It was the day of Helena's party. Cara and I spent the day with Catheryn and she took us to mall to help me buy a dress. It was a black sleeveless dress that she suggested me to pair with a maroon leather jacket and a maroon pair of heels because according to her, layers are in fashion. I wasn't a big fan of such outfits but I trusted Catheryn's fashion sense.

Cara remained at her house while Evan picked me up on his way back to home. While he took a bath, I got ready for the party. I did some makeup to make myself look suitable for a club and then let my wavy hair down freely. The jacket helped tone down the little black dress and covered my arms. The only thing troubling me was the hem of the dress that reached the middle of my thighs and was riding up with every movement.

By the time I walked out of closet, Evan was standing there in front of mirror, spraying some cologne. He was dressed up in casual clothing tonight; a crisp maroon T-shirt which was coincidentally matching my jacket colour with black jeans.

His eyes momentarily landed on me and then he looked away. But few seconds later, his gaze landed back on me and he eyed me from head to toe.

"How do I look?" I asked nervously.

"Different," he replied, looking deep into my eyes.

"Good different?" I asked further.

"Maybe," he shrugged, a hint of smirk playing on his lips.

Together, we made our way to his car. Walking in heels was definitely a task but thankfully, it wasn't one of those killer heels that can be used to kill someone. The cold air outside brushed my bare legs and I shivered in the cold.

He started the car and soon, we were off towards our destination. In the sitting position, I felt more exposed and tugged the hem down. My action caught Evan's attention and he observed me quietly.

"Are you not comfortable in this dress?" He asked.

"Um... I... I feel like my legs are chubby and short." I replied and that earned me a chuckle from him. I frowned at his reaction and gave him a glare.

"Sorry," he said, hiding his mouth from me. His laugh just made me more self-conscious and I turned my face away from him. "Seriously Scarlet, you have perfect legs. You don't have to think otherwise."

"Okay, let's talk about anything other than my legs." I chuckled uncomfortably.

"Sure, madam." He smiled and I internally swooned at his sexy smile. He easily had the best set of teeth I have ever seen.

...........

It wasn't a usual dark and loud club that I had expected. In fact, everything about this place screamed money and perfection. When we entered through the huge door of the club, the sight of people dressed in their best welcomed me. Soft music was playing through the speakers and people were being served expensive liquors in expensively glasses.

"If I didn't have 15% shares in her club, I would have never joined this party." Evan looked disinterested as he pulled me to a quieter corner.

"It's okay. We can enjoy ourselves tonight." I said and looked around. Most of the women were dressed in black clothes like me.

"I can think of better ways of enjoying." He replied with a teasing smirk and I blushed under his gaze.

"For example?" I raised my eyebrows.

He took a step towards me and lowered his head to reach me. "Do you really want to know?" He whispered and his breath tickled the skin of my face.

"Whatever." I gulped and looked away.

That's when I noticed Liam and Rachel entering through the door. I had no idea they were actually planning on coming after how Helena behaved when she invited them.

Excusing myself from Evan, I walked towards them. "Liam?" I called his name.

"Scarlet," he smiled and walked towards me to greet me.

"I didn't know you were coming." I said in surprised voice.

"I wasn't. But then Helena called to apologize for her small stunt in the bakery. And then she insisted that I should bring Rachel with me." He said.

Nodding in understanding, I greeted Rachel who was dressed in black jeans and a blue crop top. She had curled the ends of her hair and she looked really cute.

"Okay, enjoy yourselves. Evan must be looking for me." I said and made my way back to Evan who was observing everyone with a sour face. My husband was a moody person and clubs were definitely not the kind of place he would spend his evening. Yes, if there was a business conference in the club, things would be different.

"Missed me?" I asked when I reached him.

"Nope." He said and passed me a glass on wine that he had taken from the waiter. I took a sip and the sharp taste teased my tastebuds.

"Liar," I commented and drank the rest of the glass.

We were talking to each other when a familiar voice echoed inside the club. "Hello everyone, I don't think I need any introduction." Helena giggled in the mic. She was wearing a rose gold fitting dress and her voice sounded slurred, as if she was drunk already. "I am your favourite socialite with low alcohol tolerance and some mild daddy issues." She said and everyone laughed in return.

