Free Web NovelChapter 51: What game are you playing Lyvana
Lyvana looked down at her plate. The salmon was perfectly seared, and the salads, everything looked delicious, but her throat felt tight. Every time she sat at this table, she felt suffocated.
The Vaughn family had a way of making her feel like a good for nothing,
and especially today, after what happened at the last dinner.
Susan wasn’t at the table, but the ever present Clarisse was here. She sat there with a smug look on her face.
If only she knew that I wanted her to take Mark from my hands for good.
Clarisse was dressed in comfortable clothes. She was probably living here now, Lyvana thought.
Is it possible to prove that they were having an affair. If she could, perhaps her grandmother might understand... or not. She might just end up making excuses for him.
"You don’t like the food?" Maya asked, breaking the silence?
Elena didn’t even wait for Lyvana to answer.
"We spent a lot of time on this meal, because Mark was trying to impress you," she said coldly. "But I suppose after hanging around Singapore, our home-cooked meals aren’t good enough for you anymore."
"Stop it Elena," Mark said.
"It isn’t the quality of the food, Elena," Lyvana said calmly, her voice steady despite the tension. "I am just a bit tired."
"That is true," Clarisse offered, tilting her head with a look of feigned concern. "Lyvana is just stressed. Mark has been telling me how hard you’ve been working on the upcoming runway show. It’s only natural that you’re a bit... stressed."
Lyvana lifted an eyebrow, her gaze shifting to her. The nerve of this woman — always pretending in front of everyone to be the perfect, supportive fixture in their lives, while secretly playing the role of the perfect mistress.
"My love," Lyvana said turning to Mark. "I was thinking. Let’s take a day’s trip out of town soon. What do you think."
Mark’s mouth was opened in surprise. "Um... sure."
Lyvana reached over and placed her hand on top of Mark’s lightly. She felt him stiffen, caught off guard by the sudden warmth. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Clarisse frowning.
"I think we need it," Lyvana continued, her voice sounding like honey. "Just the two of us. No work, no... distractions."
Then she stood up. "Let’s get some fresh air. Walk me to the entrance?"
Mark looked confused but followed her out anyway, clearly dazed by her sudden change in mood.
As they stepped onto the gravel path, he held her waist pulling her close. Then he started to kiss her neck. Lyvana nearly pushed him off.
When Mark lifted his hand to cup her breasts Lyvana felt a sharp jolt of discomfort and immediately caught his wrist, stopping him.
"Mark, stop," she said, her voice firmer than she expected.
"You still won’t let me touch you Liv."
"I’m just tired, Mark. It’s been a long day."
"Yeah," he replied in a sharp tone. "You seem to be ’tired’ a lot lately. Is it the work, Lyvana? Or is it me?"
"There is a lot going on, between the new collection and the missing funds..."
"But I told you am working on it," Mark cut in. "We used to be on the same page, Lyvana. Now it feels like I’m reading a different book entirely. You’re always pulling away from me."
"How about this, let’s meet tomorrow night at my apartment, and let’s fuck like crazy."
Mark’s jaw dropped.
"I believe we need some time to ourselves."
Mark stared at her. For a second, he looked as though he had misheard.
"...What?"
Lyvana held his gaze. She was perfectly calm.
"Tomorrow night," she repeated. "My apartment."
"What game are you playing now Lyvana."
Mark’s eyes searched her face, trying to understand what had just happened. A moment ago she had been pulling away from his touch, stiff as stone — and now she was inviting him into her bed.
But instead of suspicion, something else slowly replaced the confusion.
A slow, disbelieving smile spread across his face.
"Liv..."
He stepped closer, studying her like a man who had just discovered something precious he thought was gone.
"You’re serious?"
Lyvana didn’t pull back this time. "I said it, didn’t I?" ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
For a moment Mark simply looked at her, almost boyishly stunned. Then he laughed under his breath, rubbing the back of his neck.
"You have no idea what you just did to me." His voice softened. "I thought you hated me lately."
Lyvana said nothing.
Mark’s eyes lingered on her face, the tension easing from his shoulders.
"You used to look at me like this," he said quietly. "Before everything got so... complicated."
He reached for her hand, slower this time, as if he was afraid she might pull away again.
When she didn’t, something in him relaxed completely.
God, he had missed this.
He chuckled softly, shaking his head.
"I’ve been acting like an idiot, haven’t I? I just thought you didn’t love me anymore."
Lyvana’s expression remained unreadable.
Mark squeezed her hand gently.
"Tomorrow night," he said again, his tone now filled with anticipation instead of doubt. "I’ll be there."
For a moment he just stood there looking at her, almost tenderly.
"I will expect you," she said turning to walk away.
Fate could be a tricky thing. Maybe she had been playing this all wrong. Mark needed to feel comfortable and be certain that nothing had changed between them. And he must never suspect Julian was her boyfriend... at least not until Mark’s influence over her family was gone for good.
She walked toward the car where Marco was waiting, his hand already on the door handle. She slid into the backseat.
Marco caught her eye in the rearview mirror. "Everything okay, Ma’am?"
Lyvana nodded. "Take me to the apartment pls."
Meanwhile back at the Grant estate, another game was being played.
Julian entered his room holding a glass of wine in his hand. He was planning to go home, and he had a flight scheduled to leave at midnight.
He stopped at the entrance when he saw Catalina sitting on his bed.
