Divorcing The Billionaire On Valentine's Day

32. Grayson

GRAYSON

Alicia’s eyes took a slow trail from me to Adeline and back. My jaw clenched the longer she just stood there doing absolutely nothing after interrupting. Her jaw was to the floor as she continued to stare, her lips opened and closed like she wanted to say something but the words weren’t coming out, like a f*****g fish out of water.

“What are you doing here?” I put her out of her misery. Adeline had all but shrunk away but remained in the room, her chest heaved up and down in the sweetheart neckline of her dove white dinner dress. The sequins scattered across the bodice of the dress made it all the more attention trapping in the dark, gave more drama to the high slit that stopped just at her mid thigh. Alicia shouldn’t be here.

“I- I was jus-“ she stuttered, her eyes again went from Adeline to myself and back.

“Alicia.” I warned. I hated repeating myself and hated bad timing even more. Adeline took that moment to slide out of the room. Just great.

“I had an invite.”

That was a lie. Invites were only given out to the richest and most famous of entrepreneurs. She was neither. “No you weren’t. Why and how are you here Alicia?” I prodded.

She squirmed on the spot, her eyes fell from my face, a coat of shame clothed her voice as she spoke, “I snuck in with the caterers.”

She did what? My personal assistant sneaking into such an event was the same thing as f*****g treason. There was a reason it was invites only! “You did what?” I grounded out, gritting my teeth in annoyance. She knew more than anyone else how important the auction party was, how important it was to send the right message, restore whatever damage had been done to my image by the blogs, but instead, she was dressed to the neck in a red halter neck dress that hugged her small frame like a glove and ended in a flowing trail at her ankles.

“I wasn’t caught.” She rushed. Obviously. If she was, she would have been made a spectacle of already. She wouldn’t be walking all willy nilly interrupting as she pleased. I c****d a brow at her. That didn’t answer my question and I wasn’t going to repeat myself.

Her shoulders sagged as she let out a defeated sigh, “I was just worried. Miss Adeline hasn’t been to an event like this before and this is important, mistakes will not be forgiven or pushed aside so easily.” She explained, lacing and unlacing her fingers. She almost sounded like me, like it was her name on the line, it was spine chilling.

“And what makes you think she can’t handle it? You think I would marry an i***t?” I couldn’t explain why I had coal in my veins, but the anger was there and Alicia wasn’t making it any better.

“Sir, I’m sorry to say but she’s not exactly the best candidate. Her social status is basically non existent, finances a mess, no educational background lacking and her general intelligence leaves a lot to question considering her choices.”

“Alicia!” I snapped. Who gave her the right to speak that way? She was every of those things and stupid enough to sneak in, I was more worried for what she’d do. “Adeline is my wife, you would accord her that respect.” I dragged slowly like she was hard of hearing. “Never make the mistake of thinking you can make choices in my stead.”

A flash of annoyance crossed her face, but just like was her usual way, she masked it in a second. She nodded.

The anger in my veins eased a little. I hate having to teach people their jobs. “Now leave.” Disbelief coated her face for more time than necessary. I tilted my head to the side and c****d a brow at her.

She jerked her head upwards, the halter neck shifted.

“What happened with the dress? I gave you a simple instruction.” She stopped in her tracks, stiff as a board. Even the music outside suddenly seemed louder.

“I had it sent to her with the note like you instructed.”

“Pretty sure I was specific. You were to send a red dress. Nothing else.” Just like the one she had on for her date with that retard. If I hadn’t made a last minute call to go for a white tux because it was apparently a white themed party. I should really check my mail more often.

She suddenly looked away from me. “I did request a red dress be sent, I have no idea how that happened.” I leaned against the nearest furniture, a sturdy polished table, waxed to the touch.

“I don’t pay you to not know what you’re doing, Alicia. If you messed up, don’t lie to my face unless you’ve grown an affinity for unemployment.” She shifted on her feet, looked my way but never met my eyes. She was shifty. Alicia was good at many things, heck, even excellent at some, lying wasn’t one of them. “So I’d ask again, why the change?”

Alicia never made mistakes, at least not in all the years she had been under my payroll. She reached for her neck just before saying, “I did request a red dress but there was none left in stock so I had to make a discretionary call.”

I let my gaze fall to her very red dress. It was my usual preference, decent but sexy, nothing too showy, I loved the reveal, but for just myself, not every man with eyes. She must have caught my gaze because she shrunk back.

“And suddenly the entire city of New York had just the one high end boutique?” I pushed, she couldn’t possibly keep lying.

“I’ve been in business with them for a while. I trust their material.” She said in an instant, her hand reached for the back of her neck for the umpteenth time. I zeroed in on the motion. It was her tell. She had many, but that she couldn’t control.

I wanted to push some more, break the answer out of her, but she pulled so much of the hair at the back of her hair, I worried she’d be bald soon. I didn’t have the time for this, Adeline was out there, probably back to her ‘friend’. That wouldn’t be happening.

I paused by the doorway, “Don’t let it repeat itself.”

She nodded, her eyes darted across the room, but what had her bothered and looking like a beaten kitty was none of my business.