Stolen Identity: Mute Heiress

Chapter 506: Exhibition

Callan drove smoothly through the evening traffic with Emily beside him, while Mari sat in the back seat.

Mari touched her hair carefully, then she looked at Emily. “I still can’t believe you made me spend hours at the salon. Hair. Makeup. Nails. Everything.”

“You needed it.”

Mari gasped. “Are you saying I looked bad?”

Emily burst out laughing. “That’s not what I said.”

“It sounded like it.”

Emily laughed. “I’m only saying that tonight is important and since you’re going to be standing beside him all night as his partner, you should look the part.”

Mari giggled. “I’m so excited about tonight.”

Emily looked at her. “Really?”

“Yes.” Mari leaned back. “I’ve been preparing for tonight all week. I’ve been trying to learn more about art and reading about exhibitions. Paintings. Different styles. Artists. I even watched some videos.”

Emily laughed. “For real?”

“Of course. Diva used to be a vital part of his career. I don’t want to stand beside Jax tonight and look like I know nothing.”

Emily raised a brow. “So, it is about Diva?”

Mari shook her head. “No. It is about me wanting to be a supportive partner and be able to talk to the guests. If someone asks me about his work, I don’t want to stand there smiling like an idiot.”

Emily laughed. “You would never smile like an idiot.”

“Well, that’s why I’m making sure of it. Right now, I believe I have what it takes to be a professor in arts and exhibitions.”

This time, Callan laughed with Emily.

“I think it’s sweet that you’re doing all this for him,” Emily said softly.

Mari smiled. “He’s the love of my life, of course, I will do that and more for him.”

The words were simple, but they made Emily’s smile soften.

“Get married to him already.”

Mari giggled. “I intend to as soon as he is ready to pop the question officially.”

“So, what kind of engagement would you want? Something private or public?” Emily asked curiously.

Mari shook her head. “I don’t care whether it is private or public. All I care about is getting married to Jax and getting to live with him and make love to him forever.”

“Eww!” Callan said, making both Mari and Emily giggle.

“What are you, Ewing, for, you male prostitute? You’re lucky Emily rescued you,” Mari said, making Emily laugh while Callan glared at Mari through the rearview mirror.

Mari’s phone buzzed, and she quickly opened it when she saw it was a message from Jax.

Jax>: Are you close?

Mari smiled as she typed quickly.

Mari>: Yes. We should be there in about five minutes.

A reply came almost at once.

Jax>: Good. I’m waiting.

Mari’s smile grew as she stared at the message.

Emily noticed. “I guess that’s Jax. You are hopeless.”

Mari looked at her. “Totally. I am hopelessly and helplessly in love with him.”

Emily laughed. “I know.”

Callan glanced at Mari through the mirror. “I think we all know.”

Mari laughed. “Chauffeur, focus on driving so you can get me to my baby quickly.”

Emily giggled.

Callan scowled. “You realise I could just drop you off by the roadside and…”

“No, you can’t,” Emily said before he could finish.

Callan glanced at Emily, then smiled, “I guess I can’t.”

Mari threw back her head and laughed. Her laughter was so contagious that soon Emily and Callan joined her.

A few minutes later, the gallery came into view.

The building stood behind tall glass doors, glowing beneath warm lights.

Several cars were already parked nearby. Mari easily spotted Jamal’s car, as well as her father’s car.

Callan slowed down as they approached the entrance.

“I can’t believe Jamal and my parents got here before me. Em, it’s your fault,” she complained.

“Better to show up late looking presentable than show up early looking ordinary. This is your first exhibition with Jax. You will want to look at the pictures from today and remember what a hot chic you were.”

Mari said nothing as Callan pulled up directly in front of the gallery.

“Here we are.”

Mari immediately reached for the door as he stopped the car.

“You both can go ahead. I’ll park the car and come in.”

Emily looked at him. “We will wait for you.”

Mari opened her door. “I’m going inside.”

Emily looked at her. “I thought we were going in together?”

Mari shook her head. “Why should I wait for you to wait for your boyfriend when my boyfriend is inside waiting for me?”

Emily laughed. “Because we’re besties.”

Mari shook her head. “How about I go in to meet my boyfriend while you go park the car with your boyfriend and come in together?”

Callan laughed. “You’re both wasting time with the argument.”

Emily opened her door. “Fine. I’m coming with you. Cal, come in quickly.”

Mari and Emily walked towards the entrance.

They had barely reached the glass doors when Jax stepped outside.

He was dressed in a perfectly fitted black tuxedo. The moment his eyes landed on Mari, Jax felt his throat go completely dry.

His gaze immediately dropped to the sheer mesh fabric she was wearing.

The mesh looked like a layer of dark smoke clinging to her skin. It didn’t hide anything; it highlighted everything. He tracked the way the transparent material stretched over the soft curve of her hips and fell all the way down to her shins, making her look impossibly tall.

But it was the solid black bodysuit underneath that really made his heart race. It was tight, sharp, and intensely provocative. The heavy black fabric created a striking silhouette against her skin, drawing a perfect outline of her body that he knew by heart.

It was a beautiful contradiction. The high neckline and long sleeves of the mesh dress felt sophisticated, like something a high-fashion model would wear to a Paris show. Yet, the sheer transparency of it was pure, unadulterated Mari—bold, confident, and dangerously sexy.

Jax loved it. He loved every bit of her provocative self, and even as she approached him, he could see the naughty gleam in her eyes.

They met each other halfway, and before he could say a word, Mari raised a brow as she looked him up and down.

“I thought I warned you about what you do to me when you’re dressed this way?”

He chuckled. “Coming from you? In this outfit?”

She laughed as she spun around. “Do you like it?” She asked, then before he could respond, she leaned over and whispered in his ears, “I’m looking forward to us tearing off our clothes after the exhibition.”

Jax laughed as his arms went around her waist, and he kissed her then whispered in her ears, “I’m looking forward to eating you up tonight.”

Mari giggled. “Good.”

He held out his arm.

“Let’s go in.”

Mari slipped her hand through his arm. “Sorry I’m late.”

Jax shook his head. “You arrived at the right time. No one else is as important as you to me.”

Mari’s lips parted. Then she laughed softly. “You always say the sweetest things.”

Jax smiled. “Because you’re the sweetest.”

Emily laughed quietly from where she stood a few steps behind them.

Then as they headed inside, she pulled out her phone and turned on the camera to capture what was coming.

Callan joined her just then and raised a brow when he saw the camera.

“What are you doing?”

“Recording.”

“For what?”

“You’ll see.”