Song for the mood: Dust it off by Lonely Disco & Asta. A snippet of the lyrics:

Pick it up, dust it off
Time to show what I'm made of
Not going to move aside.

https://youtu.be/9Kx_diVB7EI

Vera

January 1

"Shit, my shoe!" I yelped, stumbling like a giraffe on the velvet carpet at the crowded entrance of the New Year's Day ball.

"Oh, sweetie, please don't tell me you've ruined another pair of Jimmy Choos," Mindy lamented, flicking back her long, dark hair.

"Welp, it wouldn't be the first time," I snapped, adjusting the strap on my left heel.

"You're lucky you're tall. I could use some of your height," she remarked, admiring my calves.

"Honey, it's more a curse than a blessing when most of the men I've dated are shorter than me," I replied. Alistair was the exception-he was taller, even when I wore high heels.

"Where's Saph tonight?" Mindy asked when we were inside, getting a drink at the bar.

"She's sick; we ate out a few days ago, and the meal she ate had gluten, though she had asked for it to be wheat-free."

"Poor thing. How about Julian? Is he doing anything ?"

"He's taking Mom out for dinner."

"He could've joined us."

"So I could be the third wheel? No thanks. Besides, your hookups with him are prehistoric, long before he dated Saph. Honey, you need to date more often."

"I know, I know. How about you? Are you seeing anyone lately?"

I smiled at Mindy and said nothing, prompting her to nudge my elbow.

"You can tell me. I won't tell a soul," she whispered.

I slowly sipped my champagne, then replied, "I'm casually seeing someone, but it's not serious. She's dealing with some family issues tonight."

"Hah! No relationship is ever serious with you, Vera. You're a badass chick."

I raised my left eyebrow as my lips curled into a smirk. If she only knew the truth. I had already cried my sad tears over a particular Mister Scott, and that was my secret to keep. Glancing at the screen above us, I saw that a bachelor auction was part of the evening's agenda. The names of the city's most eligible bachelors appeared, and there it was.

Alistair Scott.

"Great," I muttered.

"What's up?" Mindy asked.

"Oh, nothing. It's not important."

"Mmm, a bachelor auction and all proceeds go to the Scott Charity for Kids," she read the text on the screen aloud and smiled. "The men are rich and hunky too."

Grabbing my hand, Mindy guided me past the crowd and toward the stage where the auction was about to start. I noticed gorgeous women flirting with the bachelors-rich, handsome, and available. And there he was, looking dashing and dapper, as always. Except, he was not alone. A journalist was interviewing him for the local news.

"That's Alistair Scott," Mindy exclaimed, eyes round like saucers. "He's untouchable and out of bounds."

"Oh? What do you mean, Mindy?" I asked.

"Well, I mean, look at him! He could have stepped out of a magazine. But it's not just his looks-I heard that it takes months to get one minute with him."

"Interesting," I mused, pretending that I'd never met the guy. I used this trick for fishing information from people. "What else do you know of him?"

"Alistair is a philanthropist and an investor, but I heard that he's connected with the mafia. Plus, rumor has it that he pays a well-known biker gang to do his dirty work."

"Hmm."

"There's no proof, though. It's just gossip, you know?"

"Gossip is dangerous, darling. Someone may accuse you of defamation," I warned mildly.

"Oh, crap! I left my handbag back at the bar!" Mindy exclaimed. "I'm going there to find it. Stay right here; I'll be back!"

"Sure," I replied, about to head to the restroom.

"Well, well, the town's trash has arrived!" Erin's shrill voice sang out.

Great, just fucking great. The she-devil and a bunch of her friends stood a few feet away, eyeing me from top to toe. Having recently given birth, Erin nevertheless looked beautiful in a flowing, white blouse and a pair of loose pants that showed off her long legs. She had a light pink pram by her side.

"Is that the whore you were telling me about?" Erin's blonde friend with a Dior handbag squawked, inspecting me as if I were vermin.

"Shh, it's not nice to talk about other people!" Erin reprimanded, half-smiling.

