Capítulo 28: Cousin's Trap
Grandpa was right about one thing, I've loved Alexander from the moment I was introduced to him on Riley's fifteenth birthday party. It was a childhood crush that took a turn for the worse.
But Grandpa was wrong about something else, there was no way in hell that Alexander Harris had any feelings for me.
How did I know? Easy, I heard him say it myself before we even broke up.
"Your friends are waiting for you in your room," Grandpa said as he finally released me from his arms. "Are you nervous?"
I looked up at my Grandfather and I could see the concern in his eyes.
"It's a simple appearance, what could go wrong?" I chuckled, not letting him know that my nerves could get the best of me.
"I don't know, it could range from obsessive exes to assassins when it comes to Alexander," Grandpa teased me.
"We both know Alexander doesn't have any ex-girlfriends, at least none that we know of," I reminded him.
"I wasn't talking about Alexander," he said with a wink before giving me a nudge to head inside.
"Grandpa!" I gasped.
It was rare to see my Grandfather in such an easygoing mood and that worried me.
"You'll do well, Lili, you'll shine like the star we know you are and Alexander Harris will not be able to take his eyes off of you tonight princess," he said, kissing the top of my head as if I were still a little girl.
I gave him a hug before finally rushing off to my room.
"Finally," Riley said, rolling her eyes as her preferred stylist did her hair.
"Go, bath," Rose, my maid said as she pushed me through the walk-in closet and into the bathroom. "You're already running late Miss Lilith."
"I'm going, I'm going," I grumbled as I washed the day away soaking in the lavender-scented bath.
I was in there for about five minutes when I heard banging on my bathroom door.
"Lilith you're taking forever!" Jade grumbled. "You still have hair and makeup then we need to get you into that tight little number that will leave your fiancée drooling."
"Gross, that's my cousin," I heard Riley call out from somewhere in my room, making me throw back my head and laugh.
"Give me a few more minutes, I came from work and I reek of Alexander!" I shouted back.
I could hear Riley fake gagging in the background and Jade laughing.
I soaked myself for a little bit longer and letting myself unwind for a while.
Eventually I stepped out of the tub and dried myself, then I slipped on a pair of lingerie I picked out for tonight.
It was not in my plan to get laid tonight, but that didn't mean I couldn't wear something nice underneath to boost my confidence.
Looking at myself in the mirror, there was something missing.
My eyes drifted to the ring on the sink, the red diamond shining under the bright light of the vanity.
Reaching out, I slipped it onto my ring finger where it belonged and it made me feel complete. The stamp of my engagement to Alexander Harris wrapped up the sultry look.
"Lilith Anastasia Durfort hurry up!" Jade called out.
"I'm coming!" I shouted back as I pulled on the fluffy white bathrobe.
"That's what you'll be shouting when your fiancée goes to tow—"
"Jade!" Riley scolded not wanting to hear the potentially nasty details of what could someday be my sex life with her cousin.
"I think you should know that your marvelous fiancée decided to pay for our stylists and makeup artists for today," Jade giggled. "He even hunted down your favorite one."
"Marlon! Frances!" I squealed as soon as I saw two familiar faces.
Marlon and Frances were twins, a brother and sister duo I'd always favored to help me prepare.
"Miss Durfort, welcome back!" the twins greeted me with a small bow of respect. "When Mr. Harris contacted us and said you were back and that he'd wanted to hire us we were over the moon."
"He did this?" I said, looking at my friends, almost tearful at the gesture.
"Only the best for the future Mrs. Harris," Riley said with a grin.
"Come, come Miss Lilith, we have to get to work," Marlon said as he guided me to the high chair facing a lavish vanity set up in the center of the room.
"I saw your gown, Miss Lilith, it's to die for!" Frances praised.
I smiled and gave her my thanks as I let her and her twin get me ready for tonight's party.
Getting ready normally didn't take as long as it did tonight, but my friends insisted on celebrating my return to society with wine and lots of gossip and our stylists never shied away from giving their opinions and filling in gaps of the stories.
Even my shy maid Rose knew a piece of gossip or two about the who's who of society.
"But then again the biggest gossip is who is Lilith Anastasia Durfort," Marlon pointed out, giving me a playful wink. "Even my boyfriend was pestering me after I told him I was headed here."
"Ooooh, a boyfriend Marlon? Someone we know?" Riley's makeup artist asked.
Of course, our glam teams knew each other.
They interacted over the years and ran in the same circles. I also learned that Grandpa and Lexington had kept Marlon and Frances under our payroll even after I left.
"No one important," he said with a grin as he placed the finishing touches on my makeup.
Everyone was done and waiting for me.
The sun had set as Rose showed me a collection of my jewelry to pick from.
"Those are new," I pointed out a few pieces I didn't recognize.
"They came as a gift miss." She was avoiding eye contact, it could only mean one thing. They were from Alexander.
"As much as I don't want to wear them they match my outfit best," I said with a sigh as I pointed at two gold pieces, a necklace, and a pair of earrings.
It was seven thirty in the evening by the time I finished, all dressed up and ready to go.
"The cars are waiting downstairs," Rose informed us as she helped me run final checks on my gown.
"I doubt my cousin will be able to wait till your wedding night," Riley teased. "Red really suits you."
"And something form-fitting to show your curves really suits you, Lili," Jade giggled.
"Let's go," I said, rolling my eyes at my friends.
Upfront, three cars waited for us.
"Well this is us," Riley said as she pulled Jade with her to the lead car, leaving me alone.
I was going to arrive with Lexington and my Grandpa, but I wasn't sure which car they were in.
"Which one?" I asked our butler.
"This one Miss," the butler said as he walked over to a black Rolls Royce Phantom that I had never seen in my life.
Probably another gift from Alexander, I thought to myself as I slid into the car expecting my cousin to be waiting inside already impatient with me.
"I know Lex, we're late," I grumbled as I crossed my legs and leaned back in my seat.
"You're never late, Lili, I was just early," a deep familiar voice that sent shivers up my spine said, making me snap my head to turn to him.
"Alexander," I gasped.
"Hello, Lili," he greeted me, smiling as he leaned forward and planted a chaste kiss on my lips.
My cousin set me up, he knew I wouldn't have agreed to get in this car if I knew Alexander was waiting for me.
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