take pictures with you.”
“And I wouldn’t have to sit in the corner.” She frowned.
I shook my head. “You should have been a politician with how calculating you are sometimes.”
She shrugged and waved me off. “This is nothing. You should see what some women will do to win a swimsuit competition.”
I didn’t think that was a good comparison, but I let it go and looked back at my sister. I didn’t want to fight with her, but I also didn’t want to close my eyes and pretend I didn’t see her lying to my face. The more I thought about it, the more I wondered what else she was lying to me about.
I had forgotten that marriage wasn’t about love in our world anyway. It was about fortune. Keeping it and growing it. People got married and divorced around here like it was a sport. Augusta must have made that choice as well.
I wanted to be better than that.
But I also didn’t want to be poor, either...or in my sister’s shadow.
Does that make me a bad person?
I wasn’t sure.
“I’m leaving,” I stated, standing up and taking one of the wine bottles from the center of the table with me.
“Where are you going?” my mom asked me.
“Home,” I said to her, and I looked her over. “What are you supposed to be, anyway?”
“Your fairy godmother, of course,” she stated, lifting her arms to show me how long her sleeves were.
I had to hand it to her. She really knew how to stick to her narrative.
“Goodnight, Mom.” I bent down and kissed the side of her cheek. “Don’t stay here too long. God knows what Yvonne will do or say next.”
“Who’s the mom here again?”
I smirked but didn’t say anything, taking the bottle with me and moving toward the double door. In the corner of my eye, I saw Augusta trying to get my attention. I kept walking, ignoring her and stepping out to the coat check, waiting for my jacket from the woman behind the corner.
“Odette.” Augusta dashed out of the double doors, holding on to the bottom of her skirt. “Are you leaving? You just got here.”
“I’m no longer in the mood for this. Thank you,” I said to the woman reaching for my jacket.
“If it’s about your mom—”
“She’s fine. Don’t worry,” I replied. “You should get back. I’m sure your mom wants to introduce you to more people. Bye.”
“Wait.” She grabbed my arm and came closer to me. “You pledged to donate a million dollars. Where are you going to get that money?”
I stared at her. She was truly unbelievable. She wasn’t asking to be concerned. She was asking to snoop.
“I’ll get the money from the same place you did.”
“What?”
I tilted my head to her. “Quick question. Are you going to keep Wyntor as your last name, or are you going to take your husband’s?”
Her eyes widened, her grip loosening. Her lips opened and closed like a damn goldfish.
“You know,” she finally confessed. “I’m sorry. My mom told me not to tell you—”
“Did she really?” I questioned. “Did she also tell you to call me and pretend like getting married for the money was a bad idea?”
“Let’s talk about this—”
“No.” I pulled back my arm. “Whatever game you and your mom are playing, I don’t want any part of it. I’m going to get what belongs to me, and we will all do our best not to cross paths with each other.”
“So, you’re going to do it?” She crossed her arms. “You are going to get married. Despite the fact that you always said you didn’t want to?”
“What? You can, but I can’t?” I stepped away from her. “Things change. I’m allowed to change my mind with them. And now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a husband to find.”
“Odette!”
I didn’t bother turning back. I was done with this crappy ball.
Chapter 9
“Sir... Sir.”
I groaned in protest, turning over.
“Your Highness, pardon me, but—”
“I do not want to pardon you. I want to go to sleep,” I muttered.
“So, I should tell that to Ms. Wyntor?”
My eyes snapped open, and I peeked under my arm at him. He stood there, stone-faced and disinterested.
“She came back?”
“She is waiting in—”
“I’m right here.”
At her voice, I flipped over on the bed to see her—still in that damn dress—in my doorway, holding a bottle of wine and two glasses.
“Miss! I told you to wait.” Iskandar panicked for the first time that I had ever seen.
“It’s my home, so why would I wait downstairs?” she stated, coming to