"I heard you'd been stalking Erin's brother-in-law," a brunette with a blunt fringe blurted. "Valerie, is that your name?"

"Vera," Erin corrected.

"Poor Scotty! All the gold diggers in town relentlessly pursue him," the blonde butted in.

"Careful," I warned the blonde, baring my teeth, then turned to Erin.

"Congratulations on your baby," I commented, staring at the pram.

"Would you like to see the baby? Here she is!" Erin cooed, lifting an infant out of her pram.

The golden-haired cherub snuggled into Erin's bosom, vulnerable and fragile, yet so pure and innocent. Her tiny fingers stretched, then curled as her ruddy face released a small yawn. That was Alistair's child. The baby had his bright eyes, chin, and curly hair. Alistair had made Erin a mother-he gave her what he didn't want with me. I gazed at the baby, feeling a genuine love for children. "Your daughter is beautiful. What's her name?"

"Her name is Camilla," Erin boasted. "I didn't think you were into babies. You don't seem like the mothering type."

"What exactly is 'the mothering type'?" I asked, glaring at the bitch.

"Oh, I don't know. Just not you," she replied. She then readjusted her hold on the girl, who opened her eyes widely and balled her fists, preparing for a cry.

"I think the bright lights in this room are a bit harsh for the baby," I said as Camilla wailed in discomfort.

"Don't give me parenting lessons, Vera. You're not at work and it's not a family courtroom. Oh, and I'd advise you to stay away from Alistair tonight. He's moved on and so should you."

"I've already moved on. Have you?"

Erin and I stared at each other before she placed the crying baby back in the pram. "Oliver and I will be going home soon. Doesn't Camilla have her father's eyes?" the she-devil taunted, slowly revealing her macabre marionette smile.

"Of course, she does. She certainly doesn't have your husband's eyes. How does Oliver feel about this? That it's Alistair's baby and not his?" I dared to throw a dagger back.

"Now, Vera, it's not nice to tell lies!" she chastised, then spoke to her friends, "I told you she's not right in the head. She's certified crazy."

"Vera's crazy jealous!" the brunette bitched, patting Erin's arm.

The blonde sneered and said, "It's not her fault that she's behaving this way. The lower classes never learned manners, did they?"

I felt sadness and anger then-despite coming from a blue-collar suburb, I had attended an upper-class private school because of my academic scholarship. Yet, I would always be seen as inferior by Erin and her lot. "Did your nose just grow an inch, Erin? I guess your lies are something your cosmetic surgeon couldn't fix," I fired back.

"What did you say to me?" Erin snapped, shocked that I dared to speak back.

"You heard me the first time," I replied. "By the way, I hope that your child will take after her father. Alistair may be a bastard, but he's an honest one."

I smiled sweetly with my head high as I walked away. Erin and her friends reminded me of blowfish, with their mouths open but no words coming out.

***

Staring at the woman in the restroom mirror, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. What the hell had I done, falling for a womanizer who stuck his dick into anything that had a hole? Sure, it takes a player to know a player, but why did Alistair affect me in such a profound way?

I had been with some super hunks in my college years, and I mean men who would put Thor or Superman to shame. Yet, I had never felt anything deep or emotional with them. I silently cursed the Fates, particularly Clotho, the bitch who spun the thread of our lives, bringing me to another encounter with the wolf of Lester Harbor tonight. I looked down at my buzzing phone and saw a text message from Mindy.

> Change of plans. Chatting with a hot bartender who found my handbag. Come back to the bar. I'll introduce you to his friend. ;)

I sighed, then returned her message.

> Give me a few minutes. I'll be there soon. :)

On the way out of the restroom, I decided to be brave, suck it up, and say hello to Alistair. I started walking toward the stage, hoping to catch him before the auction began, but I froze. The auction may not have started yet, but someone had already outbid every woman in the room for his attention. Erin Everton-Scott held Alistair's angel eyes captive with her beguiling charm. Adoration plastered his face when he cradled the child before placing her back into the pram when Oliver arrived at the scene.

