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CALLI

“Sweetheart, are you ready? Your mum’s about to blow a— whoa, girl,” Jocelyn gasps when I appear at the foot of the stairs she’s walking down to find me.

As usual, her appearance is flawless. The perfect showpiece for Mum to flaunt around her friends tonight.

“You like?” I ask, a wicked smile pulling at my lips.

I knew the dress was going to be perfect the second we saw it online. But seeing Alex’s reaction really nailed that home.

Mum is going to lose her shit, and for the first time in my life, I’m ready for it.

“I love, but what happened to the dresses I put in your wardrobe for tonight?”

“Oh, those… I couldn’t possibly tell you.” I wink cheekily, and Jocelyn laughs.

“I like this fire in you, Calli. I don’t know who’s put it there but you need to keep them around.” Her eyes flash with something, and my brow wrinkles before my heart plummets as I think about the reason for my new, gives-no-shits attitude.

“I just figured it was time to stand up for myself a little.”

“I’m here for it, sweet girl,” Jocelyn says with a smile, her excitement glittering in her eyes.

“Just be ready with the mop for when her head explodes.”

“I’ve got your back, Calli,” she jokes.

I follow her up the stairs and through the house. My heels clack against the spotless marble floors as I take in the sheer perfection of the house. There is not a thing out of place.

“You’ve had a hard day, huh?” I whisper over my shoulder, sensing Jocelyn is still there.

“I like to be busy.”

My response falters as we step into the hallway and both Mum and Dad turn our way.

Just for a few seconds, I swear time actually stops as they both stare at me with their mouths agape and their eyes wide.

Smugness washes through me as I stand there confidently, owning my dress choice.

It takes longer than I expected, but finally Mum seems to come back to her senses.

“Callista, where is the dress I provided you?”

“I didn’t like it,” I say nonchalantly with a small shrug, “so I chose this instead.”

My heart pounds, trying to beat its way out of my chest, but I refuse to give in to the fear that edges its way in as I stand in front of both of my disappointed parents.

Swallowing it down, I force my body to spin.

“What do you think?”

Jocelyn just about manages to smother her amused laugh when I catch her eyes.

My mother’s gasp rips through the air as she discovers the open back that damn near goes right down to my arse crack and just a couple of ties holding the fabric together.

“Callista,” she warns. Her tone sends a shiver down my spine, but I refuse to cower like a naughty little kid. “You need to go and—”

The doorbell rips through the air, and faster than I thought she could move, Jocelyn rushes to the door to greet our guests.

Iris and her husband, Christos, stand on the other side and she quickly ushers them in, offering both of them a glass of champagne waiting on the unit that almost runs the length of the hallway.