My Sweet Punishment by Amelia Brooks (best book club books of all time .TXT) 📕

       Well, I’ll try to get out of it somehow. And even if I meet her, God forbid. I’ll pretend to be a fool that I’m here with my other boss, and I didn’t even think it was her Collins’s birthday. But it’s only for the worst-case scenario. Because it doesn’t sound very convincing either.

       On Thursday evening, I received another package. I opened the big box with a sinking heart, and I think even stopped breathing for a while. From there, I carefully took out a long evening dress of soft sky color, made of some light fabric, and embroidered with small white flowers. They ran down a path from the bodice of the dress to the hem. It’s... very beautiful. And it was obviously handmade. I’m afraid to imagine how much such a dress can cost!

        I wasn’t planning to present him anything. But this morning, on my way to work on the subway, I came across an old lady selling various porcelain figurines. And my gaze unconsciously fell on the statuette of a wild white wolf lying peacefully on a blue stone. But its posture and look were deceptive. Because, judging by his narrowed, frozen gaze, the predator was ready to pounce on its prey at any second. I immediately remembered Collins with his similar behavior and smirked.

        I quickly paid the lovely woman and put the figurine in my bag. And in the lunch break, left the gift on the Collins’s table. By the way, he wasn’t at work. Apparently, he was already celebrating his day somewhere.

       I was still looking at the wonderfully magical dress when my phone suddenly lit up.

       Collins: “In half an hour, the driver will pick you up and take you to the beauty salon, and after to the party. Be ready”

       Well, of course, the salon. I can’t put on my own makeup to avoid embarrassing myself in front of his elite guests. Ironic thoughts flashed through my mind, and I rolled my eyes. Maybe he’ll also choose which underwear I should wear!

       But no matter how much I resented it in my head because, half an hour later, I was already sitting in some expensive beauty salon, where several people at once fluttered over me. One of the girls put my thick hair in an elaborate buxom hairstyle and pinned on the side of it some small silver barrette with glistening stones. I looked closer and saw…

       MINION?! Very funny, Mr. Collins. Is this a subtle hint that no matter how much I dress up, in his eyes, I will always look like that time in the club? I chuckled. But I really liked the barrette.

       The other girl did my makeup. And when they turned me to the mirror, I just couldn’t believe my eyes. So unreal seemed the girl in its reflection. And too perfect.

       Under other circumstances, I may have been happy with my appearance, but... now I can hardly be unnoticed. Heck!

        It was almost dark when we arrived at the Collins’s mansion. As we drove up, I noticed a huge number of cars. And I was met, no, not by the hero of the occasion, but by the butler. Wow… I held out my hand to an imposing man in a uniform, who smiled at me sincerely. Now I feel like at least some kind of princess.

       Wow, so many people there. As the man led me to the house, I kept seeing women in smart evening dresses on the arm of men in expensive tailcoats. I, too, often caught curious men’s eyes on me, and even women’s – but not always kind.

       The Butler ushered me into a large hall where the city’s overworld stood in pairs or groups. I felt out of place again, and Olivia must be here somewhere. And where is Collins?! It’s just impossible to find someone here in such a crowd. I took a glass of champagne and sipped it.

       Suddenly there was a silence in the hall, the music stopped playing, and everyone started moving closer to the end of the room. A wave of people caught up with me. And now I was standing not far from the dais (something like a stage) where a live band was playing, and now Collins was standing. I froze with my eyes wide open.

       The man looked as perfect as always. The perfect hairstyle. The perfect dark blue suit with a white shirt fit him like a glove. Just the man of every girl’s dream.

       “Ladies and gentlemen, I am grateful to all of you for having the honor of appearing at my party today,” the man was so confident and at ease in public.

        As he spoke, his eyes roamed the crowd as if searching for someone. Suddenly his gaze stopped on me and didn’t move anywhere else. A look of astonishment crossed his face, and for a few seconds, he even stopped speaking.

      “Enjoy your evening, and thank you for your coming,” Collins finished his address to the guests and strode straight to me.

       The band started playing again, some slow melody, and people began to pair up. Heck! Heck! Heck! He’s not going to ask me to dance right now, is he?!

        I began slowly stepping back. A little more and I will run. But fortunately, the road to me was blocked by... that red-haired woman! She hung on Collins’s neck. And I exhaled. I was almost out of his sight when he gave me a look that made my knees buckle.

      Ugh... Mia, I think you’re in trouble. How it’s typical for me now. But it was she who hung on him. He should dance with wanting him girls, not with someone who shied away from him every time.