Chapter 22 Preparation for the gala
Ophelia’s POV
“Yeah, alright. As if you don’t have a crush on Dylan. Stop lying to yourself, Ava,” I scoffed with my phone held against my ear as I arranged my freshly-washed clothes into the walk-in closet.
“No, of course not. Eww, I don’t like that guy, he acts too aloof and most importantly, he is a bully. Have you forgotten how wicked he was to me in high school?” Ava retorted, and I could picture her prancing around her bedroom, with flushed cheeks as she spoke about him.
“Okay, since you said so, milady. I won-” I was cut short by a knock on the door, and I huffed in irritation as I walked to the door and flung it open.
It was one of Ryan’s maids.
“Good morning, Miss Ophelia. Master has requested your presence in his study,” She informed me before I could hang up on Ava.
Fuck, the maid had blown my cover.
My boss, according to my lies, was an incontinent old man who could only speak and eat. He couldn’t walk or do any hectic actions, and he’d definitely not be able to go to a study for anything.This is property © of NôvelDrama.Org.
“Lia, what did you say? Sorry, my neighbor was being loud with his fucking speakers, so I can’t hear you,” Ava said, and I heaved a sigh of relief as I motioned to the maid to give me a minute.
It seemed the heavens were still on my side and didn’t want to expose me at that moment.
“Oh, I guess I’ll have to call you soon. I have to go now, bye,” I rapped out in a breath before I quickly ended the call and slipped my phone into my pocket.
“Okay, I’ll go now,” I uttered, to which the maid slightly bowed before she trekked away from my room.
I watched her leave with my heart violently pounding against my ribs as a heavy mist of fear suddenly hovered over my head.
What did Ryan want? Had I done something wrong again? I thought as I exited my room with my hands balled into fists by my side.
After Ryan raped my throat a week ago, I hadn’t seen him nor his shadow around the house, and I was immensely relieved by that.
I knew it wasn’t my place to complain since I signed up for his brutality but I didn’t want to see his face.
Hell, I couldn’t even think about him without shivering subconsciously.
I knocked on the door to the study after I had inhaled deeply to calm my raging nerves down.
“You can come in, Ophelia,” He grumbled, and I squeezed my eyes shut one last time before I slowly creaked the door open and trekked in.
He was trapped behind a large desk on a chair with a pen in one hand, and a cigarette in the other, and the realization of the latter made my eyes widen subconsciously.
Ryan was a smoker! Now that I thought of it, it made sense.
Maybe the smoke often got into his head and tampered with his brain, and caused him to behave like a demon.
His eyes, as usual, were devoid of emotion as he stared at me, I noticed his mouth was moving and his face was angrily scrunched up as if he was mad at something.
I frowned as I stared at him before I realized that I had unknowingly drifted off to a trance while I was inwardly badmouthing him.
“Were you speaking to me?” I quietly asked him, and he just scoffed and shook his head, clearly exasperated at my behavior.
“Where does your head always wander off to?” He hollered in response, and I almost staggered and fell to the floor at the way his voice reverberated across the room like a rumble of heavy thunder.
“I’m sorry,” I apologized, diverting my stare from his eyes. I felt uneasy as his gaze remained fixated on me.
“You’re going to a gala with me in two hours. Some people will come to take care of your outfit and the rest, be prepared. That’s all. You may leave now,” Ryan uttered, and my brows furrowed in a thin line in befuddlement.
“A gala?” I asked.
“Yes, Ophelia. A gala, a charity dinner. You know a sort of event where people dress fancy and you have to fake your smiles,” He elaborated, with an undertone of mockery tinged with irritation.
Goodness, could I ever do something right to the man? Why was he always so angered by my mere existence?
“I-okay,” I nodded, swallowing the sharp and rude retort that threatened to pry itself out of my mouth.
Then, I exited the study as I trekked back to my room with numerous unhinged thoughts bristling inside my head.
As I walked into my bedroom, I was shocked when I saw three ladies who were formally dressed in a way that reminded me of Ivy and Lana standing in the middle of the large room, with plain countenances.
“W-who are you?” I gasped as my hand crossed my heart in fright.
“Hello, Miss Ophelia. We are here to prepare you for the night,” The trio recited robotically with their cheeks bunching up in the same fake, identical smiles.
Oh, the people Ryan said were coming over. A voice in my head supplied me.
My worries slowly dissipated as I nodded hesitantly at them, and averted my gaze to the boxes and suitcases in their hands.
“Kindly take your seat in front of the dresser, she will tend to your face and hair,” One of the women, who I presumed was probably the boss among them said, motioning to the woman who was standing by her left side.
“She will take care of your manicure and pedicure while I will attend to your dress and shoes,” She gestured to the second woman with a plastic smile, and I nodded as I plopped down on the stool in front of the dresser.
They got to work as soon as my butt touched the stool, and my suffering began.