Kendall Emeretta's orderly world is disrupted by the arrival of Wesley Archer, a threat who grins in the face of chaos. As her morals are compromised and ambitions blurred, will Kendall realise the art of maturity is more than a shiny new pair of Lo...
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A Richer Shade of Gold Chapter Thirty-Two
Kendall refused to allow her gaze to falter as she noticed Wesley stepping in through the doorway, his hands gripped firmly around the lapels of his suit as he gave a light tug. He was dressed smartly in a navy suit, much like how he was the first-time Kendall had laid eyes on him outside of Ridgeman Prep.
Wesley's lips curled up into his signature smirk and he headed over to where Kendall was standing.
"It's one thing to be late, it's another to be late to your own party."
"It's a tactic of mine, you see, in order to gain more attention." He answered, eyes sparkling as he lightly chuckled at his own humour.
"On a more important note, the turnout has been quite successful this evening."
"I would have to agree wholeheartedly, Miss Emeretta." Wesley raised his brows and stuck his nose up, speaking with an aristocratic voice.
"Okay, you pompous prick, I get it."
Wesley let out a comfortable laugh. "Oh! I almost forgot. Your dress is lovely tonight."
Kendall tilted her head down to take in a bird's eye view of her strapless grey-blue dress, straight off the new Vera Wang Winter Collection. "Oh, this." She said blandly. If she was being honest, clothing had been the least of her concerns for the past week.
Wesley rolled on the balls of his feet before his twinkling eyes returned to Kendall's hard gaze, "How are you this evening?"
"Managing." Kendall answered, "The music is enjoyable. I'm glad we went with the jazz band, venue is good, colour scheme fine, blah, blah, blah."
"Huh." Was all Wesley said. Kendall expected a sarcastic reply, perhaps even some light flirty remarks, but she was met with sheer silence...and a sliver of disappointment.
Kendall cleared her throat and gave Wesley a tight smile. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to make a round of the room."
"By all means." Wesley gestured his arm towards the crowd of people, almost like he was extending his hand for Kendall to take, but all it was merely an invitation for her to leave him be. That's what it seemed like anyways. It was almost as if he was guiding her along to take her exit, stringing her by and manipulating her actions like a puppeteer would with their puppet.
So, with that, Kendall wordlessly took her leave.
Making her way around the living room of Wesley's house wasn't as dreadful as Kendall had first thought. People were polite enough, complimenting her dress, or her hair and makeup, but not once did she receive a compliment on how she managed to select the right charity or that the whole point of the gala was for a worthy cause.
