Marina’s heart fluttered with hope.
Jonathan might not be looking at her, but it was clear she still occupied his thoughts.
Tonight, thanks to Niamh’s scheming, she’d become a pariah–everyone seemed eager to turn on her. Yet Jonathan was still willing to dance with her.
As long as Jonathan stood by her side, she could still hold her head high. She was still the darling of the night.
Her spirits lifted, and she slid her arm through Jonathan’s.
Jonathan glanced indifferently at his own arm, a faint crease appearing between his brows.
At every other gala, Jonathan had always been the center of attention–and naturally, so was his dance partner.
But tonight was different.
Marina’s earlier embarrassment had already given everyone a bad impression of her. To make matters worse, Elmer’s special status and Niamh’s breathtaking, one–of–a–kind gown had made them the undeniable stars of the ballroom. Jonathan and Marina, by comparison, became little more than window dressing.
Marina gritted her teeth, seething inwardly.
Why should Niamh get all the glory?
With a dramatic twirl, Marina deliberately tried to bump into Niamh.
But Jonathan, keeping perfect time with the music, spun Marina away from
Niamh’s side.
Undeterred, Marina tried again on the next turn, aiming to step on Niamh’s dress.
Niamh, graceful as ever, lifted her hem and sidestepped, leaving Marina’s foot to land awkwardly on the floor.
Elmer caught the scene from the corner of his eye, his gentlemanly smile never faltering.
As the dancers spun again, Elmer “accidentally” stepped on Marina’s n. There was a sharp ripping sound–and in an instant, Marina’s rose–pink dress split down the middle, exposing her from the waist down.
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For a moment, every eye in the ballroom was on Marina.
At last, she was the center of attention.
With a piercing scream, Marina grabbed at the torn fabric to cover her underwear and bolted from the hall.
“Did you see that? She was wearing sheer panties…”
“Who was she hoping to seduce, dressed like that?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Mr. Thomas must have a thing for her!”
Nearby, a cluster of society ladies and debutantes whispered gleefully, but their gossip died off quickly when Jonathan’s icy glare swept over them. The chill in his presence was enough to silence them all.
Jonathan turned that cold, mocking expression on Elmer..
“Well, Dr. White. Who would’ve thought the government’s star scientist, a celebrated PhD from overseas, would stoop to something so petty?”
“Don’t blame Elmer–it was my fault. I stepped on her dress.”
Niamh moved forward, speaking up before Elmer could respond.
It didn’t matter how celebrated Elmer was, or how much the city valued him. In Aldenville, Jonathan still held the real power.
Niamh knew exactly how much Jonathan adored Marina. After the humiliation Marina had just suffered, there was no way Jonathan would let this go.
She didn’t want Elmer to make an enemy of Jonathan so soon after arriving in Aldenville–not over something that involved her. That would only harm Elmer’s
future.
She had hoped her explanation might cool Jonathan’s temper.
But instead, his expression darkened further. He stared at her, his eyes burning hot
as brands.
Niamh was bewildered. When Marina’s dress had been torn and she’d been exposed, Jonathan hadn’t looked nearly this furious. Why now?
“You’re really going to take his side…”
Jonathan’s voice was barely above a whisper, but the anger in it was ‘nmistakable.
Elmer placed a reassuring hand on Niamh’s shoulder and stepped protectively in
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front of her.
“Mr. Thomas, you saw as well as I did–your partner tried to trip Nia during the dance…”
Jonathan’s gaze flickered upward.
He said nothing.
But his silence spoke volumes.
He wanted to look past Elmer, to see Niamh’s reaction, to read her face.
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