Chapter 5

The bass thrummed through Ivory's veins as she swayed to the rhythm, Khalid's hands warm at her waist. For the first time in years, she felt alive—untethered from the ghost of a marriage that had drained her soul dry.

Emma's voice cut through the music. "Told you you'd thank me!" She winked as Ivory accepted another cocktail from a chiseled brunette.

Ivory laughed—a real, unguarded sound she barely recognized. "I should've done this years—"

A vise-like grip locked around her wrist.

She whirled, ready to curse out the intruder, but the words turned to ash in her mouth.

Gadreel.

Her pulse stuttered. The club's neon lights carved harsh angles into his familiar face, his ice-blue eyes burning with something she'd never seen directed at her before—possession.

"Let go." She jerked back, but his fingers tightened.

"We're leaving." His voice was deceptively calm, the way the ocean stilled before a tsunami.

Emma charged forward. "Gadreel, you bastard—!"

A single glance from him froze her mid-step. "Test me again," he murmured, "and I'll bankrupt your family before sunrise."

The blood drained from Emma's face.

Ivory dug her heels into the floor. "You can't just—"

"Oh, but I can." His breath was hot against her ear as he yanked her flush against him. "Or have you forgotten who owns this city?"

Behind them, the drink of Gadreel's other friends hit the floor with a splash. "That's Ivory?!"

The last thing she saw before Gadreel dragged her into the night was Khalid reaching for her—and ten bodyguards materializing to block his path.

Gadreel dragged her to the back of Opal Heights and without so much as a care in the world, shoved her against the wall.

Ivory winched at the force used to chuck her at the wall, her back stung, but at the moment, she paid little to no attention to the pain and instead, focused on the man in front of her.

"What's the meaning of this?" Gadreel didn't bother hiding the disgust and glare in his eyes.

They shone bright as day in his blue eyes. Ivory however, did not allow those emotion affect her.

The previous night, she had promised herself to never cry or feel hurt because of Gadreel. He wasn't Worth it.

"What's the meaning of this?" Her voice took on that challenging tone that didn't go down all to well with Gadreel.

His eyes darkened.

"I should be the one asking that Question, Gadreel Ødegaar, what gives you the audacity to drag me out like this?"

"I have every right to do that." Gadreel asserted. "Because only a madman would sit by ideally and watch his wife-"

"Ex wife!" She sternly interrupted, folding her hands across her chest which seemed more voluminous than Gadreel recalled.

Perhaps it was because of the dress she wore. It was exposing quite a lot. Not only was it showing her slender legs that were usually hidden, but it hugged her curves, dispelling every thought one had of seeing Ivory as a lady with a petite form.

Her body, it was anything but petite. Especially when it was all exposed by the dress she was wearing.

Gadreel’s jaws unconsciously clenched at this. But he willed himself to pay more attention to the words that were being said, rather than what was in front of him..

"Have you forgotten,” Ivory reminded. “I sent divorce papers to you. I told you I don't want this marriage anymore. So technically, I'm no longer your wife."

"Technically," Gadreel began, mocking her words. "A divorce agreement is only finalized after signed by two people and sent to the court house for approval and last I checked,"

Ivory was caught off guard, to the point that she flinched, when he suddenly placed his hand on the wall beside her and leaned in.

"I haven't signed shit. So you, Ivory Ødegaar, are my still wife."

He hadn't signed the divorce papers? The new information had Ivory feeling curious, but at the same time, annoyed.

"Are you kidding me," She began. "So rather than signing those papers, you're out here, stopping me from having my fun. Tell me this, Gadreel, do you not see me as a woman?"

He frowned, but remained silent and Ivory carried on.

"Do you think I don't have sexual needs to be met. Needs that you obviously can't fulfill. So why keep me tied down in a sexless marriage?"

The more she spoke, the more anger seemed to fill Gadreel's eyes. He scoffed, mockingly so.

"So you think by Whoring around, you'll get me to fuck you?" The rawness of his words and the look in his eyes, had Ivory flinching. "Sorry to break it to you, but I only have eyes for one person and I don't plan on fucking anyone,"

His eyes raked over her in a way that made Ivory feel demeaned. She was glad the darkness concealed the redness in her cheeks.

"Least of all, the likes of you."

