I finished my article just before getting ready for the Diamond Ball and placed it on Lane’s desk earlier this evening. It had taken me awhile to get the words right but I felt good about it, whether Lane liked it or not. After I dropped the papers off my head felt clear. I couldn’t wait to join Ben that evening for the ball and start our first evening together as true boyfriend and boyfriend.

The evening had been perfect so far, like something of a fairy tale. Ben picked me up at my doorstep and we entered the ball arm in arm, looking like the perfect couple.

I felt enthralled with delight as Ben paraded me through the crowd of gorgeous, elegant people all draped in diamonds and their finest attire.

Ben went to find us drinks and offered for me to frost myself at the table near the entrance. I bit my lip when I heard him say frost myself, I knew those were my words he was using for his campaign. I said nothing though, only smiled. I wouldn’t take his credit away, not on tonight of all nights.

I walked over to the table of diamonds. The diamonds were set out from all the sponsors from the ad campaigns, along with other sparkling jewels as well. I had never seen so many magnificent stones in my lifetime. I pawed around the table looking for something classy yet refined.

An older gentleman who appeared to be an alpha, with dark grey hair and an award-winning smile, offered me a hand in selecting a stone. I had been looking at the watches. I didn’t have my ears pierced and necklaces weren’t really my style; I found them too feminine, even for an omega.

The man pointed to small section of exquisite rings on the far right-hand side of the table. “For a man of your stature, you need something of brilliance,” He told me in a heavy English accent. The crest on his breast pocket indicated he was a lord of some sort. I watched him finger through the rings, then ask the lady who was manning the table to pass him the sapphire Balentine stone. I waited while the lady searched around behind the table for the item not on display.

When the lady finally passed the sapphire ring covered in diamonds over to the handsome alpha my jaw nearly hit the floor. The Balentine design, as they called it, was the most desirable precious set of stones I had ever seen. The sapphire matched perfectly with my suit.

“This will make your eyes look even more like the jewels that they are,” He told me as he slipped the ring on my finger. “Put him down for the Balentine,” he told the lady behind the table who was keeping record of the stones beings passed out to the guests.

“Thank you!” I gleamed in awe at my temporary new ring.

“You’re most welcome, sir.” He smiled politely then carried on through the crowd leaving me alone with my ring.

I decided to follow the direction Ben had gone in hopes to find him. When I finally reached him at the bar I saw him being groped by an older lady with dark red hair. I giggled as I watched him play along with the lady by entertaining her with his charming good looks.

I decided to let Ben do his thing by schmoozing his clients that he had worked so hard to obtain and I walked to try and find our table for the evening. As I walked around the tables, searching names cards, a man approached me. He was quite large with a big round belly and seemingly straight from what I could see.

“Hi, Andy is it?” He asked

I put down the name card I was reading that happened to say Lane Richards, my boss, and turned my attention to the large man in front of me. “Yes, that’s me,” I confirmed sounding a little confused.

“Nice to finally meet you, Andy, I’m Warren, from Universal Ad Agency,” He reached out to shake my hand.

I stuck my hand out to meet his, almost choking on my champagne. “Oh, you’re Warren, Ben’s boss! It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Likewise, Andy. You’ve been quite the inspiration for Ben these last few days,” he smiled kindly, “and I must say you’re looking quite inspiring yourself. There is no one that shines brighter than a diamond except for an omega who is in love.”

“Love?” I laughed uncomfortably. “No, no, I’m not in love,” I denied to him, “… I can’t be… it’s only been ten days, I…” I looked into Warren’s eyes and he looked back at me with an arched brow and a savvy smirk on his face. It was no use denying it. I had love written all over my face.

“Ben’s a very lucky man,” he told me before walking away.

“Oh, please don’t tell him!” I shouted after him, but it was no use, he was already gone. I sighed, he was right I did love Ben.

After Warren left I decided to give up searching for our table and wait for Ben to find me, or Lane, whoever came first. I sat down in Lane’s chair and swiped a fresh champagne glass from the waiter walking by. I glanced around the room looking for anyone I knew. I spotted Tony and Glen right away, but they were too far from me to wave them over and they seemed to be occupied with two tall brunette omegas. While looking over, watching them converse, I realized I had met the tall brunette omegas once before in the lobby of Glam-O. J something and J something, I thought to myself. Then I watched Tony and Glen finish their conversation and come rushing over towards me.

“Hi boys!” I greeted them, happy to see familiar faces.

“Hi Andy,” Tony said sitting beside me wrapping his arm around my shoulder.

“Handsome, smart, incredible Andy,” Glen said, sitting on the other side of me, looking suspicious.

I said nothing and waited for the underlying reason of these compliments to surface.

“So, Warren is about to come over here and it would just be so great if you could pretend like you knew nothing about the bet.” Tony looked at Glen for approval of word choice.

Glen nodded in agreement. “Yes. If you could just say you really are in love with Ben and you weren’t just doing this so he could win the bet that would just be amazing.”

“Fantastic really. It would really, really help us out,” Tony added with a pathetic little smile.

I froze in my chair. Pretend? A bet? This whole time I had been feeling guilty about hurting Ben’s feelings when he had been using me for some sort of stupid bet? My heart sank in my chest and my stomach turned upside down as bile rose up my throat. I drank my champagne down in one giant gulp as I listened to Tony and Glen carry on about this nightmare I was living.