22 Chapter 21

Blair

Bringing the flute glass in my hand closer to my lips, I let the cold champagne wash down my throat. Plaza Condè was one of my favorite restaurants, but sharing a table with my mother was certainly not one of the reasons why.

"Blair, are you sure you want to be drinking on a school night?" a look of judgement was passed to me by my mother. An ingenuine smile only took over my lips and raised a brow, uninterested with heeding to her feigned concernment.

I wasn't one to seek inebriation during the weekdays, but tonight was an exception. If I was determined to get through dinner with my sanity still intact, alcohol was definitely one of the requirements jotted in my list. 

A sigh only came out of her, something that left me unaffected either. Nothing was ever going to truly please my mother, I should know. Everyone around her did. My father, the home staff, the employees. It was who she was.

"Have you concluded a decision yet about our discussion the other night?"

I swirled the drink in my hand, faking interest in the liquid that swam inside it and hummed. "You know that I don't like being rushed, mother."

"Do I seem like someone to burden myself with that?" she put one hand over the other on the table and fixed her posture, "It doesn't matter, you will be taking that internship in Berlin over the break." she finalized.

"What was the point in asking me then?" I mumbled, sighing under my breath. My eyes looked up to meet a familiar set of hazel eyes, though the ensemble she was in nearly made her unrecognizable. Her eyes shifted quickly, looking at anything else other than me, but I let mine stay still and study her appearance.

My mother's seat moved backward as she stood up to greet the man standing near and then her. The navy blue dress she wore made her an eye-catching sight, and the way her hair and makeup were done showed a completely different person from the one I saw on a daily basis.

"Whitney Montgomery?" I voiced, grasping her attention again like I wanted.

I watched her nod, turn my direction and stand straight to confront me, "Good evening, Blair."

Our contact was short-lived as my mother had interrupted by introducing me to her father, the man she was currently seeing. "Blair, this is William Montgomery. He formerly worked for your father in Westwood Publishing."

He extended a hand out to me, and although handshakes were not my thing, I took his with no reluctance. If he did work for my father like stated, then that must mean they've met long before they started dating. Thinking about it, it piqued my curiosity and I wondered if he was one of the men she screwed behind my father's back.

The waiter came to our service and offered them a glass of the champagne I was having. William accepted while Whitney so bashfully refused. They were given the menus and once she opened it, her eyes visibly fell out of their sockets. Since she was seated right in front of me, I could tell she was getting flustered by my gaze staying on her.

She cleared her throat and casually scanned through the food selections, giving off a somewhat calm impression, but the fingers that trembled on the pages told otherwise.

"Um...dad, I think I'll just split with you whatever it is you're having," she spoke softly, as if not wanting to be heard by others,"If you excuse me, I need to use the bathroom."

An amused smile lit up my face when I stopped her with my words, "I'll lead you the way."

Her heated cheeks darkened in color and a nervous laugh filled my ears, "Oh no, that's not needed. I'm sure I can find my way-"

"It's a big restaurant, you'll only get lost. I insist." my smile grew wider, standing up from my seat and motioned for her to follow me, since she had no choice but to.

I knew the Plaza like the back of my hand. These were directions I had gotten to know over the many times I'd eaten here. Turning my head to the side, I glanced to make sure she was beside me and noticed the way our steps synced in the process.

"I must say, you clean up nicely, Montgomery." I commented on her choice of wardrobe, "That dress of yours is stunning. I'm truly impressed."

She faltered a bit at my compliment but kept her head high, "You look beautiful as well."

"Of course I do," a smirk played on my lips, heading towards a light-colored door with an engraving of 'Women' on the front. My hand twisted the doorknob and pushed it open, "After you."

"I-uh..Thank you..."

I shut the door with an audibly loud sound, the click of a lock echoing the walls. She looked at me with wide eyes, struggling to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat.

"Now it's time for a little chat,"