xxand brother, if you have the chance to pick me up,
xxcan I sleep on your couch to the pound of the ache and pain?
xxoh, in my head 'cause I'm awake all night long
xxto the drums of the city rain.
Bella was barely keeping a scowl off her face. As if this whole false marriage, whole... business deal business hadn't been bad enough, she was missing a night out with some of her favourite people to instead swan around a room of her least favourite people. The only saving grace was that she'd been assured that everyone at the party knew that this was a farce, a lie. The media was gossiping about it, but it was a closed event, and Bella wouldn't have to pretend to be happy to be marrying Rosanna Gray. Her mother had warned her they'd have to be civil at least, and pose for some photos, but that was it. She hadn't even managed to wrangle an invite for Jacob.
"Bella, honey, please smile. We can't have the media gossiping about why you look so miserable." Her mother chastised. Bella just rolled her eyes. But as soon as the valet opened the car door, the winning Chapman smile was fixed on Bella's face as she swanned into the hotel. They'd all but booked it out for the function to help improve the media hype, and it seemed to have worked. Bella stopped for some photos, but declined to answer any questions at the direction of her mother.
A waiter stood just inside the door holding a tray of drinks. Bella reached for a cocktail, but instead had a glass of champagne pressed into her hand by her mother with a glare. She rolled her eyes and sipped at the drink, watching the door for Rosanna. The arrival of her "fiancΓ©e" would be enough to spark the questions by her father's friends, colleagues, and family members. All sworn to secrecy, but all still eager for gossip and drama.