Episode 4 Tangled Under the Lights
1070 Words
Chapter: Tangled Under the Lights
There was a night show tonight. Lydia invited me. She’s a party queen—I have to give her that.
I wore my off-shoulder, dazzling gown, a limited edition Tomson had bought me a year ago. I couldn’t believe it’s already been a year. I slipped into my stiletto heels, made sure my hair brushed just past my shoulders, and applied a light makeover with a bold red lipstick.
I was ready.
The party was seven miles away from home, and when I arrived, the beauty of the place made me pause. Was I even alive? Or had I somehow walked into heaven?
It was breathtaking.
Lydia spotted me and waved. She was tugging around her fiancé like he might run off at any moment. She hugged me so tightly I almost suffocated.
She left her fiancé to fend for himself and started dragging me around. Honestly, the place was stunning—even I couldn’t deny that.
Just then, my eyes fell on Tomson.
What was he doing here?
Everyone was dressed elegantly, but—truth be told—in my eyes, Tomson stood out more than anyone. He looked... devastatingly handsome.
Lydia noticed I was distracted. She tapped me.
“Lara, are you guys on good terms now?”
I couldn’t say yes or no. Honestly, I didn’t want to burden Lydia with my drama anymore.
From today on, I decided: I will face all my problems alone.
“I know you don’t want to talk about it,” Lydia said softly, “but Lara, whatever decision you make, I’m here for you.”
I stared at her, wondering what did I ever do to deserve a friend like her? She had stood by me through so much.
But while I was lost in thought, Tomson was already walking toward us.
When I finally turned my eyes away from Lydia, there he was—standing so close. I gasped, startled, and lost my balance.
Tomson caught me—in bridal style.
“Careful, babe,” he said gently, his voice soothing every nerve in my body.
It was as if his words refreshed my soul. I could feel the eyes of the crowd on us. Cameras flashed. Journalists whispered.
Tomson didn’t flinch.
Was he… ready to go public with me? Was he really changing?
Just as we stood there—lost in that delicate moment—a voice snapped me back to reality.
“Lara!”
My heart skipped.
I turned.
Who else could know me that well?
Liam.
There he was.
He walked straight to us and extended his hand toward Tomson.
“Hey, Mr. Tomson. Long time no see.”
Tension thickened between them.
They shook hands, but I could tell—it was forced. Polite on the surface, but something unspoken passed between them.
I quickly pulled Liam aside and dragged him down the hallway.
“Hey! What are you doing here?” I asked sharply.
“Do I need your permission to go anywhere I want?” he replied, raising a brow.
His words stung a little.
He was right. Liam could be anywhere. Why was I reacting this way?
What I should be focused on was…
“How do you know Tomson?” I asked.
He smiled. “Do I need your permission to know him, too?”
Then he added with a sly tone, “Oh wait… is that your boyfriend you’re talking about?”
“Yes,” I said firmly. “That’s him.”
He smirked, then turned to walk away.
“Wait!” I called. “You haven’t answered me. Don’t go—wait.
After the party—which felt like it would never end—Tomson pulled me aside.
“How do you know Liam?” he asked.
I could hear the tension in his voice, a weight of unspoken secrets I couldn’t even begin to understand.
“Liam? He’s just a friend I met randomly,” I lied.
How could I possibly tell him the truth—that I was drunk, spent the night at Liam’s place, and didn’t even know how it all happened? The story itself was too messy to explain, with no evidence to back it up. And besides, Tomson and I were just starting something—whatever it was. I couldn’t risk ruining it now.
He stared at me for a long time, like he was searching for something in my eyes. Then he said coldly,
“Don’t joke with fire, Lara. Let it be that you’re telling me the truth.”
I didn’t say a word. Deep down, I knew I wasn’t.
When I got home, I found my brother packing his clothes. He was heading off to school. I knew he’d gotten a scholarship—my parents were thrilled.
But me?
I was just a tool. A means to hold the family’s blooming company together. No one really saw me.
Without me, the company would collapse, so in their eyes, I was important—at least in that way.
“Lara,” my brother called.
I paused, refusing to look at him. “What is it?” I snapped, knowing he rarely had anything good to say. I wasn’t in the mood.
“I heard Dad fixed your wedding date,” he said with a mocking smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll fly back to attend.”
I froze.
Fixed my wedding date? Without telling me?
The blood in my veins turned cold.
Without thinking, I stormed into my father’s study.
“Dad,” I said sharply.
He pulled off his glasses and turned from his book to face me.
“I heard you’ve fixed my wedding date,” I said, my voice shaking.
He sighed. “Lara, with the way things are going, I don’t think you can hold on to Tomson. He’s too much for you. If we don’t act now, he’ll slip away—and our company will suffer. This marriage will secure things for all of us.”
I stared at him, stunned.
“Dad, what about me? What about how I feel? Have you ever thought about that? Why are you controlling my life like I’m a chess piece?”
“Young lady,” he said firmly, standing to face me. “When it comes to family matters, your feelings don’t count. If you refuse, you’re no longer my daughter.”
- Writer
