Ember tries to conceal the coldness in her gaze; but as soon as she turns to one side, she sees a familiar short blonde-haired girl from a short distance. Her demure appearance that can almost convince everyone to protect her only gives Ember a different reaction. Instead of the feeling of protectiveness, anger and violence surge through her heart.
The urge to smack the face of that slut is strong. Ember coldly smirks, which the whore noticed, making her stop in tracks. Her bright honey-doe eyes are wide, totally not expecting to see the woman whose fiancé she has heartlessly stolen away. She takes a step back, but Ember is already heading to her direction. Her smug smirk, to other's perception, is just a sweet smile offered to a stranger.
"Waitress, can you kindly please hand me that slice of cake?" she asks in a polite tone as she gracefully walks over to the position of Lily Lien. Her aureus eyes are only solely focused on her face, never resting on the chocolate cake the peasant holds. It's clear that her intention is not just about the food; Ember Wang is clearly planning something.
Lily's honey doe eyes slowly avert to the cake she's holding and is about to eat. Then she returns her gaze to this amber-haired beauty. For a second, her innocent face twitches into a not-so-innocent expression. Not so happy being asked with the question since it took her a while to get this flavor; why in the world should she give her this cake.
Innocence may not be so pure at all; it can be vexed sometimes. "You have hands," Lily frankly says, a bit annoyed with the interaction. That polite smile of Ember has a hint of scorn in it, and Lily isn't that stupid enough to not discern it. Sure, she isn't stupid; but she still sure is not thinking or exhausted— enough to forget her place. Ember, after all, is not someone she can casually talk in that kind of manner. They may be standing at the corner of the room, but a few people were able to overhear the conversation.
"What the?! Can a waitress just talk to someone like that?!" A man dressed in a tuxedo suit glares at Lily, not simply liking the tone that was used on the respectable Ember Wang. Lily tries to defend herself, but someone interrupts her again. The woman he is clutching by the arm— probably his girlfriend— scrutinies the girl's figure from top to bottom. Her judging gaze, actively looking for any fault. "She probably isn't one of the waitresses here. She isn't wearing a uniform."
"Well, with what she's wearing, she probably should apply for the position." another woman voices out her opinions, sending a look of disgust to the peasant while clicking her tongue in irritation at the disrespect that she boldly gave to the goddess. Lily looks at them, wide-eyed, as she can't believe that she's being treated in such a manner.
Lily isn't really ugly; she's actually very beautiful. A fragile beauty in fact. But standing beside the famed Muse of Beauty, she certainly cannot hold a candle against her. The innocence and vulnerability she seems to show can't even attract any bystander to come and help her with the situation she is in. Ember really isn't someone she can match with.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't know–" Acting all innocent, Ember expresses her apologies and guilt. She slightly covers her mouth. The tiny gesture is part of the act, but it also serves to hide the smirk from everyone but the shameless whore in front of her. "—slut," she even adds, mouthing it. Catching a glimpse of that smirk and the word that has been mouthed at her, Lily is slowly losing her patience.
She's honestly way too exhausted to deal with anyone at all right now. Her mind is too unprepared as she didn't even expect to bump into the fiancée of her Lessio-ge. She tries to look for help, gazing at anyone; but they correspondingly retreat from her, ignoring her pleading gazes. She looks at Ember, slightly disgruntled. It makes it even worse when she only spots the unapologetic smirk.
"You—"
Almost in the midst of exploding, someone suddenly pulls her as she later finds herself behind Caiden's protective stance. She also sees Alessio coming but not for her. Instead, he stays beside his fiancée and looks at them. A cautious move. Since they are currently outside, Alessio can't simply do what he wants to. One wrong move, and his reputation— her reputation— is instantly ruined.
The amber haired beauty tilts her attention to her fiancé and sees him quietly staring at the couple right before them. Her lips twitch before she turns to the front again. 'Oh, how nice. Both your prince charmings are here. You can't even handle me alone.' Ember mentally rolls her eyes. Seeing that the actor's electric blue eyes are on her, she grants him a smile.
The Film Emperor, in return, glares at her, not liking the treatment she just gave to his beloved woman. He has no intention to ignore her behavior but instead calls her out for it. "Did you really have to be so disrespectful?" Caideen sneers at her, making her almost scoff.
So he saw it, huh. Well, the slut was the one who originally started it first. It was only normal for her to retaliate back. Ember didn't expect Alessio to defend her because— why would he? He hates her too and will most likely call her a bitch too for Lily, so Ember opens her mouth to speak. "I—" But the end, she finds herself being cut off by someone.
"Well, aren't you the disrespectful one? Ember clearly stated sorry, but you're still trying to pick a fight? Who are you to attack her on that woman's behalf?!" Ember, astonished, turned to her fiancée; but only perceived that nothing has changed from his emotionless expression.