"Drunk Helena is the worst kind of Helena. Prepare yourself for the drama." Evan scowled beside me and I stared at Helena in worry. She looked dizzy and somewhat hurt.

Her eyes stopped at Liam and she looked away immediately. "Mr. Dunbar, your wife is standing right next to you. Stop staring at my ass." She said to an old man standing at her right corner and the man turned red in embarassment.

"Should we stop her?" I asked Evan.

"No, it will make it worse." Evan commented dryly, ignoring her but that didn't last long.

Helena jumped down the aisle and with wobbly steps, trudged in our direction. "You Evan Parker, you ditched me." She chuckled humorlessly and I gulped in nervousness. "You were supposed to marry me but you married this cutie pie instead." She giggled at us and asked the waiter for another drink. He rushed towards her to give her another glass of wine which she gulped in a second. "No worries, I never loved you anyway. Sure you're hot, but only Scarlet can handle your mood swings." She gave me a wink.

She then walked past us, running her fingers through her long hair. She was passing by Liam when she stopped suddenly and I braced myself. "Liam Clark, I didn't think you'd come."

"You're drunk." Liam reminded her while he himself looked afraid of what she was going to say.

"And you're the cutest." She said and moved forwards to pinch his cheeks. "You are different than any man I have slept with. You are not arrogant, you are not an asshole and you are not a smug bastard. That's why I feel weird in your presence." She said in a low voice, but loud enough for us to hear.

"We will talk later, Helena." Liam said and Rachel just kept staring between the two.

"No, we won't. Because I am going on vacation. This place hurts me." She groaned and closed her eyes. "Seeing you with that waitress hurts me. Seeing Evan with Scarlet hurts me. Seeing my Dad with her new girlfriend every week hurts me." She said and some tears trailed down her cheeks.

My own eyes filled with moisture at the grief in her voice and I exchanged a sad glance with Evan.

"Good bye, Chicago. See you never again," she said and retreated backwards but the next moment, her feet slipped and Liam moved forwards to save her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and in a dramatic way, saved her from falling down.

The whole hall went silent while they both kept staring at each other. It was Helena who broke the awkward silence and pulled Liam in for a kiss which she responded eagerly.

"Shit," I ran behind Rachel who was walking out, tears streaming down her cheeks. I could feel her embarrassment at being the third wheel in between Liam and Helena. She had a pure heart and she didn't deserve being insulted like that.

Behind her, I walked out of the hall to the parking lot. She was running forwards and I was trying my best to catch her but she was more athletic. Finally, she sat down on a bench behind the parked cars and I got a chance to reach her.

"I feel so stupid. He clearly likes her more." She mourned and my heart broke for her. "Maybe it's because she is so pretty. How can I compete with her?"

"It's not true, Rachel. It's just sometimes... People belong together. Without any reason." I said and placed my palm over hers.

"Then why did he make me feel I had a chance?" She complained, rubbing the mascara off her eyes.

"Because he thought the same. I'm her friend and I know him. He would never hurt a girl deliberately." I told her but right now, she won't understand this. She was hurt and her self-esteem was low right now. Nothing would make logic to her.

"I never had a serious relationship, Scarlet. Boys always prefer girls like Helena. I thought Liam was different but he turned out just like every other guy. Do girls like me not deserve love?" She asked me in a whisper.

"That's not true, sweetheart. I know why one would think that, but it's not true. I know feel the same sometimes. I am married to a man who sometimes unknowingly makes me feel that I don't deserve him. I feel like I'm too average for him, too ordinary." I told her honestly. "But then I remind myself that if I let a man define my worth, how would I teach my daughter to love herself. Same goes for you. We are more than just someone's lovers, wives or girlfriends."

Rachel was staring at me with moisture in her eyes but her tears had dried up by now. She scooted closer to me and enveloped me in a hug. I returned her hug with full fervour, because at that moment, I felt like an elder sister to her.

"Miss. Rachel," Evan's voice reached my ears and I broke the hug. "You can come with us. My driver would drop you home. Let's go, Scarlet." He motioned to both of us. Rachel and I exchanged a look after which we followed him to his car.

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