Chapter 3 The party

"I just took a shower," I lied, and that made him frown even more.

"Why don't you come out? We are leaving next week. Spend some time with us!" he said, and the way he said it made me sigh. How could I tell him that Dad asked me to avoid their party?

"I don't know, Ethan. I don’t have a suitable swimsuit," I replied. He rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"You bought one yesterday, so now you have fifty swimming suits easily."

"Yes, but they don’t fit me well. I don't feel okay in any of them."

"Then put on a winter coat. I don’t care, but just come out," he exclaimed.

I sighed again and nodded. Maybe Dad won't be too angry with me if the boys tell him they invited me.

"See you in ten minutes," he said before leaving. I closed the door, leaned against it, walked to the mirror, and removed my robe.

My naked body stared back at me. I have loved eating since I became an Astor, especially sweets and cakes. Eating those treats satisfied me, and even though it made me gain weight, knowing that Spencer would never see me as a woman, I couldn’t bring myself to stop.

I held my belly as I turned to check my side. "Gross," I whispered to myself. For a moment, I recalled my dad, who often used similar words to describe my shape. He always compared me to my classmates when he learned that they had bullied me at school. Some could starve themselves for weeks to get a modelling job, a role in a movie, or an advertisement. I was the only one who relied on the Astors' money during this time. I knew Mum, Spencer, and Ethan would have tried to comfort me, but these conversations were strictly private between Dad and me.

My breasts were round and large, but because of my weight, they didn’t look good without a bra. I had a small tummy, so it was far from flat like Carla's. My butt only looked good in jeans, which were so tight that I sometimes worried I would collapse if I had to wear them for an extended period.

I shook my head and turned away from the mirror. "That won’t get any better," I muttered before moving to the wardrobe. I took out a shirt and a short skirt, and after a quick shower, I put them on. I styled my hair into a bun, not even glancing at the mirror to check my outfit before I left my room.

When I reached the garden, and the boys noticed me, they shouted,

"Finally!" It made me feel embarrassed, as all the attention was focused on me, and it was overwhelming.

I walked to the table where all the food was, poured myself a glass of orange juice, and sat down in a chair.

The party continued, and I felt better until I noticed Carla looking at me a few times. Her friends surrounded her, and sometimes she would say something to them, which would make them glance at me and laugh. I couldn't stand them. Honestly, I didn't understand why Spencer and Ethan hung out with them.

Carla came from a wealthy family, similar to ours,  that owned several businesses in which our father was involved. Occasionally, the Hearsts come over for dinner, and I had to endure their attitudes since my parents always expected me to attend these gatherings.

Carla was sweet during these dinners, of course. She always managed to win our father over. Even though she was preparing for university, she spoke frequently about business, which endeared her to him even more. He constantly praised Mr. Hearst for having such an exceptional daughter, which made me feel utterly insignificant.

Carla was also friendly to me until others were around, revealing her true colours only when our parents weren't present. She was a master of manipulation, and I feared she could manipulate Spencer into accepting her as his girlfriend. That was all our father wanted, and he would be thrilled if they were to become a couple.

Lost in my thoughts, I didn't realise someone was standing beside me until I heard Carla's voice.

"Orange juice?" she asked with a broad smile. "If I were you, Cora, I'd be careful with that. The sugar from fruit can make you gain weight."

I made a face, trying to gather my thoughts before I replied. "Do you know how many calories are in that glass of champagne you're holding?"

She giggled, then stepped closer to me, leaning down with a smirk. "Even if I drank a whole bottle, I wouldn't weigh half as much as you." She smiled again before leaving me to sit by the pool, gazing seductively at Spencer, and it infuriated me to see him smile back at her.

"Your favourite cake!" A small plate with a slice of cake suddenly appeared close to my face, held by Ethan.

"You scared me!" I exclaimed, but he laughed. "Eat it, Cora. It'll make you smile. And later, if you want a little vodka in your orange juice, I guarantee it will stay our secret." He whispered, but I just looked at him and shook my head.

"I can't drink alcohol yet, Ethan. If Mom and Dad find out, they'll be furious."

"I didn’t say to get drunk. If that were the case, I would be the one to kick you in the ass. I’m just saying that a little vodka could help you relax and enjoy the party."

I sighed, shaking my head as I took the plate from him and took a bite of the cake. Tilting my head back, I smiled. "This is delicious. Who needs alcohol when I have a cake like this?" The cake was made by the most famous bakery in Los Angeles, especially for the twins' party. How could it be anything but good?

As the alcohol disappeared from the table, the party grew wilder. The music got louder, and the girls in bikinis began to dance, trying to be sexy while the boys watched in excitement. I noticed one of their classmates holding a girl's hand and disappearing inside the house.

Our parents were away on holiday. I knew they booked the trip so the boys could enjoy their leaving party undisturbed. I was surprised they allowed such a party, but I also understood that Mom had hired a cleaning company to come in the next day.

I felt tired and checked the time; it was only nine o'clock. I wanted to leave, but I was worried. Carla was always near Spencer, and I didn’t dare leave him alone with her. She was so seductive, and Spencer was a young, attractive man. I couldn’t take the chance of finding him in a room with Carla the next morning.

I stood up to get some coffee when I noticed what was happening. Ethan and Spencer were competing in a drinking game, seeing who could down three shots the quickest. Ethan won, and everyone applauded him.

They soon started dancing, and I could see that Spencer was feeling the effects of the alcohol. He told them he would be back in a minute and went to the bathroom. I watched him stumble and realised no one was following him, so I rushed after him.

I heard him flushing the toilet when I reached the door, but he didn’t come out.

"Spencer!" I called, knocking on the door. "Spencer!" I called again before deciding to enter the bathroom because he didn’t respond. I found him washing his face, which relaxed me. When he opened his eyes, he noticed me standing there and smiled widely, his gaze lingering on my body for a moment. He turned to me, pulled me in, and hugged me from behind. We looked into each other’s eyes in the mirror. He smiled at me, holding me in a way that felt like a man in love would embrace a woman.

"Look at you; how beautiful you are!"

I felt my heart race with surprise when I learned that Ethan shared my struggle with not having anything to wear. It honestly took me aback! Spencer reeked of alcohol, but this time, it didn’t bother me. Being in his arms made my heart feel like it might explode. I wanted nothing more than to turn around and kiss him, but I forced myself to return to reality.

"Spencer, don't say ridiculous things!"

"I mean it! It's so warm outside. You bought that nice swimsuit, yet you're wearing this instead." He touched the hem of my shirt, unwittingly tracing the soft skin on my belly, which made me feel butterflies in my stomach.