My fingers tighten around the phone 123

Bella’s POV
I stretched languorously across the poolside chaise, extending one perfectly manicured hand toward the werewolf server with a deliberate snap of my fingers that commanded attention. The way his muscles rippled beneath his tight uniform as
he turned toward me sent a delicious thrill up my spine. A low-ranking Shadow Fang warrior moonlighting for extra cash —how delightfully desperate. I had to give Emma credit; her talent for staffing her stolen paradise with eye candy was
perhaps her only redeeming quality.
When our gazes locked, the server’s expression transformed. His practiced smile revealed gleaming white teeth, and he
inclined his head with exaggerated slowness—a gesture dripping with promise rather than subservience. My tongue
darted out involuntarily to moisten my lower lip as heat pooled low in my belly. Later, perhaps. First, business.
“You need to host a party—right here.” I announced, turning back to Emma with calculated abruptness. I swept my arm in
a grand gesture encompassing the luxurious surroundings.
Emma’s shoulders hunched slightly as she clutched her crystal tumbler with white knuckles. “A party?” Her voice cracked
pathetically. “In case you haven’t noticed, Ethan won’t even look at me anymore. He’s got that bitch Aria living in his head
rent-free”
I studied Emma with thinly veiled disdain, taking inventory of her deterioration. The designer swimsuit hanging
awkwardly on her frame was unmistakably last year’s collection. Her usually flawless makeup had been applied with a
shaky hand—mascara clumped at the corners, lip liner slightly overdrawn. Even her trademark platinum blonde hair,
normally styled to perfection, hung in lackluster waves around her shoulders.
“Darling,” I purred, lips curving into a predatory smile that I didn’t bother disguising, “leave that to me. I’ll make sure he
comes to the party for you. So pick out something that will make him drool and beg you to take him back.” I leaned
forward, lowering my voice conspiratorially.
Something flickered in Emma’s bloodshot eyes—a desperate spark of hope mixed with the bitterness that had become
her constant companion. Her lips twisted into a cunning smile that momentarily restored a shadow of her former beauty.
“Once Ethan is back with me,” she bargained, gripping her glass so tightly I thought it might shatter, ” I’ll help you snare
Leo. Let that bitch Aria have nothing!”
“God, yes,” I breathed, genuine enthusiasm coloring my words for the first time. “Life was so much more civilized when
that self-righteous bitch and her feral brat were exiled where they belonged.”
My gaze drifted across the expansive property, mentally transforming it for the upcoming event. The flow of the open
floor plan practically begged for a DJ setup in that corner, with the adjacent area cleared for dancing. The pool deck
could easily accommodate fifty people—maybe seventy if we extended onto the lawn. Strategic lighting, premium
alcohol, carefully selected guests… yes, this could work beautifully.
A stab of jealousy, sharp and unexpected, pierced through my planning as I fully absorbed the luxury surrounding me.
The infinity pool overlooking the valley. The imported stone tiles. The custom fire features. All this, gifted to Emma by
Ethan during their fleeting romance. My father had never given me anything remotely comparable.
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I swallowed hard, forcing down the bitter taste of resentment that threatened to choke me. Emma caught my expression
and narrowed her eyes, throwing back the remainder of her drink with a defiant gulp. The tension between us crackled
like static electricity before a storm.
“I can make it happen,” I declared, the plan crystallizing in my mind. I’d create a guest list carefully engineered to ensure
both Ethan and Leo’s attendance. I’d tell Father I was extending an olive branch to Aria that would restore my allowance
and give me the resources I needed.
“You don’t understand,” Emma hissed, leaning forward with sudden intensity. “If I mess up again, Ethan will destroy me. He’s already on edge after everything with Aria.” Her voice dropped to a whisper tinged with genuine fear. “You haven’t
seen him when he’s truly angry. That woman does something to him—turns him into someone else. She’s like a goddamn
siren to these men.”
I barely contained a derisive snort. Emma’s melodramatics were tedious. Ethan was just an alpha heir with an overinflated
ego—nothing I hadn’t manipulated before. And Aria? Please. My half-sister might have certain… qualities that some
found appealing, but her appeal had always baffled me. She was nothing special.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I chided, injecting warmth into my voice that I didn’t remotely feel. “You’re my oldest friend, and
Aria has been a thorn in both our sides for too long. I’ve outmaneuvered her before, and I can do it again.” I gestured
expansively around us. “This party is your chance to show off everything you’ve… acquired.”
The server returned at that moment, gliding toward us with a fresh tray of drinks. His thighs strained against the fabric of
his uniform shorts, and a thin sheen of sweat highlighted the defined muscles of his chest and abdomen. I felt a rush of
heat that had nothing to do with the afternoon sun, my body responding with embarrassing eagerness.
I captured his attention from beneath lowered lashes, deliberately pushing my sunglasses down the bridge of my nose.
“Thank you, handsome,” I murmured, my voice dropping to a husky register that made his pupils dilate noticeably.
The poor boy actually winked at me before offering the tray to Emma, who snatched another glass with the desperation
of someone seeking oblivion rather than refreshment. Her abruptness made him flinch slightly, and he retreated with
noticeable relief.
I watched him go with undisguised appreciation, then sighed dramatically. “If you’re not planning to enjoy that delicious
specimen, I might have to claim him for myself.”
Emma waved her hand dismissively, alcohol clearly beginning to affect her coordination. “Take him. I’m bored with his…
proclivities.” Her lip curled in distaste. “He’s got a thing for asses that borders on pathological. Talented in bed, though, if
you’re into that sort of thing.”
I rose to my feet in one fluid motion, adjusting my bikini with deliberate provocation. “Well, fortunately for him,” I purred,
glancing over my shoulder with a smirk, “my ass happens to be absolutely flawless