Another Chance

Chapter 19.

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Hope all of you are doing good, as promised, here is the double update for you all.

Enjoy reading.

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Easton felt his eyes bulging out of his socket the moment he saw her entering the party and approaching him with the delicate swan-like walk. He opened his mouth slightly when she stood before him with a shy gaze and blush that adorned her cheeks.

"How do I look?" Lily posed the question because the way his eyes followed her, not wavering for once, all the way from the entrance made her giddy. Although she read the approval and admiration his dark brown eyes held, she wanted to derive a verbal compliment from her husband.

"You look absolutely gorgeous, Mrs. Maxwell, like an angel descended from heaven cladded in the color of sin." The words of the deep velvety voice were followed with approaching footsteps as Alastair neared them and stood beside Easton. His honey brown eyes stuck on her dainty red cladded figure with glints of unsaid emotion, "I almost did not recognize you and came to ask you for a drink." He continued adding further with a sarcastic tone, "I hope you can pardon me for wanting to ask your wife for drinks."

Easton laughed at the sarcastic remark and his laugh flattened Lily's expression because his sarcasm sounded like a mockery to her and she silently glared at Alastair. She dressed up for her husband and wanted the first compliment from him but of course Alastair had to poke his nose in the moment the couple was enjoying and ruin it for her.

Lily stood there silently, shifting on her heels, feeling uncomfortable with the way Alastair's gaze kept coming back to her revealing outfit and the pain she felt on her toes due to the high heels added more to her misery. She watched Alastair and Easton talk about some work-related stuff with a bored expression. And to her relief Alastair finally excused himself after a few minutes and walked away giving a sly smirk to her which went unnoticed by Easton.

Easton looked at Lily, roaming his orbs from head to toe before finally uttering the words he assumed Lily was waiting to hear, "You look beautiful, Lily." His soft voice and plain words disappointed Lily immensely because it was the compliment he used to give her at home when she was literally in her night dress. Lily had put in a lot of effort and pep talk to wear such a dress which was out of her comfort zone and felt like she deserved more. He could have done better than that.

"But are you not uncomfortable? This is not your style?!"

"I am fine. Besides, how can I deny the outfit that my husband has specially selected for me." Lily answered, pretending to sound a little sassy and trying not to dwell in the feeling of disappointment.

Easton faked a smile as he noticed the way her hand went up to her elbow and she started to scratch the non-existing itch there. Lily was not comfortable.

He took a step closer to stand beside her and put his hand on her lower back. He led her to a table which was right in front of the stage and made her sit there, "You can remove your heels, Lily. You are not used to wearing them. Your feet will hurt and besides we do not have to stand up for a while." Suggested him to his wife out of genuine concern.

"This dress has a slit, people will be able to see that I am barefoot." Lily whispered back, her tone dismissive as she further continued, "I can bear a little pain. I just don't want to embarrass you."

Easton felt a tug at his heart when she expressed her concern that he wanted to sit with her and tell her that he was not worthy of her but he gulped the overflowing guilt along with the truth that was threatening to come out and remained silent until his eyes noticed the familiar figure near the bar counter, "You stay right here, Lily. I have to take care of something." And with that Lily saw him marching towards the bar counter where Sarah was standing.