to the man next to me.
"Mr. Marchetti, accompanying you?" She raises a blonde brow when I smile pleasantly which is more like a dagger to me, and she knows it when her own slightly falters as I place my left hand on Harlan's chest, flashing my engagement ring.
Call me petty, but this was necessary.
"Yes, he is my fiancé, after all." I say innocently and watch the colour drain from both their faces as their eyes land on my ring.
"Oh—" She splutters, "Well, isn't that a surprise. How'd it happen?"
Her curious and nosy nature takes over while Claire looks him up and down in disbelief.
"We don't know ourselves, do we, Red?" I look up at him with my most dazzling smile, my hair falling over my shoulder as his eyes rake over my face in awe and he nods once, clearing his throat as he loosens his tie.
"But it was the most romantic proposal ever, you know? He proposed in Italy, in such a beautiful garden filled with the most gorgeous flowers, it was so magical and unreal." I exclaim happily and from the corner of my eye, I can the see Reina and Nikki smirking at me.
"So you got engaged in Italy? You were there for nearly a month, were you not? Is that enough time to meet someone and get engaged?" Claire asks with genuine confusion and I force my face to stay the same happy one and not drop to an anxious one.
"It is when you're completely consumed by someone. Or perhaps... obsessed?" I look up at Harlan with a raised brow raises a knowing brow at my words, both proud and smugness flashing in his gaze.
"So you're saying that you went to Italy for dance trials and a competition but came back with a fiancé? I mean, not that there's anything wrong with it, but what about poor Myles? Hasn't it been five or six months since your 'break'?" Mrs. Simmons says and I bite back the insult at the tip of my tongue.
"A break to see if we really wanted to be with each other and if we fund someone better at any point, we could move on, not that it's any of your business." I say pointedly and watch Claire watch me in disbelief, probably haring me retaliate for the first time.
"It's just... considering what happened six months ago..." She trailed off with a nasty look and my heart nearly stopped in my chest when she referred to my mother.
