Chapter 4: Embarrassing
Elena's POV
Lily was fast asleep by the time I donned my dress, a black satin gown that hugged my curves. I always felt sexy whenever I wore it.
'I was gonna see Jacinta anyways' I thought, adjusting the strap of the small handbag I intended to use. I might as well make a good impression. It wouldn't do to meet her looking like the poor invisible wife of Damien Landon.
My eyes flashed as I silently remembered Damien's words from earlier; 'I'll have a word with you,' he'd said. I couldn't quite place it but I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach when I thought about it.
Damien had ignored me for months… bar that night, my cheeks flushed and I shook the thought away.
If Damien was looking for me, I had little faith it'd be anything good.
I checked on Lily before heading downstairs, the satin of my gown whispering against my skin. I could hear the faint humming of a car engine as I approached the door. But nothing could have prepared me for the sight outside.
A sleek white car was parked out front, my breath caught as I stared at the car "I'm going out in that?" The thought sounded ridiculous to me. I'd been born into wealth but this car? It screamed extravagance.
My lips curled as I imagined Jacinta's reaction when she saw the ride.
The insides were sleek and comfortable, and within half an hour I arrived at the place we'd arranged to meet; Cherries.
It was a high-taste place that had the best wines. I inclined my head to the attendant at the door as I walked in. I spotted Jacinta quickly, her mess of blonde curls would stand out anywhere.
"Jacinta," I whispered, tapping her shoulder and I stopped beside her. "Long time no see," I chuckled in delight.
"Elena?" She lowered the dark shades she wore, her eyes behind the shades were bright. "My God, you look stunning," Jacinta rose to her feet and drew me into her arms.
Jacinta was practically glowing as we caught up, her eyes fixed on mine as we talked about everything.
"So, about this job," I smiled, slowly turning the glass of wine between my fingers.
"I got the job!" Jacinta chuckled, her voice loud enough to turn heads. I flinched slightly, but she didn't seem to notice—or care.
"It's a big business firm, Elena! Can you believe it? The application didn't even take up to a week," Jacinta leaned back in her seat, her manners relaxed.
"That's amazing," I replied, smiling at her enthusiasm. "When do you start?"
"Monday," she said, clapping her hands together. "But I had to see you first. We needed this night, you know? To celebrate before I get buried in boring paperwork."
I chuckled softly. Jacinta always had a way of making things larger than life.
"Celebrating doesn't mean drawing the entire room's attention, though," I teased lightly, nodding towards the curious glances we were receiving.
She waved me off. "Let them look! Tonight is all about me, baby!"
Her voice rose again, and I could feel the eyes on us. Before I could suggest she tone it down, a waiter appeared at our table, smiling tightly.
"Excuse me, ma'am," he began, his tone polite but firm. "Could you lower your voice just a little? Some of our guests—"
"Excuse me?" Jacinta's head snapped toward him, her voice dripping with indignation. "Are you saying I'm too loud?"
"Not at all, ma'am. It's just—"
"Oh, no, no, no," she interrupted, waving her hand dismissively. "I'm celebrating. And if that's a problem for your guests, maybe they should go somewhere else."
I winced, my cheeks burning as I noticed more people staring.
"Jacinta," I murmured, placing a hand on her arm. "Let's not make this a big deal."
She huffed, crossing her arms but finally falling silent as the waiter gave me a grateful nod before retreating.
The atmosphere at the table had turned awkward, and I quickly searched for a way to diffuse it.
"How about we freshen up before we head out?" I suggested. "We can grab some air and maybe find somewhere quiet to talk."
Jacinta narrowed her eyes but shrugged. "Fine. Let's go."
I forced a smile and got up, grabbing my bags and we made our way to the restroom.
---
I insisted on handling the bill as we stepped out of the restroom.
Jacinta didn't argue, still sulking about the waiter's comments. I approached the counter confidently and handed over my card.
The waiter took the card and swiped it. He paused, a frown appearing on his face. My heart skipped a beat but before I could say anything he looked up at me.
Ma'am," he lowered his voice. "The card was declined."
"What?" My voice came out sharper than I intended. "That's impossible. Try it again."
He nodded and walked away, leaving me standing there with my heart racing.
Declined? My mind reeled. There had to be some mistake.
The waiter returned moments later, his expression apologetic. "I tried multiple times, ma'am. The card appears to be empty."
My stomach dropped. "Empty?" I whispered.
Jacinta, who had been standing behind me, leaned closer. "What's going on?"
"I don't know," I said, my voice shaky. "It doesn't make sense."
But before I could explain further, the murmurs started.
"That's her," someone whispered from a nearby table.
"The wife of Damien Landon," another voice chimed in.
I froze, my breath catching in my throat as their stares seemed to bore into me.
"She doesn't have money to pay?"
"How embarrassing."
A wave of humiliation crashed into me and I could feel the stares fix on me. It hadn't helped that Jacinta had been so loud earlier, now we were at the center of attention.
"Elena," Jacinta said, her voice low for the first time. "People are watching."
I couldn't respond. I couldn't move. The humiliation was paralyzing, and my mind raced with questions. How could this happen? Had Damien done this? Was this his way of punishing me?
"Excuse me," a voice said, breaking through my spiraling thoughts.
I turned to see a man approaching—a face I vaguely recognized, one of Damien's acquaintances. He'd been at the wedding, and the sight of him was even more humiliating.
"Mrs. Landon," he said smoothly, he stared at me in concern. "Is everything all right? It's not every day we see someone of your… stature in a situation like this."
I swallowed hard, my throat tight. The whispers grew louder, the weight of their judgment suffocating me.
I needed to get out of here, but I had no idea how.