It was evening and both Evelyn and I were back at the condo. She made a delicious dinner despite our scathing argument from earlier. I almost admired her defiant attitude; she ate dinner at the bar just like any other day. Most people would have avoided me entirely or rushed out as soon as the meal was served, but not Evelyn. She stuck around out of spite. I dropped my fork loudly onto my plate, but she didn’t even flinch.

 

Evelyn was ruining my plans. The only plans my father would actually respect me for. She had overheard my dad shitting on me so why was she so intent on messing this up? The way I saw it, she could open up a restaurant of her own any damn place. This gym, on the other hand, was an entirely different story. Besides, that piece of real estate said more than enough before anything was even put into it.

 

I scoffed and turned to look out the window, resenting that I even considered her special. She was just another woman to screw me over worse than any one-night-stand could. If she wanted to play it that way, then I was more than game to play along. I turned to look at her back again and my thoughts got the better of me.

 

“When did you first find the place?”

 

She stiffened at the sound of my voice, but then quickly turned to look at me, climbing down from the stool and straightening up. “That’s none of your business,” she shut me down. She picked up her plate before adding, “I won’t be cooking dinner tomorrow.”

 

“Fine. I won’t be here anyway,” I responded grimly. I’d be damned before I let her have the last word.

 

“I’m the head chef at the Harold Archer Fundraising Dinner,” she tried to show off.

 

I snorted at her lame attempt to impress me. Then the name of the event clicked in my mind. Seeing an opportunity to make it a hellish ordeal for her, I stood up and stared at her with a devilish smirk. She raised one of her eyebrows instead of actually asking me what was up with my look.

 

“I look forward to seeing you there,” I said with a half-smile.

 

Evelyn looked at me in shock, “Oh whatever. You’re not going. This formal occasion is by special invite only.” I looked at her with the most arrogant smile I could muster. “If this is your attempt at messing with my–”

 

“Oh, I assure you it is not an attempt of any kind. I am most definitely attending.” I beamed with a satisfied grin.

 

She opened her mouth for a rebuttal, but no words came out and this just made the smugness on my face grow. I picked up my plate and walked over to hand it to her. Evelyn snatched it from me. I gave her a warning look.

 

“Try not to break another one of my plates please,” I said. “You might want to be extra careful tomorrow night. I doubt they’d be as forgiving as I was if you were to break one of their very expensive dishes.”

 

Evelyn swallowed hard and drew in a long breath. I could tell I was working her last nerve, especially when her voice shook, “They wouldn’t invite you.”

 

“You sound so sure even though you’re completely wrong,” I said coldly. “Look for yourself—my laptop bag, outside pocket.”

 

Evelyn grumbled and walked over to the chair where I had left my leather laptop bag. It was zipped up, but she had no problem hastily opening it and rifling through the outside pocket. In any other situation, I would have stopped her but this was too much fun. Plus, I was looking forward to the look on her face when she found the invitation.

 

Her rummaging hands stopped in an instant. I saw her entire body tense up. I felt a wash of satisfaction at being able to get such a rise out of her in more than one way. At that point I was so irritated that she was throwing a giant wrench in my plans to purchase the property that I wanted nothing more than to piss her off just a little more. She pulled out the elegant invitation, which had been tastefully printed on a reflective silver paper. She clutched it, but didn’t turn to look at me. It went without saying, I was thoroughly enjoying this, my only regret was that I couldn’t see the look on her face.

 

“I’m invited every year,” I informed her casually.

 

“Fucking shit,” she cursed under her breath, still staring at the invitation.

 

I could just imagine the pissed off look of disbelief on her face. I wanted to laugh, but it was much more interesting to put up a front and make her think I took it as no big deal. That would only irk her even more. I walked over slowly until I could see her face. I smirked seeing just how outraged and even mortified she was.

 

“You look cute when you’re angry.”

 

“Oh, shut the fuck up and stop trying to flatter me,” she snapped before dropping the invitation on the table and storming off to her bedroom.

 

I turned to look at her leave and for a brief moment I felt a little guilty. Maybe I had gone too far.