Took My Star Dress, I Said Goodbye

Chapter 4

Scott looked at Estella, his eyes brimming with unadulterated adoration.

Catching the whispers running through the crowd about how stunning she looked, Estella did a playful little twirl, letting the fabric catch the light. "I was just so careless," she said, practically glowing. "The second I landed, I rushed straight over to see Scott and completely blanked on bringing an evening gown. Thank god he thinks of everything, or I'd have totally embarrassed myself tonight."

But the moment I stepped into Scott's line of sight, the warmth in his eyes vanished.

"You're late," he said, his voice dropping an octave into pure ice. "The event planning is a mess and we're short-staffed. Go handle the coordination."

Before I could even answer, his gaze swept up and down my figure, his mouth hardening in disgust. "And Daisy? What kind of amateur stylist did you hire? Why is your makeup so heavy? It's completely wrong for you. And what on earth are you wearing?"

I locked eyes with him, completely freezing Estella out of my periphery. "This makeup was designed specifically to match my custom gown," I said, my voice deadpan and flat. "So, Scott, I'd love to know why my dress is currently walking around on someone else."

Scott's face fell. His brows knit together, irritation bleeding into his tone. "Estella flew back today just to see me. Her schedule was insane and she didn't have time to prep—unlike you, who clearly had all day to sit in a vanity chair. I had a spare dress sitting in the back of my car when I picked her up, so I gave it to her. Stop being so petty."

Estella looked down at the silk, playing the part of delicate guilt to perfection. "Oh, I had no idea this was the dress you chose, Miss Meyer," she said softly, turning to me with a fragile, apologetic smile. "I'm so sorry. I never wanted to put Scott in a difficult position. If you mind that much, we can go to the dressing room right now and swap."

It was a beautiful, calculated move. Half the room had already seen her in it. She knew damn well that no woman with an ounce of self-respect would strip down to put on a dress another woman had just sweated in at a party. If I agreed, I'd look like a vindictive psycho. If I refused, she got to keep my dress and play the saint.

It was textbook passive-aggressive manipulation, and she executed it flawlessly.

I opened my mouth to decline her "generosity," but Scott snapped before I could speak. "Daisy, it's just a piece of fabric. If you're really going to throw a tantrum over it, I'll buy you a dozen more after the gala."

A sharp, humorless laugh escaped my throat. I hadn't actually intended to take the dress back. But looking at the two of them? I suddenly changed my mind.

Turning to Estella, I flashed her a bright, empty smile. "Thank you for being so understanding, Miss Cooper. I really do love this dress. Lead the way to the dressing room, please."

The sweet mask on Estella's face fractured for a split second. A flash of panic hit her eyes, and she shot a desperate look at Scott.

"Daisy!" Scott barked, taking a menacing step forward. "Estella is only offering because she's too nice. Don't push your luck and bully her."

Time and time again, he degraded me just to shield her.

My hands clenched into fists, my nails biting so hard into my palms it stung, but I forced the smile to stay anchored on my face.

"Miss Cooper has no objections, so why are you doing all the talking, Scott?" I challenged, letting my voice drip with mock innocence. "Unless, of course, Miss Cooper has no intention of actually returning it, and her little speech just now was nothing but empty manners?"

"Do you honestly think you'll look half as good as Estella does in that dress?" Scott sneered, dropping all pretense. "I'm saying this for your own sake—to save you from embarrassing yourself when everyone starts comparing you to her."

I stared directly into his eyes, the last bit of warmth draining from my voice.

"All I know is that when something belongs to me, I take it back," I said, each word ice-cold and deliberate. "But by that same logic... if something is no longer worth owning, I won't waste my time fighting for it."