Chapter 4

Derek said with a smile, "Mr. Russell, Ms. White, this is Alice Tudor, my girlfriend."

Alice's face froze at Derek's blunt introduction. She instinctively wanted to deny, but the words caught in her throat when she met James's cold, distant eyes.

"Nice to meet you, Alice," Gloria said with a knowing smile, extending her hand.

Compared to Alice's discomfort, this lavish party seemed to be Gloria's domain.

No matter how much Alice tried to act like a wealthy heiress, she could never truly be one.

James, after that initial indifferent glance, never looked at her again, as if she were a stranger.

Derek immediately lifted Alice's face, trying to get closer to James.

"Mr. Russell, look, she does resemble Ms. White a bit, though she's not as beautiful. Ms. White is a true socialite, after all."

Ever since Derek found out that Gloria was James's first love, he had been scheming to get close to him.

The entire economic lifeline of the city was in James's hands. If Derek could secure a few projects from him, the Brown Group would be rolling in profits.

Gloria covered her mouth with a light laugh and nudged James with her elbow. "Indeed. James, What do you think?"

James finally looked up lazily, glancing at Alice with eyes devoid of any emotion.

"Not as beautiful as you."

"Oh, stop it," Gloria playfully slapped his shoulder, their intimacy evident.

Back when they were together, James would whisper sweet nothings in her ear. Now, those memories only brought her pain.

She clenched her fists, feeling utterly humiliated.

Derek, meanwhile, nodded in agreement, condescendingly pinching Alice's chin.

"Mr. Russell is right. Ms. White's elegance is unmatched. It's already a blessing for her to look somewhat like Ms. White."

Every word tore Alice down while putting Gloria up on a pedestal.

Alice lowered her eyes, hoping to block out the hurtful words, but her heart still ached as if it had been stabbed repeatedly.

James remained silent, simply swirling the red liquid in his glass before taking a sip.

Finally, Gloria couldn't stand it any longer.

"Alright, you two go sit over there. Ms. Tudor and I need to freshen up our makeup."

Gloria dismissed them, affectionately linking arms with Alice as they headed to the restroom.

Halfway there, Alice gently pulled her arm away and nodded in thanks. "Ms. White, thank you for helping me out."

"It's nothing. Don't take James's words to heart. He was just trying to avoid making me angry. Men are all like that," Gloria said with an innocent smile.

But Alice picked up on a hint of possessiveness in her words. Not that she was in any position to explore it.

She forced a smile and nodded in response. "I understand."

Back in the main hall, everyone was seated on the sofas. Derek saw Alice and immediately gestured for her to join him.

She sat down uneasily next to him, avoiding James, who didn't even glance her way, completely indifferent to her presence.

As soon as she sat down, Oliver Russell, dressed in an expensive suit, teased, "Mr. Brown, you brought a beauty with you. Aren't you going to introduce her?"

Alice didn't know Oliver and shrank back warily. She felt out of place in this setting.

Before Derek could respond, Wendy Edwards, Oliver's companion, sneered, "This lady does have a unique face, quite like Ms. White who just returned. Too bad she doesn't share Ms. White's fortune."

Everyone's eyes turned to Alice, scrutinizing her.

"James, where's Gloria? Why isn't she here yet?"

Oliver's casual address to James made Alice realize they must be close.

She couldn't help but study him more closely. He did resemble James a bit, but while James was cold and aloof, Oliver seemed much warmer.

"It's late. I sent her home," James replied nonchalantly, sitting at the center of the room, exuding an air of effortless control.

'He really does care about Gloria,' Alice thought, her heart sinking.

Wendy, noticing Alice's lack of attention, scowled and said to her coldly, "This must be your first time here, right? You should have a drink to liven things up."

" Mr. Brown, your girlfriend doesn't seem to know the rules. You should thank Oliver for being here today. How can she show no gratitude?"

Alice didn't understand Wendy's hostility. She had wanted to refuse, but now she had no excuse.

She had always avoided alcohol, hating its bitter taste.

"Drink up," Derek whispered a warning in her ear.

She had no choice.

She picked up the glass in front of her and downed it in one go. The bitterness spread through her mouth, making her eyes water.

Derek quickly handed her a glass of ice water to ease the burn.

"Please forgive her. She doesn't drink much," Derek said, patting Alice's back.

James, who had been ignoring them, glanced at Derek's hand.

Alice felt a sharp gaze on her, but when she looked, James was staring at his phone, as if it had been her imagination.

'He's probably thinking about going back to Gloria,' Alice thought bitterly. There was no way he  would care about her.

Wendy scoffed, "She's with you now. Why pretend to be innocent?"

Derek didn't like that. He raised an eyebrow and said pointedly, "Not everyone has experience as a hostess. She really doesn't drink much."

Wendy's face blushed with anger. "What do you mean by that, Mr. Brown?"

She had been a top hostess before meeting Oliver, and she didn't want her past brought up.

Derek smiled calmly. "If the shoe fits."

"Alright, we're all here to have fun. No need to argue," Oliver tried to smooth things over.

With Oliver stepping in, Wendy had to hold back her anger. She glanced at Alice's flushed face and got an idea.

"Fine, since Oliver said so, I won't argue. How about we play a game to lighten the mood?"