Contract Marriage starring Love and Revenge
Chapter 96. Your stench.

Chapter 96: 96. Your stench.

"Champagne! You came!" Here comes the drama. The red lipstick, the unreasonably long lashes extension, the sparkling blue eyes and that ever bright big but sinister smile.

I thought seeing her today would ignite some kind of anger inside me though.

"Everything about her irritates me." I hear Duke mutter to himself and I look up and almost burst into laughter as I see the really irritated look on his face. It’s really a contrast to how men usually look at Alicia. I was really worried for nothing. Duke doesn’t have eyes for Alicia, and I don’t think he ever will... Alicia who is looking at Duke with those covetous eyes is the problem.

"You were so late that I thought you were not going to make it." She says as she’s reaching my side. She’s talking to me but why is she standing directly in front of Duke?

I thought I would be boiling with rage when I came face to face with the woman who worked behind the scenes to take away one of the things that makes me a woman.

"I wouldn’t miss my dear aunty’s wedding, would I?" I say with an even brighter smile than the one on her face.

But surprisingly enough, and contrary to my fear, I feel quite normal. Too normal if you ask me.

"Mr Grand, I’m glad you came with Champagne," She says, no longer hiding that her focus is Duke not me. For a second,

I don’t know if it’s because I’m standing next to Duke or maybe because I had prayed beforehand that God give me the grace to face her with a clear mind and head. But I am unbelievable calm and my mood is not rotten at all. In fact, I’m in a very good mood right now.

I see her eyes shift to the lines of his neck that are visible through his collar and something flashes through her eyes.

Anger, annoyance, jealousy. I can see it all. But she blinks and pushes back all that emotion, masking them with a radiant smile.

Shs opens her mouth to say something, "You are—"

"Miss if you don’t mind, I’d appreciate it if you stepped back a little." Duke suddenly says. "Your perfume is getting to my nose." I can’t help snickering. I press my lips together to hold back the laugh that’s building inside me.

I don’t like the smell of rosemary but it seems Duke has come to hate the smell much more than I do.

The orchestra are playing a mild and low piece, so the music doesn’t hamper the hearing of people. Most especially, those who are close to us can easily hear the conversation going on between us.

I can hear people whispering to themselves, saying things like, ’He says her perfume is getting to his nose, does that mean he’s getting intoxicated by her?’

I’m sure that’s what Alicia would wish and think too.

Seeing the smile growing wider on her face and her cheeks reddening proves I’m right.

"I’ve heard a lot of men say they can’t help getting drunk on my scent, I guess Mr Grand is a man after all." Hah! Her level of flirting is beyond normal. What? Drunk on her scent? And is she trying to imply that Duke is like all those other men who wag their tails around her?

She literally just insulted Duke in front of all these people by saying that to a man who is standing right next to his wife. Because her words simply translate to, ’Even though your wife is right beside you, I can still grab your attention and you’re still infatuated with me.’ The audacity of this woman never ceases to amaze me.

"It seems you are implying that I, for some reason have taken some form of interest in you like others have," Uh-Ohh, seems my dear Grand Duke is pissed. I’m already loving this party.

From the look on Alicia’s face, I can tell she knows she fucked up by saying those words, "N_no, I was only—"

"Well allow me to correct that misconception of yours." He says with that face that says, ’I am exhibiting composed anger right now.’

"I only asked you to step back because you have a foul stench that really disturbs me, and I was trying to be polite to you when I told you your perfume was getting to my nose. In truth, and to put it plainly, what I wanted to say was that, Miss, you’re oozing a rather unpleasant stench and it’s obstructing the flow of clean air, thereby making it difficult for me to breathe, so kindly move some steps back so my wife and I can stop holding our breaths."

I can’t!!! "Hahahahah!!!" I can’t hold it back!! I’ve been holding it in for too long. I know I’m being loud and really undignified but I wasn’t expecting such a blunt and wicked response.

Oh! Maybe it’s because the things happening in this party have just been so funny that I can not dwell on my sorrows at all.

Or perhaps because I’ve been in quite a good mood even before leaving the house, and that mood continued even when we got inside the car. It heightened in the car actually... Thank God I can smile and laugh because of Duke. Thank God I can laugh out loud in front of this woman so she knows even though she broke me, I’m not broken.

But seriously how could he say that to her with a straight face?!

Talking about faces, thee look on Alicia’s face, I want to take a picture and make it a meme or just a random sticker. I didn’t know Duke had such savage responses to give. This is wholesome.

The fact that his words now make her step back with shock makes everything even funnier than it’s supposed to be.

"I’m sorry," I whisper to Duke as I try to quell my laughter.

"It’s fine. You look adorable when you laugh out loud." ohhh, now he’s making me blush.

"Oh stop it."

"Who do we have here?" Ahh, finally, here comes the main witch herself.

In a long blue dinner dress, fitted to hug the curves of her body in a very royal fashion, she makes her way towards us. She is as beautiful as ever, with that wicked smile on her face.

"Champagne darling, if you came to my birthday party shouldn’t you at least come and wish mee a happy birthday?" She says with that very bright and motherly smile.

"Ah, my husband and I were going to, but we got help up." J cast a glance to the woman who held us.

"I see, forget Alicia and come give your old aunt a hug. I’ve missed you my dear." She says with her arms opened wide.

This woman cam never change.

I move but Duke’s hold on my hand tightens a little, then I turn to him and give him a reassuring smile. He releases my hand and I walk into the arms of my aunt.

"Happy birthday aunt." I say as I wrap my arms around her.

"Thank you my dear girl," she says while hugging me rather strongly, then she adds in a very low whisper, "I see you caught yourself a very big fish."

I smile, "He’s the tastiest too." I respond and lift my head from her shoulder but still remain in her arms and she’s staring at me with a smile on her face, while stroking my hair like she has really missed me,

"I see you’ve grown wings while being away from me," He hand suddenly tightens on some strands of my hair, and she tugs at those strands, causing a sharp pain at my scalp. Others won’t notice what she’s doing, She’s such a smart and wicked woman.

But I will no longer let her bully or treat me like she used to.

I take that hand that is tugging at my hair and hold it in both my hands while squeezing the strength out of that hand all with a smile that matches the one on her face. "Well what can I say? Tasting that fish we were talking about gave me the right nutrients I needed to grow my wings that you had broken time and time again. And I hope you will watch as I grow these wings to the size of a Dragon’s all while eating that fish on a constant and steady basis."

"Hah! My dear, I really missed you. You just left without saying a word to me." She speaks out loud.

"I was kicked out so suddenly, I did not have time to say goodbye. I hope you understand."

"You’ve become quite insolent," she switches to whispering again, "And lewd and shameless too." Her eyes moves over my chest and neck as she speaks.

"Well what can I say? That fish loves eating me as much as I love eating him." She thinks she can make me feel ashamed, think again aunt.