ᵢₘₐgᵢₙₑ ➳ Michael Gray [ON HOLD]

➳ eleven - the insult

《 words hurt more than hands do 》

➳

Arabella swore she had never felt more uncomfortable in her life as she sat besides Arthur, observing as his wife draped herself all over him, obnoxiously chattering in his ear and planting kisses on him. She sent him an awkward smile as he looked slightly apologetic, though he did seem to be enjoying the open affection, despite Linda's eyes trying to send Arabella six feet under.

The brunette tried not to pay it too much mind though, instead focusing on talking to the bartender, who she had quickly deemed to be her new friend. The man had laughed at her small rambles and found himself enjoying the sound of her giggles. He had forced himself to remove any thoughts such as those from his mind though, repeating to himself that she was engaged to a man from an extremely powerful family. That and Arthur had been quick to splutter out threats after seeing the man's eyes linger on her exposed skin.

Arabella ignored it all though. She just wanted somebody to talk to right now, but her new 'family' seemed to be otherwise occupied. And so, she continued to giggle with the bartender, pretending to not notice his averted eyes, and simply treating him as a friend of hers.

She found herself genuinely enjoying the company. Or at least, she had done, up until Linda's sharp voice cut off the bartender as he opened his mouth to make another joke.

"I'll have a gin and tonic when you're finished undressing little miss perfect with your eyes."

Arabella couldn't hold back her eye roll as the poor bartender scrambled for a glass and a bottle of gin, his movements rushed due to the woman's piercing eyes trained on him, analysing his every action.

"Right away, Mrs Shelby." The man mumbled in confirmation, yet Linda simply scoffed in return.

The brunette furrowed her brows at that, "You could at least say 'please'."

The blonde woman only turned her nose up at Arabella, mumbling 'whatever' as she reached out for the newly made gin and tonic that had been placed down in front of her.

"You've being drinking already, ain't you? I can fucking smell it on you." Arthur set his accusatory gaze upon his wife, visibly upset by the fact.

Linda huffed in return, pouting her lips as she spoke in a spiteful tone, "Well, I apologise Arthur, for having a few drinks at home, while my husband is drinking in a bar with adolescent female, completely unsupervised. What would you rather I do?"

Arthur glared at his wife as she dragged herself from his side and pointed a finger at the brunette woman his family had come to adore, taking no notice of the Shelby family as they entered the building, causing all of the chatter from around them to halt.

Yet Linda didn't stop. No, she was in too deep for her to back out of this now, and so she continued ranting.

"She is supposedly engaged to your cousin, is she not? Yet we don't know anything about her. She is way to close to be 'just friends' with Finn, so she's probably fucking them both. You be careful, Arthur, you could have been another notch on her belt by the end of the night if I hadn't of shown up." Linda's tone switched as she addressed her husband, cooing lightly and caressing his cheeks, almost as if he was a child that she was scolding, or teaching a lesson to.