The billionaire's sweet editor
Chapter 74: Lucas: Event 4

Chapter 74: Lucas: Event 4

BELLA THAT cunning woman. She timed her entrance so well, that she drew the entire tent’s attention just so their eyes would be on us once she sat next to me.

I know a rumor that we’re dating is spreading because of her—she can’t keep her mouth shut even though she’s the one who said not to tell people the two of us used to fuck around. Now she is running her mouth and acting up for the same attention she wanted to avoid.

I just know my dad has something to do with her name being placed next to mine on the seating arrangements. He’s the only one capable of playing pranks like these on me, that old man.

"Good evening, Luke. It’s been long since we last spent time together," Bella gives me a smile that would have sent my dick flying a few months ago.

My head instinctively turns to Iris but her head is turned away from me so I can’t see her face, although I can feel the tension rising without needing to look at her. Turning back to Bella, I give her a fake smile.

"It has been long indeed. How are you doing ma’am?" Her eyes grow wide and she chokes on her wine, turning her head sharply at me.

"Since when do you call me ma’am? You used to call me Bell."

"Since growing up," I retort, peeking at Iris from the corner of my eye. She’s finally turned her head to look in front of her and I can see her side view.

Nothing to give off how she’s actually feeling inside. Very very much like her.

Lowering my hand, I poke at her hand which is balled into a fist under the table. For some reason, it makes me happy to know she was clenching a fist. Iris stills in her seat when our hands make contact but she unwraps her hand nonetheless, and soon we have our fingers intertwined.

"So me calling you Luke means I haven’t grown up?" Bella fumes.

Shrugging, I turn my attention back to her. "Precisely. We are business partners and this is a business event, so might as well be formal."

She looks like she wants to fight back, but before she can say anything, the others come back from wherever they were and fill their seats.

"We were taking pictures by the lanterns," Mary informs us before we even ask.

"They’re so pretty," Lynn adds.

"I know right? I feel bad for you honey. You’d have looked good on the flowers," Kayla points at Iris whilst swiping on her phone. The next moment she flips it around and shows Iris a picture of her posing with Jerald by the entrance, tugging at his neck like she wants to ride on him.

"Wow, these are good. Let’s go take a picture once this is over, Sir Luke," Bella interjects their conversation, grinning like the Grinch after stealing Christmas.

The table goes silent. Everyone around us probably knows the history between me and Bella, and by the way the girls keep looking between her and Iris, I’m pretty sure they have told her by now.

That would make her reaction from before very...sensible.

"I’m sorry, I have somewhere to be after the event."

"Where are you going?"

A sharp pain courses from my fingers and I hiss, turning to see an enraged Iris. Her nose is turning red and she’s clenching her teeth. "He’s coming with me," she replies to Bella and the table gets even more silent. "Does that answer your question?"

"Who are you?"

You’d think that would be enough to make anyone back off, but Bella is something not someone. She just said three simple words and that was enough to change the course of the entire argument.

Iris loosens her grip on my fingers, lips slightly quivering as she struggles to come up with a smart remark. I don’t blame her, our relationship isn’t yet solid enough, but she could at least say something like I did with Mr. Wilson a while ago.

"She’s my girlfriend," I spout. All eyes turn to me, Mary’s in particular. She’s almost choking me with her fierce glare, a fucking declaration of war.

"Oh. I thought you said she was your side chick."

This time it’s Iris’ turn to glare at me. I shake my head at her just when the MC gets on stage and begins with the event. Mary flicks her hands at me, mouthing slowly so I can read her lips.

This isn’t over yet, is what I think she’s saying, but her face is telling me she’ll kill me the next time her hands land on me. Jerald too. He’s glaring at me, and so are the others, all whilst Bella smiles happily in her corner, pretending to mind her business even though her gaze says she’s enjoying the show.

The event goes as planned. We have a few speeches from the higher-ups, my dad included, and after they’re all done, the waiters roam around with our food. I can’t imagine the pressure that was in the kitchen when they were trying to handle what to cook and for who, but the effortless service makes it seem like they had it easy nonetheless.

In no time everyone is gobbling up their food and conversing with each other. Meanwhile, our table is still a sad pile of shitty silence. Only the couples are talking to each other, giggling, and peeking at each other’s phones whilst we—the singles—are awkwardly eating in silence.

I can’t even swallow my food properly anymore, not when it seems like the woman who I want to talk to is still mad at me.

Iris hasn’t looked in my direction since the feud with Bella a while ago, nor have the others. As for Bella, she hasn’t tried doing anything funny either—at least not loud enough for everyone to hear. I’ve been fighting with her for over an hour now because she keeps on groping my thigh from under the table, digging her nails into my trousers as if that would turn me on.

I don’t know how to tell her to stop without making a dramatic scene that’ll make things even worse around the table, and it doesn’t seem like she’ll be stopping anytime soon. I never thought I’d regret having a friends-with-benefits pact with her, it seems she’s taken the "benefits" part a little too seriously and she’s now ruining my chances of having a clean confession.

To think I’ll have to work with her for the coming weeks. I don’t even want to think about it.

The nails dig into my thigh again, this time, a little bit more deeper than they’ve been a while ago. I fight the urge to hiss, making Bella giggle at herself and draw unnecessary attention from Jerald and Mary. Clenching my teeth, I decide to end it with a bang.

Gripping her hand, I tug it away from my leg forcefully, making her lose her balance and land on my lap. Talk about flopping. Bella flips her hair and grins at me, winking happily as if I just gave her the perfect surprise anyone could have asked for.

"Stop you feisty boy. We’ll be alone soon enough," she says in a high-pitched adenoidal voice, cackling like a witch skilled in love potion making.

Grimacing at her when she places her hand on my lap again, I grab her wrist and push my chair backward. Iris turns to face me at the sounds of the chair scraping on the floor, and then her eyes land on my hands and they grow wide. The next moment, she’s grabbing my wrist, eyes searching into mine for answers before she even asks her question.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to talk to her. I’ll be back soon," I reply firmly. Iris must have noticed the hint of anger in my voice because she immediately let go of my wrist.

"Don’t take too long," she mumbles in a wavering voice, confirming the stupid dilemma that’s been subconsciously ringing in my head.

She knows about my relationship with Bella.

"Are you sure you want your boyfriend leaving the party with another woman, especially if that woman is his fuck—"

"Shut up Bell!"

"Ha. Finally, you called me Bell. I was thinking you really hate me now."

I mentally hit my head with a frying pan and let go of her wrist. Pointing at her, I stand from my seat. "You, follow me."

Another tug comes from my blazer and I look down to see Iris gently pinching it within looking at me. When she feels me lingering she finally lets go of me. I sit back down, scooting next to her so I can tell her what I plan to do with Bella, but she looks away.

"Don’t make her wait. There’s a dance after this intermission is over." Her voice sounds shaky when she says it as if she’s forcing the words out whilst on the verge of crying.

Fueled by a bitter rage against Bella, I nod to myself, raising as I lead the way out of the tent with Bella on my tail smirking and waving at the onlookers victoriously.

If she thinks we’re going out for a fuck she’s wrong, although I’m sure as hell going to fuck her up mentally.

★★★★★