Beneath Her Bastard Boss

Chapter 59

The champagne was flat.

Not literally. The bubbles still fizzed cheerfully in the crystal glass she held, but the taste on her tongue was sour. Plat. No matter how expensive the vintage, it couldn’t cover the bitterness lining her throat. It matched the way this entire party felt -polished on the outside, but dead beneath the surface.

This whole event was a lie.

Did they know Laura was a lowlife whore? That she was pregnant? That the soon to be groom was a cheating asshole with a little dick that wasn’t even that good in bed? Blair hadn’t known that back when she was with Dan. She’d spent too long thinking something was wrong with her.

Until Roman.

Blair scanned the garden, the pristine hedges and fake smiles. Why was she here? She didn’t need to be. Not really, She had nothing to prove.

Roman leaned in, whispering in her car. “We can leave at any time.”

He was picking up on her inner turmoil as always.

She had lasted longer than she thought she would. Smiled for the right people. Nodded at shallow compliments. Let the whispers roll off her like it didn’t matter. And really, it didn’t. Not after experiencing Roman. What she had with Dan had been surface–level bullshit. Shallow. Certainly not love. Because let’s be honest if she had truly loved Dan deeply, she never would’ve slept with Roman.

A fake laugh from Laura sliced under her skin like a splinter. Five more minutes, she told herself. Five more minutes and they’d make their excuses and leave. She could already see Keira barely holding it together.

They stood near one of the floral displays, Blair nursing her drink like it was a lifeline. Roman was at her side, his hand resting lightly on the small of her back, thumb moving in slow, grounding circles. She didn’t even need to look at him to know he was ready to get her out the second she gave the word.

–

She was so damn glad he was here.

“Here comes trouble,” Keira muttered, her tone deceptively cheerful.

Blair turned just in time to see Laura strutting toward them, that painfully pleasant smile plastered across her face. Dan followed close behind, like a trophy she hadn’t carned but loved to flaunt, anyway.

Keira was right–Roman was an upgraded. But Blair could see it now, with fresh eyes. Dan’s weak jaw. His sloped shoulders. Age wasn’t going to look good on him.

“Blair! I’m so glad you came,” Laura said sweetly, clutching Dan’s arm like she’d invented romance. “It really means a lot.”

And so did Laura. But she had to say the right things to sell the illusion, to make it sound good to the crowd that was absolutely listening

–

touching celebration of integrity and commitment between two

hid a smirk behind his

ignore it. “And you look amazing. I always wondered what you’d wear to something like this. I was

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16.10

Chapter 59

choked on her

took a

placed a hand on his chest, silently telling him she

Laura. And I see you went with

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11

her hand across Dan’s chest like she was claiming territory. “Well, Dan always said he saw me as the one in white, didn’t you,

seeing on his face. They stood there like they’d done nothing wrong. Like this was

replied, her tone syrupy.

Laura gasped.

to Roman, clearly looking for one

Fucking asshole.

didn’t move, but Blair felt the shift in his body. The way

would handle

him to. Not

Viv and Uncle Peter and their obsession with appearances. They could choke on their

–

–

one word

in hand, her voice calm – almost too calm. “You know, Dan, I always wondered how you managed to walk upright with balls that small. But now I realize…” she tilted her head, eyes glittering, “you’ve just got

Laura’s smile shattered.

few guests nearby turned openly to