Ivy's face went pale and then blotchy. Her mouth opened and closed, and her round eyes bugged out of her head—she looked like a dying fish.

"There's no need to be so nasty," Madison said loudly. "This is my party, after all, I just want you guys to have fun here."

​​

"Then call off your dogs," she said.

Madison and the girls glared at her, and she stared back, smiling calmly at them.

"You know what's weird," Susan said loudly. "My family had to leave London almost overnight. I thought it was just bad luck, but then I heard that the same thing happened to Ivy and Lily."

"What a crazy coincidence," Catherine said sarcastically.

"That's what I thought," Susan said. "But then I realized it happened right after Catherine freaked out at the pub."

"And?" Catherine asked.

"Well, my dad works for a company that your husband has a lot of stock in," Susan said loudly. "Same with Lily and Ivy's families."

"If you have a point to make, then make it," Catherine said. "I'm not really interested in a lesson on my husband's stock portfolios."

"Fine then," Susan said. "It's obvious that you had your husband ruin our lives just because we had a fight."

"You're crazy, Catherine," Ivy shouted.

"I think you're crazy," Catherine said. "Where would you get an idea like that?"

"Don't deny it," Susan said.

"Honestly, I barely remember the fight at the pub," Catherine said. "You know that same night some thugs followed Sophia and me into an alley? Honestly, that's all I remember from that night."

Susan's eyes widened, and she froze. Catherine smiled, knowing that she'd caught Susan out.

"Sounds scary," Lily finally said.

"Oh, it was," Catherine replied. "But you know the craziest thing?"

"What?" Ivy asked.

Catherine turned slowly in her chair, looking at the other guests. They stared at the scene with fascination. All other conversations in the ballroom had come to a complete stop.

"Well, the police interrogated these thugs," Catherine said. "Can any of you guess what they said?"

The girls were silent. She watched as understanding spread across their faces: their eyes widened, their mouths gaped, and their foreheads wrinkled.

"These men said that they'd been hired by someone from our graduating class," she said.

A gasp spread around the room.

"I know," she said. "I couldn't believe it either. The police couldn't believe it. They thought the men were lying. But eventually, the men agreed to give more information. They said the person who hired them was called Susan Jones, and then they gave the most accurate description of Susan. Her appearance, the way she talks, the way she dresses—they definitely knew her.

"But that's not all," she said, pausing dramatically. "They confessed that Susan had hired them to rob and rape me. She even told them she'd pay extra if they could disfigure me or scar my face somehow."

"That's not true," Susan finally said, but her voice was quiet and weak, and there was fear in her beady eyes.

"I personally don't know why you left London in such a rush," Catherine said. "But if I had to bet, I'd say you were fleeing from the police. By the way, do you think I should call them now?"

"She's lying," Lily shouted.

"She can't prove any of that," Ivy added.

The room erupted in noise as everyone began talking at the same time. Catherine looked at the girls, and they slunk away like wounded animals.

"That was amazing," Sophia said. "Now everyone knows what they're truly like."

"I'm not sure it was such a good idea," Geoffrey said. "It worries me that they were bold enough to come here. I think they might be planning something."

"Maybe," Catherine agreed. "But I think that rattled them. They won't try anything right away."

"I hope you're right," Geoffrey said.

A bell rang, and a line of waiters in black tuxedos entered the room carrying large silver trays covered with ornately decorated silver lids. They walked in perfect unison before breaking off, one by one, to serve the separate tables. A tall thin woman with limp hair and a lazy eye headed toward their table.

In slow motion, she seemed to stumble, tripping on a bump in the carpeted floor. She caught herself but then staggered again, and the tray wobbled on her arm.

"Watch out," Sophia shouted.

Catherine stared in horror as the tray fell towards her. The lid fell loose, and a huge metal pot of cheese fondue slid toward her. She raised her hands to shield her face, and something hard slammed into her side, knocking her out of her chair. There was a crash and then an agonized scream.

She scrambled to get out of the fallen chair and saw Geoffrey lying on the floor. Melted cheese coated her bare arms, and her face was frozen in a twisted, silent scream.

"Geoffrey," she shouted.

"We have to get her to the bathroom," Sophia said. "We need to wash the cheese off her."

"Are you okay, Catherine?" Geoffrey asked.

"Of course," Catherine said, grabbing the front of Geoffrey's blouse. "Hurry, we need to put cold water on it."

Catherine splashed cold water on Geoffrey's arms. The skin was angry red, and small blisters were already beginning to appear. Though Geoffrey's face was tense, she didn't complain or even flinch.

"I'm fine, really," Geoffrey insisted, trying to pull her arms away from the sink.

"You're not fine," Catherine said. "You just had boiling cheese dumped all over your bare skin."

"I suffered worse injuries in the army," Geoffrey said.

"This might be a second-degree burn," Sophia said, her voice filled with concern.

"I'm so sorry," Catherine said.

"It's not your fault," Geoffrey said. "Besides, it's my job to protect you. Whether it's a kidnapper or some hot cheese, I can't let anyone hurt you."

Catherine's stomach twisted, "I think you need to see a doctor. This looks really serious."

"I'm fine," Geoffrey insisted. "I can wrap my arms in some gauze and see a doctor after the party ends."

"No way," Catherine said. "If you don't see a doctor, it could scar or get infected. I can't let that happen to you—it'd be my fault."

Geoffrey sighed, "I have plenty of scars already. I'm not worried about a few more."

"This is more than a few scars," Sophia said. "The burns cover your entire arms."

********************************************************************************************

Dearest Lovies,

Let me greet you all, Happy Valentines Day. Today, I decided to give a mass release as part of this special heart day. I hope everyone will have a great Valentines' celebration with your loved ones.

I knew the past few uploaded chapters for this novel were a bit depressing and frustrating, but let me remind you not to take it to your heart. This one was only a product of my wild imagination and a part of the entertainment, neither a fact at all.

Rest assured, the couple will learn this past event, cherish each other, and build a better relationship. In reality, every dire circumstance teaches us a great lesson. There's no perfect human being, and every mistake we've made will serve us as a stepping stone to grow mature.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! Have a great weekend!

Love lots,

Anna Shannel Lin