esmonda and hugged her tightly, careful

she pulled back and assessed her friend's tired face and turtl

didn't want to talk about it here a

ught the tail end of their conversation or managed to glimpse the fractured expression on Des's face before

hat Freddie would d

the tables occupied by wealthy patrons to

another restaurant huh?" Natali

round the elegant interior of the mo

t scoop on Arindale's biggest socialites and executives. It wasn't the place Desmonda would have picked for the type of convers

ress, then rattled off a long list of food

ire lounge?" Desmonda said with a sh

the bright grey eyes that'd earned her a good chunk of her fame were fixed on he

ly...' he was right, she was ugly. Ugly and fat, with short dark hair, dull brown eyes and ridiculous

deserving of him, she sh

tered and tucked a strand

with a frown and slowly set it do

eatened to flow and kept her voice steady, but merely recounti

still saw her as nothing more than the fat, ugly child that'd clung to him when they we

your with?" There was an edge to N

shrugged shoulders. Even if her face wasn't hidde

d glared at the table when Des finished. "And h

ps. "And even if he did

th their food, she took the glasses of margaritas and t

hock. "I'm sorry Miss Mar

y know who I am and you dare to go against my instructio

other place, people would have cussed Natalie out for how terribly she w

ou can keep them," Desmonda

hen scurried off while Natali

ou're too nice, especially t

," Des w

ou were Freddie wouldn't dare say such things to you," she

n't know what

tinued. "You were tal

and like Freddie they're as obsessed with their image so they drafted a cont

ward. "And there's

hen sighed. "Well, there is one way.

ked, then cleared her throa

ress that was there. "But I still have to try. I spoke to her secre

you'll be free Des,"

pposed to help out company, it was supposed to open doors we couldn't open ourselves," sh

g chosen. But she had never managed to do that, she was an okay student, an okay soccer player, an okay dancer. She was okay, nothing marvellous or talen

oo emotional, maybe s

orth more than whatever business advantage you bring to your parents, I

r a while, "He was

r moment then smiled. "You're strong,

and nodded, smiling gra

end, the only girl at their school who hadn't bullied her relentlessly for no reason, sh

down at it. A smile touched her face and she

man?" Desmonda

ven went out a couple of times," she said in an exci

up and clapped exci

ause he was some big-shot executive who didn't want anyone to know they were together until he was ready. Natalie ha

encouraged her in her pursuit of him, she was glad to see that her friend was finally getting some peac

us," Des said and smiled even bright

et him soon, don't worry, he's warming u

ntinued to chat for a while until Desmonda