Page 99 of Forty, Flirty & F*cked

The en-suite bathroom of my villa bedroom is an opulent dream of marble and gold fixtures, the kind of place where indulgence feels like a necessity rather than a luxury. Steam curls from the oversized bathtub, perfumed with rose oil and flecks of gold leaf—Callum spares no expense when hosting a party in his Mediterranean retreat.

I sink into the water, letting the heat relax muscles that have been tense for weeks. Closing my eyes, I revel in the sensation of warm, silken water lapping at my skin. Monaco demands a certain level of perfection, and tonight, I’ll meet that standard.

After my bath, I wrap myself in the plushest white robe I’ve ever felt and move to the vanity.

I take my time, layering on serums, creams, and oils that leave my skin glowing. A bronzed highlight kisses my cheekbones, my lips plumped with a subtle rose-tinted gloss.

My dark waves tumble past my shoulders in controlled chaos, the rich espresso color glossy and full. I decide on a sultry eye—deep brown liner smoked at the edges, lashes long and curling up like a whispered promise.

Then, the dress.

The Versace creation is all molten gold and scandalous slits, clinging to my curves like it was made for me. When I step into my Louboutin stilettos, I feel transformed—not just ready, but dangerous.

An hour later, I step into Nocturne, one of Monaco’s most exclusive clubs, where the air practically hums with wealth.Everything is bathed in a warm, golden glow—crystal chandeliers casting prisms of light across velvet-draped walls. The room is a collision of old-world glamour and modern excess, where oil barons rub shoulders with Hollywood’s elite, and royalty sips cocktails alongside billionaires who buy islands for fun.

The club is exactly what I am already starting to suspect from the Drake-Gallo wedding groomsman known as Callum.

All sleek sophistication and old-world glamour with a beat you feel in your bones.

My phone buzzes:

KAT: Time's running out

KAT: You need to tell him

KAT: Before someone else does

In another text thread, my other sister annoys:

LILY: Send pics of the dress!!!

LILY: I need to prove to Dad that sequins are appropriate wedding attire

I close my eyes briefly. Because Kat's right. And Lily’s driving me crazy. And I’m killing myself with guilt.

I need to tell Connor about the marriage. About how it's real and legal and probably going to destroy his IPO if I don't fix it.

I need to tell him everything.

Just... not yet.

"Stop fidgeting," Mac tells me, appearing with fresh drinks. "You look amazing."

"I look like I got attacked by a disco ball."

"You look like you're about to complicate Connor's life in the best possible way." She hands me something that smells lethal. “Is it too much if I ask what's really going on with you two?"

“No, it’s not. And…Nothing." But even I don't believe it. "Everything. I don't know."

"Hmm." She watches Connor enter with the guys, all of them ridiculously handsome in suits that look sewn right on. "Well, whatever it is, you might want to figure it out before?—"

"Will arrives?" I finish. "Too late."

Because there he is, my ex-fiancé, strolling in with his new girlfriend like he owns the place. Like he didn't blow up my life months ago.

Like he doesn't see me staring.

"Breathe," Mac murmurs.

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