Page 104 of Secrets, Lies and Love
Her mouth is full of lip filler, and I wonder why, since she’s only a few years older than me. She’s also had silicone implants, I’m sure, because her breasts are huge in the neckline of her red silk dress. Finally, she’s changed her hair color. It’s red like mine, but you can see that it’s tinted, even though it’s very pretty.
She’s beautiful, always has been. The greatest proof that exterior and interior beauty do not need to go hand in hand.
“Oh, but wait, you’re not a nanny anymore. You’re the rich Greek’s girlfriend! The wolf in sheep’s clothing finally managed to do something worthwhile with her life.”
I recover quickly from the scare. All the fragility I felt when entering the bathroom transmutes into anger. “Don’t measure others by yourself, Peyton. Just the other day, you were asking me to introduce you to one of the Kostanidou. As if they would get involved with someone like you...”
“Beautiful, you mean?”
“No.Vulgar. A gold-digger. So ugly on the inside that outer beauty can’t compensate.”
She laughs. “You really think men are interested in inner beauty, little sister? So foolish. I don’t know what led the Greek to be interested in someone so worthless, but listen to me: give me five minutes alone in a room with your man, and he’ll even forget your name, Harper.”
I know she’s teasing me and I should let it go, but I have been humiliated by her for too long and now my cup is full.
“You’re a bitch, Peyton. You say you could conquer any man? No, you could give them pleasure, but sex without feelings holds no one. There are thousands out there like you. Now tell me, what do you think will happen when you are no longer youngand beautiful? Do you believe that the men who support you will continue to pay to see you?”
In a conversation we had, Dionysus told me that he discovered that Peyton was working as a luxury escort.
“You bitch!” She advances, but before she can reach me, I run to the door. I hold the doorknob, but I can’t get out because she pulls me by my hair, slamming my face into the wall.
I scream, and in an instant, Dionysus is with me.
“Let go of her, wretch!” He doesn’t wait for her to obey, saving me from her clutches and hiding me behind his body.
“Ah, the rich boyfriend . . . We were just talking about you.”
He ignores her and looks at his phone. “I’m not her boyfriend. We are engaged. You’re lucky you’re a woman, you idiot, or you’d be dead right now. You just made a mistake. You touched my future wife. I hope you like the outfit that you wore today. You’ll be famous when they take your picture in jail.”
“What? No! It was a misunderstanding! Tell him, Cici.”
“Cici? Am I Cici now?” I ask, tasting blood in my mouth. “If I weren’t pregnant, I’d spank you, Peyton, but I’m not going to risk my baby’s wellbeing for a bitch like you.”
“Pregnant?How is that possible? Is not fair! I’m prettier. Smarter . . . I am . . .”
Security guards enter the bathroom and take her out. She continues screaming wildly while Dionysus orders our bodyguards to move everyone away from the bathroom entrance so that I can leave discreetly through the back of the building.
“Let’s go home,” he says. “I’ll call a doctor.”
“I’m fine.”
“You cut your mouth.”
“It’s nothing compared to the satisfaction of seeing her arrested.”
His face relaxes a little. “Are you becoming vindictive, beautiful? Learning from my family?”
I shudder at his words, but I pretend to smile. “Perhaps. What will happen to her?”
“Not much, for now. She will be charged with assault, but that is just the tip of the iceberg.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means I never forgive an offense.”
Dionysus
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
