Beneath the scars

Chapter 13

Asia’s POV

The moment Lorenzo stepped down from the stage,Rachel disappeared almost immediately after spotting an old university friend, leaving me with a promise that she’d be “back before I made any terrible decisions.”

I shook my head, laughing to myself as I wandered toward one of the garden displays where fresh flowers surrounded a small fountain. It was quieter there, away from the music and the crowd.

“You’ve been hiding.”

I turned to find one of Lorenzo’s business associates smiling at me, his wife standing comfortably beside him.

“I didn’t realize I was.”

“You have,” his wife replied warmly. “We’ve been hoping to say hello all evening.”

We spent the next several minutes talking about everything except work.

“I have to admit,” she said eventually, lowering her voice, “it’s nice seeing you out again. Fletcher Group hasn’t felt the same without you.”

I smiled politely.

“Thank you.”

“No offence to whoever’s running your department now,” her husband added with a shrug, “but everybody knew that place had your fingerprints all over it.”

I didn’t answer immediately.Instead, I lifted my champagne to my lips.

Across the garden, I caught movement .

Kelvin.

He was speaking with two investors, nodding absentmindedly while they talked, but every few moments his attention drifted away from the conversation. It took me only a second to realize where his eyes kept landing.

On me.

I looked away before our gazes could meet.

Whatever had caught his attention wasn’t my concern anymore.

“You seem happier tonight.”

The woman’s observation pulled me back.

“I suppose I am.”

“I’m glad.”

Before I could answer, Rachel appeared beside me carrying two miniature desserts balanced carefully on one plate.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

“You’ve been gone ten minutes.”

“Twelve,” she corrected. “Long enough for someone to steal the last pistachio tart. Fortunately, I rescued these.”

She held the plate between us.

“I rescued one,” I corrected.

“You can rescue the other.”

I laughed, accepting one of the tiny desserts while the couple excused themselves to greet another guest.

Rachel watched them disappear before leaning closer.

“You’ve got an audience.”

“What?”

She tilted her head discreetly toward the opposite side of the garden.

I didn’t need to follow her gaze.

“I know.”

“He’s been watching you…all night.”

“So? That’s nothing special.”

Rachel blinked.

“Really…?

“Rachel…I don’t care. I’m just trying to have fun tonight.”

She studied my face for a few seconds before nodding slowly.

“Well okay…”

Before she could say anything else, another voice drifted toward us.

“There you are.”

Jane.

She approached with a glass of red wine in one hand and that perfectly practiced smile she always wore whenever other people were watching.

“I’ve been trying to find you both.”

Rachel’s smile disappeared almost instantly.

“Well…you’ve found us,I think we need to do better in hiding…from you.”

Jane laughed softly.

“I suppose you do.”

Jane finally looked at me.

“Asia…”

“Hm?”

“That dress…looks lovely…it’ll be a shame if.”She hesitated, lowering her eyes for a second.” Well never mind.”

Before I could answer, someone carrying a tray of champagne squeezed between two groups of guests, forcing everyone around him to shift slightly to make room.

Jane instinctively stepped sideways.It happened so quickly that nobody had time to react.

Jane lost her balance for barely a second, her arm jerked upward, and the entire glass of deep red wine slipped from her hand.

The liquid splashed across the front of my ivory dress.

“Oh my God!”Jane’s voice broke the silence first.”Asia!”

She stared at my dress, horror spreading across her face as she reached for my arm.

“I’m so, so sorry. I didn’t even…”She looked as though she might cry.”It happened so fast.”

Rachel grabbed a stack of napkins from the nearest table.

“Move.”

Jane stepped back immediately.

“I swear I didn’t mean—”

“I said move.”Racheal repeated.

By then, several nearby guests had already turned to look.Among them was kelvin.

He crossed the short distance between us in quick strides.

“What happened?”

Jane turned toward him first.

“I’m sorry.”Her voice trembled.”I didn’t mean to spill it.”

Kelvin barely glanced at me before looking back at her.

“Did you get hurt?”

Rachel froze.

“So that’s your first question?”

Kelvin frowned.

“What?”

Rachel looked at him as though she’d never seen him before.

“She’s standing here covered in wine…”She pointed directly at me.”…and the first thing you ask is whether Jane got hurt?”

Only then did Kelvin finally look at my dress.

His expression tightened.

Before he could speak, I quietly interrupted.”It’s fine.”as I tried to make my way out.

Rachel turned toward me.

“It isn’t.”

Jane immediately nodded.

“I already apologized.”

Kelvin exhaled.

“She said she didn’t do it on purpose…so.”

I looked at him for a long moment.Then I smiled politely.”I’m just going to clean it up.”

Without waiting for another word, I turned and walked toward the house, leaving the murmurs behind me.

The stain spread across the fabric with every step I took, but somehow it bothered me far less than the conversation I’d just walked away from.

By the time I reached the ladies’ room, I no longer cared about the dress.I only wanted five quiet minutes away from everyone.

I reached for a clean hand towel, soaked it beneath the cold water and gently pressed it against the fabric.

“So much for wearing white.”

The stain didn’t disappear It only became lighter around the edges.

I sighed.

“I should’ve listened to Rachel.”

The bathroom door opened quietly behind me.

“Well…”A cheerful voice echoed through the room.”…whoever did that owes you a new dress.”

I looked up through the mirror.