Page 18 of Obsessing Over His Favorite
As Emily walked through the party, she could feel the stares. People were whispering, heads turning, their voices dropping the moment she passed by. The gossip trailed behind her like perfume.
"That's Emily?" a woman whispered to her friend, eyes wide as they watched her walk away in that curve-hugging white gown. "I’ve never seen her dressed up like that before.”
"Right?" the other woman replied, eyes following Emily. "She usually comes to parties in those plain dresses. No makeup, no jewelry, just plain dresses that barely look party-appropriate... you'd never guess she’s dating Lucas Cantrell. This is the first time I’ve seen her actually looking like she belongs here."
"She looks beautiful," another woman said in a softer, appreciative tone. "She should dress up like this more often. Honestly, I don’t think there’s a woman in this room who looks better than her tonight."
"Exactly what I was thinking."
"Isn’t she Lucas Cantrell’s girlfriend?"
"Yeah, she’s taken. There’s been talk that they might be getting married soon. They’ve been together for a long time."
As gossip and admiration swirled through the gala, many voices made their way to Charlotte’s ears. Guests approached her, complimenting her son’s choice in women and praising Emily’s presence at the event.
Overwhelmed with pride, Charlotte stepped away from her conversation and made a beeline for Emily. She gently caught her arm and turned her toward the guests with a wide smile.
"Yes, this is my soon-to-be daughter-in-law," she said, patting Emily’s hand that was still looped through her arm. "She’s Lucas’s girlfriend for now, but very soon, she’ll be his wife."
"You’re very lucky, Charlotte," one of the women gushed. "There aren’t many mothers who get a daughter-in-law like this. She’s absolutely stunning."
"Lucas is so handsome," another one chimed in, grinning. "Their children are going to be ridiculously good-looking."
Charlotte let out a delighted laugh, patting Emily’s hand that was still wrapped around her arm. “Soon enough,” she said with a smile. “For now, I’m just happy they’re enjoying each other’s company.”
As Charlotte continued chatting, Emily stood beside her politely, tuning out most of the conversation—until someone nudged her shoulder and brought her crashing back into the moment.
"Right, Emily?"
She blinked and turned back to the group, lowering the half-sipped cocktail in her hand. “Yeah? What?”
One of the ladies beside Charlotte smiled and pointed toward the stage. “Lucas is about to be honored for his contributions to charity. Aren’t you going to give a speech for him?”
“Of course she is,” someone else added. “Lucas is her boyfriend. I’m sure she has so many wonderful things to say about him.”
“I’ve seen the two of them together so many times. I bet she’ll run out of time before she runs out of words to praise him!” a man laughed, earning chuckles from others around.
Everyone exceptAmelia.
But not everyone was smiling.
Amelia, who was listening from a distance, now stepped in. “I don’t think Emily should go on stage.”
The laughter faded as silence fell over the group. All eyes shifted toward Amelia.
“I mean,” she continued, looking at Emily with exaggerated concern, “doesn’t she struggle with anxiety and stage fright? I just don’t want her to be uncomfortable. A crowd like this is a lot to handle. She might not even get through a few words...”
The room went quiet. Charlotte’s smile wavered, and eyes turned curiously toward Emily.
Amelia pressed her hand to her chest. “I’m just saying, this is such a large crowd. What if she freezes? She probably didn’t get to give speeches even in school—let alone in front of hundreds of people. Maybe we shouldn’t pressure her.”
A few of the guests exchanged awkward glances. The air was suddenly thick with discomfort.
Emily, however, remained silent. As much as she didn’t want to give that speech, she could clearly see what Amelia was doing—dressing her humiliation in the disguise of concern.
But Charlotte stepped in, laughing heartily to cut through the awkwardness. “Don’t be silly,” she said, grabbing Emily’sshoulders warmly. “She’ll do just fine. Emily loves Lucas dearly, and it’s not like my son is short of things to be praised for.”
Without giving Emily a chance to argue, Charlotte gave her a gentle push toward the stage, placing a mic in her hand. “Go on, dear. You’ll be great.”
