After a short nap, I started getting ready and preparing Lilah too. The hairdressers I hired made me a chic bun with two strands of hair in front. The makeup artist made me a light makeup with natural eyes and glossed lips. I put on my dress and heels. Lilah and I are waiting for Pierre to finish getting ready to finally go to the gala

"You are beautiful my princess" I exclaim when I see my daughter going around in circles to show her white dress covered with gold butterflies ."Thank you, mommy! You are pretty too" she cuddles me and gives me a big smile showing her cute smile where some teeth are missing. After about fifteen minutes, Pierre comes out of the room prepared and we all head to the car.

"On est en retard! Tu aurais pu être plus rapide !"(We're late! You could have been faster!) Pierre just sits in the car and rolls his eyes at my remark. I sit in the car too and put Lilah in her seat. The drive was shorter since the luxurious hotel where the gala takes place is not far away. "We've arrived," I say to Pierre before untying Lilah and pulling her out of the car. As soon as we got out of the car, the photographers surrounded us taking pictures of me, Lilah, and Pierre. I walked the red carpet to the front door of the building with my daughter's hand on one side and my arm entwined with Pierre's on the other.

We enter the reception room where the crowd seems to be chatting, dancing, and having fun while the orchestra plays. The room is huge and filled with rich and famous guests with beautiful and classy outfits. I can recognize some associates of the company chatting while drinking overpriced glasses of alcohol. I slowly go down the stairs but stop halfway by the feeling that I am staring at but after a second of looking around the room I continue my way.

In the distance, I see Mr. Durand and I walk towards him holding Lilah's hand so that she can not run. "Hey Dad!" he turns around and looks at me and then exclaims. « My daughter, you're beautifully dressed tonight, that why Mr. Williams and Mr. Smith already ask me to present them and their sons to you » I smile at him and hug him quickly. « Thank you dad and I hope they won't mind but as you know I am with Pierre »he rolls his eyes at my statement, takes Lilah in his arms, and guides her to the appetizers saying bye with a wave of the hand.

I sigh and turn around searching for him until spot Pierre talking with a tall, strangely familiar blonde woman at the bar. I approach and hear part of the conversation "And I love your photos in Playboy!" Pierre says it with his French accent and eyes of admiration which make me roll my eye at the fact that every time I'm talking with a man he creates an argument so I decided to stop their dialogue just to annoy him.

"Good evening, my name is Selena Smith, I'm second in command at Durand's enterprise and you are?" I introduce myself to the woman side-hugging Pierre while she gives me a nonchalant look. "I'm Yolanda Romanov duh, the world's best model!" and then I remember the article Dad showed me this morning... she is Dante's fiancée "Oh, and who invited you?" I ask her and Pierre throws me to 'watch what you're saying' type of look.

"Do you know who I am? My husband is one of the richest men in America so be careful who you talking to!" she replies back after giving me a threatening look."I know your so-called 'husband' but technically I am the one who invited your husband to this gala so if I wanted you out then you would already be on the sidewalk" I give her a smile satisfied by the frustration written on her face before walking away from her.

I don't know how to feel, seeing Dante's fiancee means that Dante is here tonight with her. A lot of unanswered questions are circulating in my head but just the thought of seeing him again raises anxiety in me and Lilah is here with me tonight what if he kidnaps her? what if he already knows about her? What if he asks for total custody? I don't know how I would react if I saw him today and I don't even know how I feel about him anymore anger? Sadness? confusion? my internal monologue stops with the furious arrival of Pierre who takes my arm very tightly and pulls me into the halls of the hotel away from the reception.

"Est-ceque tu sais comment tu m'as fait honte là-bas ! Elle est mondialement connueet une mannequin respectée, tu devais prendre exemple sur elle au lieu de la critiquerjuste parce que tu es jalouse "(Do you know how you embarrassed me down there! She is world famous and a respected model, you should take an example from her instead of criticizing her just because you are jealous.)He yells at me leaving me speechless, he is since the beginning of our relationship very calm and sweet, and just for this woman that he just met he throws me a tantrum. I hit him in the chest with my fist making him let go of his hand around my arm.

