3. Six months

Larissa Maynard

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My engagement party, which was supposed to be a happy evening for me, was one of the most torturous parties I’d ever been to. I had to put on a smile and pretend to like the numerous people in the room, most of whom I didn’t know. I didn’t know if it was an engagement party or an opportunity to meet new clients and investors.

Alexander was busy socializing with everyone while I stood beside him. After congratulating us on our engagement, everyone went straight to business. I didn’t even see the point of the party anymore.

I was bored as hell, but I tried not to let it show in my face as I looked around until someone tapped me. I turned around and my eyes went wide, a bright smile spreading across my face when I saw my friend, Bridget. I almost kissed her in delight.

She smiled politely at Alexander. “Congratulations on your engagement.”

“Thank you, Bridget.”

“May I steal Larissa for a few minutes?”

My eyes shone with gratefulness at her words. While I didn’t mind taking the opportunity to meet new people in the business world, it was my engagement party for fuck’s sake. Although I wasn’t the biggest fan of the party, they should have some decency.

“No problem.” He said smoothly, kissing me on my cheek. He avoided kissing me on the lips because he didn’t want to ruin my lipstick, according to him. “Come find me later, Rissa.”

I smiled tightly as I walked away with Bridget. I hated the name, Rissa, and he knew it. Well, he should because of how much I’d said it but it didn’t stop him. If anything, it propelled him to call me that often. It had become a habit of him and I didn’t bother calling him out on it anymore:

Taking my mind off Alexander, I looked at Bridget. “You told me you weren’t going to make it.”

She laughed. “I am just coming from the airport.”

I scanned her outfit, holding back a laugh. She was dressed formally in a blue suit jacket and matching pants.

She hit my shoulder lightly. “You are lucky I didn’t have the time to change. I would have outshone you in your own party.”

It didn’t feel like my party anyway.

Bridget was a very beautiful woman with a slender figure. Her red hair called for attention and her beautiful brown eyes were captivating. She made people shiver with just one stare. We had been friends since I graduated college. She was also my closest friend.

“You saved me from killing myself.” I sighed as we approached the buffet. “All they’re doing is talking about business. It makes me feel like I’m not serious with the company seeing as I have no interest in their talks.”

She laughed. “I feel you. It would hurt a woman’s pride to have her husband focus more on business than on her.”

“We are not married yet.”

“You’re going to get married anyway.”

That was very true. I was going to get married soon, and knowing my in-laws, they would want to rush us into it. I had never really thought about getting married, but that was until Alexander proposed to me and I saw no reason to decline.

If I were to get married, I would as well marry him. I wouldn’t say I loved him very much, but I liked him enough and that was okay. Bridget often reminded me that my thoughts were self-sabotaging, but as long as I wasn’t hurting myself or Alexander, I was okay.

I was content with life. There was nothing particularly exciting about it, but it was okay.

Just as I took a plate, I thought better of it and shook my head. Bridget raised an eyebrow as she started filling up her plate with the variety of food available.

“If I eat anything, I’m certain this dress would come off immediately. I’ll eat when I get home.”

I hadn’t eaten all day and I was hungry as hell, but a few more hours wouldn’t hurt. I wasn’t looking forward to embarrassing myself at this party. The headlines would change from ‘the engagement party of Larissa and Alexander’ to ‘Wyatt Maynard’s only daughter had her dress come off at her own engagement party. I wonder if the wedding would be just as entertaining’.

Bridget shook her head, shooting me a pitying look. “Why are you wearing such a tight dress anyway? Your breasts are literally spilling out.”

“I suppose my mother-in-law doesn’t mind if I flaunt my cleavage to every man within a mile radius.”

She laughed as we found a table to settle at. “Your relationship with her will forever amuse me. You know for a marriage to work, you have to be on good terms with his mother, right?”

“I know, I know, but does she know that?” She was riddled with the idea that she was older so she had more experiences and was always right.

It was not my fault that his mother and I had clashing personalities. She loved the opposite of what I loved. We were bound to clash when it came to my wedding preparations. She also didn’t like me very much, but she knew the benefits of her son getting married to me.

It also didn’t help that Alexander was a huge mama’s boy. Don’t get me wrong, I was all for having a good relationship with your parents, but even if his mother made the most outrageous demands, he would try to see reason in them. He never dared to say no to her. She knew that and she used it to her advantage.

I eyed the food on Bridget’s plate, stealing a shrimp when it got too much. One shrimp wouldn’t hurt, would it?

Alexander and I were supposed to get married in six months. I already knew it was going to be the longest six months of my life.