What a psychotic bitch

"What's going on?" Alison's cheery voice rang out, "Oh, Vivianne, there you are! Thanks for leaving your body glitter in the bathroom, it makes my collarbones shimmer so nicely."

Alison glanced lightly over at them and Sienna understood immediately, "Vivianne, didn't you apply this earlier?"

Vivianne was slightly pale, she swallowed and shook her head, "No, I didn't."

"Darling, your skin does shimmer," Mrs Astor commented, staring at Vivianne's neck.

A hundred necks craned to see and true enough, if you could ignore the redness of her skin, Vivianne's neck glittered as she moved under the light.

"Alison, do you have the bottle of glitter?" Sienna asked urgently, her heart pounding. She wouldn't allow herself to be maligned like this. Not this time!

Alison produced it with a flourish and while Sienna squinted at the ingredients, Damon whipped out his phone to take a photo.

"There's silver dust in this," Sienna announced and the crowd gasped at this development, clearly invested in the drama.

"Nonsense" Vivianne snapped, "I would have checked when I bought it, wouldn't I?"

When she saw the surprised looks from some guests at her outburst she quietened down and made herself look pitiful again.

"My contact has confirmed that there is, indeed, silver dust in this product," Damon proclaimed.

If Damon Wright confirmed it, it must be true!

The guests whispered among themselves at this new twist. The eldest daughter hadn't tried to harm her younger sister, after all!

Sensing that the tides were turning and not in her favour, Vivianne hugged Sienna while sobbing.

"I knew you wouldn't do anything to hurt me," She wailed into Sienna's shoulder.

Fighting down anger, Sienna stroked Vivianne's back as guests slowly began to disperse and continue enjoying themselves.

"Why don't you rest for a while and apply some cold compress to your skin?" Sienna suggested and Vivianne withdrew, still faking muffled sobs.

"What a psychotic bitch," Alison muttered, pocketing the bottle and touching Sienna worriedly on the arm, "Who knew she would harm herself just to get you in trouble!"

Sienna was at a loss for words, her eyes filling with tears.

"What's wrong, did she hurt you?" Alison panicked, thinking Sienna was injured or upset.

Her concerned tone alerted Damon, who immediately wrapped one arm around Sienna's shoulders and shielded her with his tall frame as they walked to a private room.

To anyone else, they would have seemed like they were having a romantic rendezvous or some quiet couple time, but Damon angled his body so nobody would see the tears glistening in Sienna's eyes as they stepped into the small room.

After checking that no one was looking, Alison darted in as well.

Damon took one look at the two girls and told them he would be outside, slipping out of the door quietly.

"What's wrong?" Alison asked as Sienna shut her eyes and took a big calming breath. She shook her head slowly.

How could she explain that in her previous life, she had been facing all this alone? Yet, today, not only did Alison help her clear her name, Damon had also backed her up.

Neither of them had reason to believe that Vivianne was lying, but they had unquestioningly taken Sienna's side.

"Just overwhelmed," Sienna smiled weakly. Even though Damon had asked her to stay by his side the whole party, he has still given her time with Alison knowing she needed some space.

She sighed, it was difficult not to be moved by his consideration. Why did he have to be such a gentleman?

"Sienna, listen," Alison's hazel eyes were accentuated with Vivianne's glitter, they were bright and determined as she stared Sienna in the eye, "I've got your back."

"What did I do to deserve you?" Sienna hugged her friend.

"Oh, I don't know," Alison's voice was mischievous, "Maybe you can get me the number of Damon's hot friend."

Sienna pulled back to look at Alison incredulously, "Zachary? You can just approach him, you know."

Alison pulled Sienna to her feet, adjusting a strand of chestnut hair as with an impish grin, "Yes, but my chances are higher with a recommendation."

Sienna giggled at Alison's silly flirtatiousness and they headed out together.

When they did, Sienna looked around at the empty hallway quizzically and scanned the function rooms.

But Damon was gone.

***

Damon's head was fuzzy and getting heavier by the minute. A slim hand was patting around his jacket and he groggily pushed it away.

There was a bitter taste in his mouth and he cursed internally.

How could he be so careless?

The last thing he remembered was Mrs Astor asking him to come upstairs for a moment to talk to Mr Astor about their business dealings.

He had wanted to wait for Sienna but she had been practically dragging him and it would not look good if he was having a disagreement with his in-laws.

Mr Astor had handed him a drink and talked to him for a while before asking him to escort his sister-in-law back downstairs.

His sister-in-law. Vivianne Astor.

It was her slender fingers that were unbuttoning his shirt and she was saying something but he couldn't catch what the words were.

His limbs felt like lead, every movement was as if he was trying to move through water, slow and floaty.

Even when he tried to push that wandering hand away, it was futile. All his strength had been sapped and his body was fighting to stay awake.

He took a deep breath and focused, trying to grope for his phone. Suddenly, a warm weight was pressed onto him and a click of a camera registered.

Gathering his fading strength, he shoved at the weight and there was a yelp followed by a thump.

He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to push through the fog in his brain and when he opened his eyes, a barely dressed Vivianne swam into view.

She was clambering up from the floor, her scarlet lips coming closer towards him, and he wrenched himself away from her, landing on one knee while his hand clawed at the table near him.

But Vivianne kept advancing, her cleavage heaving in the thin fabric and finally, he heard what she was saying.

"I'll make you mine, Damon Wright."