Chapter 16
Because I looked beautiful.
Not beautiful in spite of an invisible flaw.
Not beautiful as long as nobody looked too closely.
Beautiful while every scar was visible.
I had forgotten that those two things could exist together.
When I stepped into the main room, Gideon rose from his chair.
He looked at me.
Then he smiled.
Not the careful, pitying smile people sometimes gave when they didn't know what to say about my appearance.
A simple, genuine smile.
"Excellent choice, Vivian."
I let out a shaky laugh.
"You don't have to be polite."
"I'm not."
I turned slightly.
"The back is very open."
"I can see that."
"People will stare."
"Probably."
I looked at him.
"You're not helping."
"Would you prefer that I lie?"
To my own surprise, I laughed again.
The sound felt unfamiliar.
It had been a long time since I had laughed without first checking Preston's mood.
Gideon picked up my small evening bag and handed it to me.
Then his expression grew serious.
"There's something I want you to understand before we leave."
I waited.
"Tonight isn't about proving you can endure humiliation."
My smile faded.
"If anyone makes you uncomfortable, you may leave. If you decide not to pose for photographs, you don't have to. And if you decide halfway through the evening that you've had enough, I'll make sure you get home."
My chest tightened.
"You've thought about all of that?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
He considered the question.
"Because I watched you spend years making other people comfortable at your own expense."
For a moment, I couldn't answer.
Then I looked toward the mirror again.
"I want to go."
"Are you certain?"
"Yes."
I lifted my chin.
"And I want to walk in through the front entrance."
Gideon's eyes sharpened with approval.
"Then that's what we'll do."
He offered his arm.
I took it.
Just before we left, he leaned close enough for only me to hear.
"It's time to teach them a lesson."
The words sent a quiet thrill through me.
But I knew the lesson wouldn't be delivered by the expensive gown alone.
The dress was only fabric.
The woman inside it had made the decision.
The gala was being held in a magnificent Manhattan ballroom, where hundreds of guests had gathered beneath enormous crystal chandeliers.
Outside, photographers lined the red carpet.
Luxury cars moved slowly toward the entrance.
Security personnel guided executives, investors, and their companions through a corridor of flashing cameras.