I noticed the tension between the brothers when Oliver frowned at Alistair before walking away. Being the dutiful wife in the public eye, Erin followed her husband, leaving Alistair with a bevy of female admirers vying for his attention. He turned to one of them and smirked, eyeing her voluptuous breasts that popped out of her low-cut dress as she flirted with him.

An insidious whisper poisoned my heart with pain.

Alistair has forgotten you. He will never, ever be yours again.

I blinked rapidly as involuntary tears ran down my flushed cheeks. Wiping the tears away, I straightened my shoulders, lifted my chin, and moved one foot forward toward the bar.

"Vee! Come here and meet Marco and Drew!" Mindy shouted, waving at me.

"Mindy, I'm not feeling well, so I'm going to head home early," I told her, smiling weakly.

"Aww, I'm sorry. You take care of yourself and get some rest, okay? We'll chat next week," Mindy said.

"I'll call you next week," I promised and hugged my friend before I left.

***

It was eleven p.m., and I couldn't sleep, so I put my slippers on and stepped into the living room. My phone buzzed with a call from Holly James, the doctor I'd seen on and off casually.

"Hello?"

"Hey, darlin'! I was in the neighborhood and happened to stop by your place. Can I see you now?" Holly's sultry voice spoke.

"Wow, you surprised me. Were you thinking of me?"

"Maybe. Perhaps I missed you."

"I'll let you in. I can offer you something to drink, but I need to be up early for work tomorrow."

"Sure, sweetie."

When I opened the door a minute later, I felt relieved to see Holly's lithe and limber frame and her familiar blue eyes. "Well, will you let me in?" she asked. Her sweet face lit up when she grinned, revealing perfectly straight teeth. Holly was breathtakingly beautiful and she smelled sweet, like delicious cherries.

I motioned for her to step into my apartment. "Would you like some tea or coffee?" I asked.

"No, just some water will be fine."

After getting a glass of water from the open-plan kitchen, I sat down on the sofa next to Holly, gazing into her azure eyes. I leaned toward the coffee table to put her glass on the surface. When she had sipped her drink, Holly inched closer and stroked my hair. "You're so fucking beautiful," she whispered, planting passionate kisses along my jawline as her hand slipped between my legs.

"The things you do to me," I moaned, exploring the sweetness of her lips as I felt her nimble fingers massage my moist sex. There was something special about being with a woman; it was a sensual kind of magic, so tender and delicious that no man could replicate.

Unlike Alistair's kisses, which were rougher and more demanding, Holly's kisses were smooth and soft. Her velvety lips were edible, tasting like cherry delight. Hungry for her, I lifted her blouse and licked the small, pink tips of her breasts.

"You're turning me on," Holly murmured as her nipples stiffened.

"Do you want to spend the night here?" I asked. Her usually bright-blue eyes were dilated, glazed in a dark, dreamlike trance. Blinded by Holly's affection, I didn't notice anything odd until I felt a sharp prick on my arm, like a mosquito bite.

"Ouch!" I yelped in pain, only registering now that Holly had cunningly removed a syringe from her pocket and injected my bare arm with it.

"It will only take a second," she said as my eyes fluttered from both the shock and the sting of the pain. "Stay still. It will hurt less and be over soon."

"What have you done to me, Holly?" I cried, slowly feeling the lethargic effect of the drug.

"It's just a little something to send you to sleep. Don't worry; I won't kill you."

Drifting into drowsiness, I remembered Holly opening my front door and bringing a burly man inside my home, asking him to carry me to his car. I wanted to shout, but energy departed my body as sleep clouded my brain with a darkness that had no dream. Letting Holly into my apartment was the biggest mistake I made in my life. It wasn't strangers I should have been afraid of. It was the people I knew.

A/N: It's hard to stand up alone when harassed by a bunch of bullies. Well, Vera managed, and I'm proud of her.

What will Holly do to Vera?

It takes hours to write a first draft and weeks to edit. It takes minutes to read a chapter and seconds to comment and hit that star ⭐️ 🙏