«T'essérieux la? Moi je te fais honte ? Tu sais combien de fois lesgens qui m'entoure m'ont dit à quel point tu es un copain nul et que je méritetellement mieux que toi!» (Are you serious? I embarrass you? You know how many times everyone around me tells me what a suck boyfriend you are and that I deserve so much better than you!). I laugh sarcastically, I can't believe he is serious right now, making a big argument just because of this woman.

"T'aurais pas dû la parler comme ça ! T'as aucun respect pour les autres , tu te comportes comme une enfant gâtée !"( You shouldn't have spoken to her like that! You have no respect for others, you behave like a spoiled child!)He responds back to me still with his furious and ridiculous red face. « Dis-moi Pierre , tu es quoi pour elle ? Son petit chien ou son garde du corps ? » (Tell me Pierre, what are you for her ? Her little puppy or her bodyguard ?) I chuckle at his ridiculous attitude, he is motionless in front of me, with his face red and his mouth still open.

« That's what I thought. » I roll my eyes and directs me to the bathroom to correct my makeup and put water on the red mark on my arm that Peter's hand has left.

I walk to the bathroom and check the condition of my makeup because later in the evening, Mr. Durand will announce his retirement and my new position in the company. After a few minutes, to put on my makeup back, I finally turn on the tap and let the cool water run on my red and painful arm, I sigh looking at the red spot, and decide to go back to the reception room. When I open the door it remains blocked on the other side and then I hear a knock. I opened the door again this time more gently but I was not ready for what was in front of me.

There he is, Dante, in front of me with both hands on his face, cursing in Spanish with a low and deep voice. Oh my god, I accidentally hit him on the head with the door. Panic invades me and I do not know what to do so I just whispered a sorry before running to the gala room, hoping he didn't see my face.

Just as I enter, all the people in the room stare at me and applaud me "There she is! Come here my dear » I turn to the voice to see Mr. Durand on stage talking into a microphone. I walk slowly but stressed by my meeting with Dante a few seconds before. I go on stage and Mr. Durand continues his speech but the only thing I notice is Dante enter the room again, staring at me from my head to my feet, analyzing every little detail of my body which give me chills, I try not to pay attention to his look but his hazel eyes seem to see my soul.

"Selena!" I turn my eyes to Mr. Durand "I am happy to announce that after decades of work, I am retiring and I have decided to pass my position as Director and CEO to my friend and daughter Selena Smith" the applause rings in my ears and I take my adoptive father in my arms and whisper in his ear"Dante know I'm here so I have to go now! But we gonna talk about the fact that you invited him without telling me later... » then I text Pierre telling him I went home. I grab a half-asleep Lilah from Stella and Luke who were sitting at their table, put her in her car seat, and drive back to our hotel.

During the drive, I can't stop thinking about Dante, even after all these years he still has this effect on me. I could only notice how much he has changed since the last time we saw each other. His short brown hair is now black and mid-length and makes you want to run your fingers in it for hours. His once slim body is now muscular and sculpted like the superheroes of the movies with strong arms and drawn abs . he has become the dream of women, the Spanish man, tan skin with dark hair and light brown eyes, the body of a greek god covered with tattoos but also a masculine and confident attitude and voice.

What is wrong with me?! He cheated on me then divorced me for no damn reason and now I'm here fantasizing about him ...

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Next chapter will be Dante's POV !!

But who's POV you guys want to see in the future ?! ( More of Lilah - Stella's - Luke's - Mr.Durand's- More of Pierre- Yolanda's - Unknow's )

Also what y'all thing about the chapter ? because i don't really know if the writing is too messy or if i should keep doing medium longer chapter instead of this longer ?!

Thank you for reading my work 🤍