It felt as if her heart was just crushed. The words, although she had been anticipating them, were still painful.

She bit back her tears and glared at Gadreel. The nerves he had, talking shit to her.

"You-"

"Huh, Reel?"

The voice that cut through her, overshadowing and swallowing her like always, had Ivory freezing.

It sounded pleasant, like that of an angel. Ivory would have been fooled, had it not been for the fact that she recognized the voice.

And just like her heart had told her, when she looked to the side, she saw Evangeline, ever looking like the beauty doll she was born to be approaching them.

All at once, Gadreel's presence in Front of her disappeared and instantly, he was in front of Evangeline, looking down at her with a fondness that made Ivory's heart ache.

"Eva, what are you doing out here?" His voice was tender, something Ivory had never heard directed at her.

"Asher told me you came out here so I came to find you, but," Her eyes flew from Gadreel to the lady behind him. "Who's she?"

Ivory was silent for a few seconds. She bit back a painful laughter from how Ironic this whole thing was.

The very woman who had destroyed her life, couldn't ever recognize her.

Well, that wasn't much of a surprise, after all, Evangeline had never looked her in the eyes. Ever since they were little, ever since her father introduced her as her 'new sister', Evangeline had always looked at her like she was a nobody, like she was below her.

Never once had she looked Ivory in the eyes as an equal.

Yet, she had so easily ruined the marriage she worked so hard to build.

Biting the inside of her mouth, Ivory calmed herself down and at the same time, decided it was time to leave.

She'd much rather walk away now than watch these two act like a crown prince and saintess of some holy empire!

As she began walking away, Evangeline watched her every move.

She didn't know someone as beautiful as this existed in Paris.

And seeing as she had been with Gadreel, Evangeline couldn't help but feel a bit... insecure.

So she asked again. "Reel, who is she?"

This time, thankfully, Asher, along with his gang had stepped out and the extrovert more than happily answered that question.

"She's your sister, Eva. She's Ivory."

Evangeline blinked in confusion for a few seconds then gasped.

"Ivy, is that really you?"

"Just as surprised huh?" Asher started. "I thought she was some big shot celebrity when I saw her." He laughed, but it was clear in his eyes that he was amused, impressed even.

"Yeah," Daniel agreed, eyes roaming her body in a way that disgusted Ivory. "I didn't realize that an ugly pig could become so beautiful overnight."

"I agree," Mickey said. "If I knew you were this beautiful Ivy, I would have gone after you myself."

Everyone else in the group agreed, save for Gadreel who could only but frown at the attention his wife was getting and Evangeline who didn't like not being the center of attention.

Her jaw clenched and she spoke without thinking. "You impress me, big sis!"

Her words, although not at all offensive looking, carried the usual venom Ivory recognized.

"If Asher didn't let me know, I never would have guessed that it was you. But, could you really blame me, everyone here knows how ugly you are."

Laughter echoed in their group, all but two people laughed.

"And," Evangeline approached. Standing in front of Ivory, she allowed her smile to fade. "What's with your dress style, is this your attempt at copying me?"

Ivory opened her mouth to deny it, but immediately shut it. She knew better than to argue with someone like Evangeline.

Especially with everyone here backing her and honestly, she wasn't in the mood for much drama.

She would have left had it not been for Asher suddenly showing up.

"Well even if you are, I won't complain." Evangeline continued. "After all, I heard you and Reel are getting divorced, so obviously, you'll need to find someone to support you, right?"

That got a reaction out of Ivory. She frowned. "What?"

"Isn't that why you're here?" Evangeline took a step back and smiled, increasing her voice as she said her next words. "To find someone who'd support your lifestyle in exchange for your body, right?"

Voice began flying in their small group again, all but two people murmuring about what Evangeline had just said.

Asher with an uninterested look and Gadreel with a dark look in his eyes.

A small smile broke out on Evangeline's face, feeling like things were going in the direction she wanted.

Ivory had tried becoming beautiful, she had tried forgetting her place and position, so, it was only natural that she reminded her of who the real Remington was.

Of who Gadreel and everyone's attention truly belonged to!

The smile on Evangeline's face, however, only lasted a few seconds, before it was wiped off her face with a clean slap, stunning everyone who was present.