Chapter 156
No matter how hard I worked, how much I tried to emulate her laugh or her poise, it was never quite enough. People always saty right through me, but they never questioned her. She was untouchable. Perfect
I stared into my drink, the lee clinking softly against the glass as I swirled it. “You didn’t win then, Raina,” I muttered under my breath, my voice low and venomous. “And you’re not going to win now.
She thought she had it all: Alex, Dominic, the Graham name, the estate. But she had no idea what was coming, I’d take it all from her, plece by piece. Just
be I took Alex
I smiled to myself with the thought. She probably didn’t even recognize me. That was the beauty of it. She didn’t see me coming, didn’t remember the quiet, overlooked girl always in the background.
“Soon,” I whispered to myself, fingers clenching around the glass. “Soon, you’ll find out fost exactly who I am. I’ll tell you every single thing, once I am the head of the Graham family and estate.”
H
My attention snapped back toward Dominic as he maneuvered toward a booth with his clients. I watched as they settled into it, laughing, ordering drinks. He looked quite at ease, very sure of himself. This was my moment of opportunity.
I watched as he mixed the drinks, my fingers drumming against the edge of the bar–everything had to go just so, I had studied this ritual for weeks, paying attention to every detail. It was time to put my plan into action.
The waiter took a step closer to me, balancing his tray cautiously. I leaned forward a little, letting a warm smile cut across my lips. “Excuse me,” I cooed softly, leaning my head in to meet his hesitant gaze “Could you do me just one little favor?”
He blinked, hesitating for a second “Uh, what kind of favor?”
“It’s nothing complicated. My tone was low, soothing. I folded a bill into his hand so he could sense the new crispness of the cash. “Just let me know when Mr. Graham gets up from his booth, right?”
His eyes darted to Dominic’s table, then back to mine. His voice shook a little. “U–uh, y–yes… suppose so.”
“Perfect.” I let my smile widen as I slid the small packet of powder from my clutch. As he tomed back to his tray, I quickly emptied it into one of the glasses. My movements were fast, practiced. The fine powder dashed into the liquid without a trace, “Thanks for helping,” I added, as if this was nothing out of the ordinary.
The waiter nodded and began to carry the drinks toward the booth. I watched him go with my heart pounding in anticipation.
Minutes ticked by, feeling even longer than it sounded. I nursed a drink at the bar, making sure to keep an eye on Dominic’s table. Every laugh that came from that booth made me clench my teeth. What was taking so long? My gaze cut to the waiter, but there was no sight of him. Now this was getting on my nerves
“Where the hell is he?” I muttered under my breath. I stood, smoothing my dress, and pushed through the bar. The feeling that something was going to go wrong nibbled at the edges of my mind, but I ignored it.
Just as I turned the corner, I saw the waiter rushing toward me. His face was a little flushed, his strides fast. “He just left the booth,” he said breathlessly
I gave myself a little, triumphant smile. “Thanks,” I said coolly and brushed past him toward the hallway.
Dominic was precisely where I wanted him–leaned back against the wall, his tall frame straining to remain upright. The drug had worked its magic quicker than I’d thought it would. His movements were slow, his head was nodding like gravity hail doubled its strength.
I pasted a sweet smile on my face and approached him with feigned concem. “Dominic, are you alright?” My voice was soft, almost murturing, as I placed a gentle hand on his aren
His glassy eyes hardly focused on me, his brows furrowing in confusion. “Faith,” he muttered, his voice thick and slurred. “I just… need Faith.
Faith. Her name on his lips sent a surge of anger through me, but I forced myself to keep my composure. “It’s alright,” I murmured soothingly, tightening my grip on his arm. “Let me help you, okay? You’re not in any condition to go anywhere right now.”
“I don’t need help,” he muttered, attempting to straighten up but not doing a very good job of it. His legs shook under him, and I had to act fast to stop him from hitting the floor.
D
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