His jade green eyes are too occupied resting on the couple to even bother to spare her a glance. With the way Alessio hurt her, Ember didn't think that it's possible for her already broken heart to be further shattered. Yet with those non-existing actions, disappointment surged into her slightly hopeful heart...
A hand rests on her shoulder. She turns to the other side and spots the original owner of those words. Kielle Xu. She shakes her head; a faint smile on her lips. How ridiculous for her to mistake his voice to his older stupid brother; it's only a sign that she hasn't healed from his foolish actions.
Ember can only sigh in her heart, a bit frustrated with herself— not liking how she can be so hopeful of Alessio's feelings for her when, needless to say, there are no feelings existing. 'When exactly will you be hurt enough to be numb?' That; she can only ask that to herself and be answered in the future. Ember shrugs off those useless thoughts as she compels herself to focus on the other man.
"You came?" she whispers, faintly smiling.
Her golden eyes still carry a bit of sadness, only making Kielle feel a bit worried for her. The assurance in her smile didn't convince him even a little. With the way Alessio is behaving right now— If he hadn't come, then Ember would have no one to defend her but herself. It angers him, but he first has to suppress it for Ember's sake.
His gaze are tender as he nods at his best friend, "Well… you did force me. Couldn't have my best friend getting mad at me for ditching her," he lightheartedly chuckles before seriously turning to the blue-eyed actor and the lady behind him. The affectionate gaze falters as his green eyes darken; a sneer on his lips"— and neither could I let someone ruin your reputation over a simple mistake."
"Look. If you wanted more apologies, I'll also apologize for Ember's sake. I'm very sorry that my friend mistook you for a waitress. Since I'm feeling very generous right now, I'll give you a tip. For this to not happen again, maybe next time you should dress better."
'Even I would mistake you as a waitress—' Kielle is clearly unforgiving with the content of his words. But the expression of his face is rather too adorable to say. With his pout and puppy eyes, it is strangely able to garner a lot of sympathy and agreement from the other bystanders. The sound of mocking is too clear in his statement, but the random people involved are rather too harsh; they ignore it and will themselves to side with Ember.
"Kielle doesn't even need to apologize! I don't know why that woman made a big deal out of everything! She even dared to involve Caiden when Ember only made an honest mistake," a lady exclaims in disbelief, not liking how an inferior woman is being protected by such a respectable actor while Ember, on the other hand, is being painted as a villainess just for a small misunderstanding.
"Such a petty lady," another man comments, looking at the fragile-looking woman. He takes in her appearance; and she doesn't seem so bad, but her personality… how boorish! "Ember already said sorry and yet she couldn't just accept and move on." He shakes his head, utterly disappointed.
Lily curls her hands. Her honey-doe eyes, starting to get watery. She presses her lips together and tries to hold back the tears from falling. Whether those tears are merely for show or she's really affected by the insults she heard, it is able to capture Caiden's pity without a doubt— and maybe even her fiancé. The actor shakes his head, sighing, before carefully dragging her shaking figure to the garden. Ember casually turns to Alessio and sees those jade eyes of his are still centered on them.
The slight guilt that she may have in her heart instantly evaporates. Maybe she really has become a bitch. Ember dryly chuckles as she gives a final look at the man she once lovingly called Zio-ge. But they deserve it.
Averting her attention to her silver-haired Kielle, she smiles and pats his shoulder as a gesture of gratitude. "Anything for my best friend," Kielle murmurs, causing her to roll her eyes. Though it's not exactly anything since he cannot always afford to let her have her way, but Ember knows that he's the type of person who would do anything in his power for her to not be hurt.
Recalling that she's still being observed by the crowd, she slightly bows her head as a gesture of pardon and humility. "Please do continue with your night. I sincerely apologize for the ruckus I have caused earlier. It's not my intention to trouble you with such a scene. I do hope that you could forget that though and proceed to enjoy what the party has to offer." She smiles with a hint of sadness and shame that the audience is quickly able to pick up.
Their hearts are all touched by her actions. Some nod and excuse themselves while others, before leaving her alone, assure her that mistakes like that do happen most often, and that there is not really something to be sorry for. After all those small talks, Ember leaves the party and Alessio to Kielle's company as she sets out to the garden for a breath of air.
Her aureus eyes, dangerously glinting in the dark. Ember can't help but smirk as she recalls the acting she pulled through to make the slut lost her face in public. Maybe— maybe, she did go too far with her actions, but so what?! 'They honestly should have given it a thought first before hurting me.' Public humiliation is not even enough for that whore. If that whore had only been a man, then Ember would have happily castrated her.