Page 77 of Cookie: Part One
“To ze future, secured by the new foundations laid tonight,” Grandpa Viktor declares, his eyes landing just short of Alik, yet utterly ignoring him. “To ze strength, loyalty, and clear vision of zhose vho choose zheir family above all else.”
He drinks. The sound of a hundred glasses clinking is deafening as he walks back to his seat, then a single, loud clap rings thought the room and we turn to see it’s Veronica, who’s right next to us.
“Beautiful speech, Pakhan.” She rises, still clapping as a slow murmur resounds while people slowly and quietly ask what’s going on.
She breezes by us and steps onto the platformuntil she comes to the podium where Grandpa Viktor was, where she taps a wine glass with her ring finger, lips twitching into a grin thatdoesn’t reach her eyes.
“Zhank you all for joining us on such a beautiful night,” she coos. “A night to celebrate love. My grandfazher-in-law… gave such a lovely declaration, but I believe he meant to say, ‘To loyalty,andfamily.’”
I glance around as some of the people in the room titter and smirk, repeating her words with the rest of the crowd.
“To love, loyalty, and family.”
I take a sip of champagne that tastes dry and sweet as Veronica turns her eyes on me.
“As you all know, vee are gazhered here today to celebrate such a momentous occasion for our two families to come togezher. I vas so excited for today, only for it to be ruined and disrespected by an outsider vho does not belong,” she purrs, voice honey-laced with cyanide.
Oop…
“Because today vas so special, I vas going to be couth and hold my tongue… I vasn’t going to say anyzhing…” she pauses dramatically. “But sometimes, silence feeds deception. And I just… vell, I love zhis family too much to let zhat happen.”
Girl, what the hell? I know she’s not about t?—
“Veronica,” Grandpa Viktor grits, speaking up.
“Grandfazher… I’ve noticed somezhing strange over the past few weeks. A… pattern, let’s say. A… charmingguestwho’s vormed her vay into every corner of our lives.”
She doesn’t look at me. She doesn’t have to.
“I zhought perhaps she vas just friendly. Maybe even naive. But vhen a voman begins spending time…privatetime vit a betrothed man…” Her eyes flick to Misha and the crowd gasps. “And is seen late at night vhispering vit his best friend…” Dimitri tenses. “…and I even heard from our housekeepers zhat she’s often sneaking around in ze library withhisfiancé.”
Nadya’s jaw ticks with no emotion, but her eyes flash.
Oh.
Oh no.Girl, what is you doing?!
“It pains me to say zhis,” Veronica whispers, voice breaking just enough to sound authentic. “But zhere are some vomen vho see engagements not as boundaries… but as opportunities.”
The crowd gasps, SCANDALIZED. Biiiiittttcchhhhh! Is she doing what I think she’s doing?
I feel my heart slam against my ribs. What the hell is she doing? She hasn’t said my name, but everyone’s staring.Everyone, including Grandpa Viktor. Hell, even Pyper’s mouth is hanging open.
“Veronica, vhat ze hell are you saying?!” Pyper stands, chair snapping back so hard it crashes against the wall.
“Grandfazher, I know zhis must be hard to hear, considering you brought her in, but believe me, I never vanted to believe it eizher!” Veronica continues, wiping a fake tear. “But how can vee ignore ze vay she’s… inserted herself into all of your precious grandchildren’s lives?”
“Zhat’s bold as fuck coming from someone vit no proof,” Pyper retorts and Veronica goes still before she cuts her eyes to me and smiles, causing my heart to beat against my chest hard as fuck.
“Actually…” she pauses and lifts a hand, and lo and fucking behold, there a bitch is… in extreme 4K, pushing Dimitri against the wall where it looks like I’m attacking him for a kiss in the hall. Then there’s another shot of me in the library where I’m boldly sitting on Nadya, looking flirtatious while Nadya seemsuncomfortable, as well as a photo of me hugging Pyper while we walk which looks extremely intimate.
Lastly, a picture of Alik and I holding hands in the pool…I don’t think anyone needs proof about Misha and me with all considered… I ought to be ashamed, considering the only one on those pictures I haven’t fucked is Pyper…
Damn…
I drop my gaze to the crowd and I see Helena is now staring directly at me, looking like she just stepped on shit.
Oh, this bitch is crazy… but I must ad-fuckin-mit, all the pictures are cropped enough to hide everyone’s face except mine. It’s obvious it’s very much sothem,but there is enough incriminating evidence to make the roomeruptin whispers and make a bitch feel like Tupac, all eyes on me.
