Chapter 5: The Glass Slipper and The Snake
A week after the terrifying toaster incident, Alexander strode into the mansion’s sprawling kitchen. He was wearing a custom navy suit that made him look ruthlessly handsome, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of raw nervous energy.
“I need you to come with me to an event tonight,” he announced, aggressively adjusting his crisp silver cuffs.
Mia, who was in the middle of preparing a turkey sandwich, froze with a mayonnaise-covered butter knife suspended in the air. “What kind of event?”
“The Chicago Business Association’s annual charity gala,” Alexander replied quickly. “It’s critical for Montgomery Tech. And my mother will be there. With Victoria.”
Mia dropped the knife onto the counter with a loud clatter. “Oh, I get it. Time to parade the fake girlfriend around the main stage for high society to judge.”
“Exactly,” Alexander said, completely missing her sarcasm. “Do you have a dress that would fit a black-tie occasion?”
Mia let out a hollow, bitter laugh. “Sure, Alexander! I keep a closet full of Valentino gowns hidden in my tiny one-bedroom apartment, right between my bleach-stained uniforms and patched pajamas.”
Alexander flinched, suddenly looking incredibly embarrassed. “I’m sorry. That was ignorant. I’ll take care of it. What’s your size?”
“Don’t even think about buying me clothes,” Mia fired back, crossing her arms defensively. “I am not your personal charity case. I’ll figure it out.”
Four hours later, Mia descended the grand staircase. She was wearing a simple, elegant black dress she had frantically borrowed from her sister-in-law. It wasn’t dripping in diamonds, and it didn’t have a designer label, but it fit her perfectly. She had pulled her hair into a chic, high bun and applied a subtle, smoky makeup look.
Alexander was pacing the marble foyer, checking his Rolex. When he looked up and saw her, his breath hitched. He stopped dead in his tracks.
“You look… beautiful,” he breathed, his voice entirely stripped of its usual corporate arrogance.
“Thank you,” Mia replied, clutching her small clutch bag. “You look tolerable.”
Alexander laughed, a deep, genuine sound that echoed off the high ceilings. “Just tolerable? I wouldn’t want to boost that massive ego of yours anymore.”
The gala was held at Chicago’s most opulent downtown hotel. The ballroom was a sea of crystal chandeliers, cascading white orchids, and golden ambient light. Men in razor-sharp tuxedos and women in gowns that cost more than a mortgage glided around, sipping vintage champagne.
As soon as Alexander and Mia walked through the towering double doors, the temperature in the room seemed to drop. Mia felt every eye turn toward them. Or rather, toward her.
“Relax,” Alexander whispered, leaning close so his breath tickled her ear. He offered his arm. “You belong here just as much as anyone else in this room.”
“Yeah, right,” Mia muttered, gripping his bicep. “But thanks for trying to lie to make me feel better.”
They had barely taken two sips of their champagne when Eleanor Montgomery materialized out of the crowd, closely followed by Victoria Sterling. Victoria was wrapped in a blindingly expensive emerald-green silk gown.
“Alexander, dear,” Eleanor greeted, kissing the air near her son’s cheek without ever taking her eyes off Mia. “What an absolute surprise to see you here, Mia. You must be feeling so out of your depth.”
“Good evening, Mrs. Montgomery,” Mia smiled politely. “The event is beautiful.”
Before Eleanor could unleash another veiled insult, Victoria stepped forward with a venomous smirk. “Mia. What an… interesting dress. Is it vintage again?”
Mia didn’t miss a beat. “Actually, it’s borrowed, Victoria. But thanks for noticing. Your dress is lovely, too. It must have cost enough to feed a family of four for a month.”
Victoria’s artificial smile instantly cracked.
The tension boiled over an hour later when Mia excused herself to the women’s restroom. She was washing her hands at the marble sink when the door swung open, and Victoria strutted in, locking the door behind her.
“Do you really think you can keep up this pathetic act?” Victoria asked, pulling a tube of Chanel lipstick from her purse and aggressively applying it in the mirror.
“What act?” Mia asked calmly, drying her hands on a linen towel.
“Please,” Victoria scoffed, turning to face her. “A maid dating Alexander Montgomery? Everyone in that ballroom knows it’s completely ridiculous. You are nothing but a temporary, cheap distraction.”
Mia slowly threw the towel into the brass bin. She stepped toward Victoria, refusing to shrink.
“Whether I’m temporary or not is none of your business,” Mia said, her voice eerily calm.
“Of course it is,” Victoria hissed, stepping closer. “I’ve known Alexander for ten years. I know what he likes. I know what his company needs. And he definitely does not need an employee pretending to be something she is not.”
Mia tilted her head, locking eyes with the furious heiress. “You know what I find fascinating, Victoria? You’re so incredibly worried about me, but you forgot to ask yourself one question: Why did Alexander choose a simple cleaning lady over a porcelain princess like you?”
Victoria’s face flushed a deep, violent shade of red. “When he gets tired of this childish game, I will still be here. Just like I always have been.”
“Well, good for you,” Mia smiled coldly. “It must be incredibly comfortable living entirely off of desperate hope.”
Has someone ever tried to humiliate you in public because they felt threatened by you? How did you shut them down? Tell us your story in the comments!
