Chapter 14 – Appearances

POV: Elena

By Saturday evening, I was standing in front of my bedroom mirror wondering whether it was possible to fake my death and escape a charity fundraiser.

Unfortunately, the answer was probably no.

A garment bag lay open across my bed, revealing the pale blue dress Richard had insisted was "perfect for the occasion." He claimed that university donors, local business owners, athletic sponsors, and several influential families connected to the school would attend tonight's event.

According to me, it sounded like hell.

I smoothed my hands over the fabric and sighed. The worst part wasn't even the event itself. It was the fact that I had to attend it with Jace.

A knock sounded against my bedroom door before it opened. My mother stepped inside. For a moment, her expression softened when she saw me. "You look beautiful," I said, smiling faintly. "You have to say that.” “You're my mother." "I'm also right."

She crossed the room and adjusted a loose strand of hair near my shoulder. The gesture was familiar enough to ease some of the tension sitting in my chest.

"Are you nervous?" she asked. I laughed. "Is it that obvious?" "A little." That was probably the understatement of the century. The past few days have been exhausting. Everywhere I went, people stared. Every public appearance became a discussion topic online. Every interaction with Jace felt like navigating a minefield.

Tonight promised to be even worse.

Before I could say anything else, my phone vibrated. One message appeared on the screen.

Jace: Stop hiding. We're leaving in five minutes.

I rolled my eyes.

My mother noticed. "Jace?" "Unfortunately." A laugh escaped her. "Try to enjoy yourself." I stared at her. "Have we met?" Her laughter followed me all the way downstairs.

The foyer looked like something out of a magazine.

Richard stood near the entrance in a perfectly tailored tuxedo while several household staff moved around making last-minute adjustments. Jace was already waiting beside the door. For a moment, I almost didn't recognize him. I was used to seeing him in basketball jerseys, hoodies, or casual clothes. Tonight, he wore a black suit that looked expensive enough to pay someone's tuition.

His eyes lifted when I reached the bottom step.

For the first time all evening, he stopped talking. The silence lasted only a second.

Still, I noticed. Apparently, so did Richard. A satisfied smile appeared on his face.

"Excellent." The word immediately made me suspicious. Richard stepped forward and looked between us. "Remember why we're attending tonight," I sighed. "To support the university." "No." I blinked. Richard's expression remained completely serious. "To be seen supporting the university. "The correction somehow made everything worse.

Beside me, Jace groaned.

"Can we go now?" "Please do." The drive to the hotel took twenty minutes. I spent most of it staring out the window. Jace spent most of it answering calls from teammates. Neither of us spoke much. The peace ended the moment we arrived.

The fundraiser occupied the ballroom of one of the city's most expensive hotels. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling while elegantly dressed guests moved through the room balancing champagne glasses and polite smiles.

I immediately wanted to leave.

"Smile." I looked up. Jace offered me his arm. My stomach sank. "Seriously?" "Seriously." The smile on his face never wavered. "People are watching." Of course they were. People were always watching.

Suppressing a sigh, I slipped my arm through his. The effect was immediate. Several conversations paused. Heads turned. Cameras appeared. I hated everything. Jace leaned slightly closer. "Relax." "I'm trying." "You look like you're attending a funeral." "Maybe because I want to be buried." His shoulders shook with laughter.

To anyone watching, we probably looked content. The thought was depressing.

For the next hour, we played our roles. We greeted donors. We smiled for photographs. We listened to boring conversations about investments, university programs, and athletic sponsorships.

Everywhere we went, people seemed fascinated by our engagement. Several women asked how we met. One man wanted to know when the wedding would be. Another congratulated Jace on "finding such a lovely young woman."

I smiled so much my face started hurting.

At some point, Jace handed me a glass of sparkling water and guided me toward one of the quieter corners of the ballroom. "You look exhausted." I accepted the drink gratefully. "I am exhausted." His mouth twitched. "You've only been pretending to like people for an hour." "Exactly." To my surprise, he laughed. The sound felt different here. Softer. More genuine.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

The noise of the ballroom faded into the background as we stood together near one of the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city. The silence wasn't uncomfortable. That realization caught me off guard. Then a familiar voice shattered it.

"Well, this is disappointing." Every muscle in my body tensed.

Camille.

She stood several feet away wearing a sleek red dress and an expression that suggested she had just discovered something unpleasant. Her gaze moved from me to Jace. Then back again. 

"You're really committing to the performance." Jace's expression hardened immediately. "What do you want?" Camille smiled. The expression never reached her eyes. "I came to support the university." "Sure you did." The smile widened.

For a moment, I thought she might continue the argument. Instead, her attention settled on me. Something cold flickered behind her eyes.

"I hope you're enjoying yourself, Elena." The words sounded harmless. The tone didn't. Before I could respond, Camille leaned slightly closer.

"Just remember that some fairy tales have expiration dates." A chill ran down my spine. Jace stepped forward instantly.

"Leave."

The single word carried enough force to make several nearby guests glance in our direction. For the first time all evening, Camille's smile slipped. Not completely. Just enough to reveal the anger underneath. Then, as quickly as it appeared, the mask returned.

"See you both soon." She turned and disappeared into the crowd.

The knot in my stomach remained. Beside me, Jace's jaw clenched. "You okay?" The question surprised me. I looked up. For once, there was no sarcasm in his expression. No arrogance. Just concern. The sight unsettled me more than Camille's warning. Because concern was harder to defend against.

And as I stood beside him beneath the ballroom lights, surrounded by people who believed our relationship was real, I found myself thinking something dangerous.

Pretending was becoming easier.

Far too easy.