Moon's Pov.
The cool evening breeze wrapped around me as I stepped out of the house, the sound of my heels echoing against the marble steps just as my return was going to echo.
The sleek black car awaited at the entrance, its polished surface reflecting the fading light of the day. The chauffeur stood there, his expression in awe as he waited for me to approach.
I could almost feel an expression of shock radiating from him. I wasn't the old Moon that they once knew.
William was already by the car, adjusting the cuffs of his suit. He had waltze off, walking ahead of me and leaving me behind.
Now that I'm here, his gaze flickered towards me for a split second before he looked away, his jaw tightened as if he was trying to suppress some form of irritation.
I didn't respond to his silence. Instead, I made my way over to the car, my fingers brushing the cool fabric of my gown.
Nana's insistence on attending this auction was something I could use—something that could put me one step ahead. William clearly didn't want to be here, or anywhere around me but I had no intention of letting him ruin my plans.
Clarissa's voice broke the silence behind me. "How fitting," she sneered, the sound of her heels clicking sharply against the pavement as she approached. "You are playing dress-up for an event you don't even belong in."
I raised my lips, it wasn't a smile of humor but a smirk. Yes, the Moon she knew wouldn't have belonged to such events but not anymore.
I ignored her completely, sliding past her. I didn't have to dignify her words with a response. Instead, I turned to William, my voice calm, making it sickeningly sweet. "Darling, aren't we going, or do you still have more issues to work out?"
Clarissa's jaws dropped, her eyes snapping towards William and waiting for him to rebuke me.
But William's eyes narrowed with frustration, but he didn't answer me making Clarissa gasp in disbelief. Her thought of William snapping at me didn't happen because he simply opened the car door and slid inside with sharp movements.
Clarrissa, as expected, tries to follow suit. She screamed out, when I dragged her by her hair.
"Are you crazy, Moon? Do you want to kill me?"
"I told you earlier, know your place." I craned my neck, folding my arms across my chest. "It's not like you're invited in the first place. Even though you're tagging along like a leech, you should wait back for the legal wife to go in first, don't you think?"
After saying that, I released her hair and she stumbled back, creating the well needed space to enter.
I got into the car, my heels barely making a sound against the floor as I settled into the plush leather seat beside William, smiling at him even though his eyes were glaring daggers at me.
"What was that?" His voice rang out angrily. "You keep telling her to know her place, but don't you think it's you who should know her place? If it weren't for my grandmother, she would have been in your place. So you should accord her some respect!"
"Yes, yes, I know but I'm still your legal wife for a year. So both of you will have to deal with me and after one year, I'll be out of your lives."
William frowned. He wanted to speak but before he could, the door to the other side opened, and Clarrissa stepped in with a dramatized huff. She leaned in far too close for my liking, her presence far more…eager than usual.
The door clicked shut behind us, and the car rolled away from the mansion. I glanced briefly out the window, watching the lights of the mansion grow distant. Inside, the atmosphere was thick with tension.
William buried his face in the phone, his fingers tapping quickly across the screen. Clarrissa on the other hand smirked, glancing at me as she crossed her legs with exaggerated grace.
She let her heel brush against his pants, legs crossed in what I could only assume was an attempt at seduction. But like a fool that she was, I didn't look at her, completely ignoring her.
"Well, you know," she began, begging for attention when I didn't look at her, voice surgery sweet. "People are starting to talk about you."
I glanced at her, allowing the faintest smile to pull at my lips. "Oh?"
Clarissa's smile grew wider, too wide, as if she took some twisted pleasure in the idea of causing trouble. "Yes, and don't you want to know what kind of words people are saying about you?"
I allowed myself a wider smile, leading her on. "Oh? I'd like to know."
"Words are spreading about how desperate you were to marry into the Alexanders. How you practically threw yourself at William to secure your place here."
I met her eyes without even a hint of flinching. "Is that so?"
She leaned forward slightly, dripping her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, all the while showing a handful of her cleavage, further seducing William. "And they also say you were involved with someone else before William. That you have… secrets."
At that, I felt William's gaze shift from his phone to me. For the briefest moment, our eyes met, and something flickered in his.
Curiosity? Maybe. Or maybe just confusion.
But I didn't let it faze me. He never loved me and the one he loved is sitting right beside him.
I trained my gaze on Clarissa. "And tell me," I said slowly, my voice smooth. "are these the same people who think Botox is a personality trait?"
I know what she was doing, Clarrissa. She was trying to spread malicious rumors about me.
Her expression faltered, before it returned quickly to her practiced sneer. But she didn't have the chance to respond. The car slowed, and I heard the soft hum of the engine die down as we pulled up to the auction house.
The valet was already there, rushing forward to open the door for me. I stepped out first, taking a deep breath as I took in the sight of the auction house before me.
It was everything I had expected—grand chandeliers glittering inside and an air of unmistakable old wealth and power.
Plastering a broad smile on my face, I turned to William. "Shall we?"
For a moment, he said nothing. His lips parted slightly, like he was about to speak, but then he thought better of it.
Instead, he gave a terse nod and followed me out of the car.
I smirked when Clarissa could only shoot me a glance full of spite and pain as she alighted as well.
When I saw the cameras flashing towards our direction, I slowly grabbed William's arm, linking mine to his.
Surprise flickered in his face before it turned into shock and then disbelief! "Moon, if I didn't know that you're so shameless, I would have almost believed you are there for my grandmother and not because you want to cling onto me."
His tone was laced with displeasure as he tried to pull away. But I don't let him.
"Look," I try to show him, but he cuts me off.
"What, coming up with another pathetic excuse for clinging to me?" His tone held a tinge of humiliation. "I thought you said we won't meddle in each other's business?"
"Yes, but not when the cameras are flashing non-stop. Or," I tiptoed in order to whisper to his ear. "Can you deal with the scandals if news of your divorce starts spreading?"
From my periphery, I could see Clarissa who stood there, looking like she wanted to murder someone. She was fuming.
Clarrissa wanted to play the games of whispers and rumors? I chuckled internally, a mild glint flashing across my face.
Then I would show her how it was truly done!