{ billie's pov }

𝚍𝚊𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚗𝚐𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝

since i had the afternoon off, i met up with claudia to shop for the perfect dress.

"okay, i know you've been holding out on me so spill! where did it happen? how long did it last? Is she as good as she looks?" claudia said excitedly chuckling at the end.

I felt my cheeks heat as i tried to make her shut up, hoping no one heard.

"claudia! jesus christ nothing like that happened."

"yet. don't you stand there and lie to me. I took two trains and a taxi to get here."

I sighed and lowered my voice as i filled her in on what happened, the jealousy, what happened in the car, the engagement.

"I'm going to have her no matter what." I said.

"I like your spunk! do you have a plan? posing naked in bed always work." claudia said laughing.

"claudia.."

"hold that thought!" claudia raced through the racks and picked up a pretty black dress.

"billie! this is the one. the prophecy told me so." she said smiling as she handed me the dress.

I looked at the dress and honestly it was very pretty.

I went to the fitting room as she waited outside.

-

"well? what do you think?" billie asked.

{ billie's outfit }

"you look gorgeous, anastasia won't be able to peel her eyes off of you."

"..good."

- 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚜𝚔𝚒𝚙 : 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐

billie arrived at the hotel for the engagement party. the paparazzi started snapping pictures as soon as billie emerged from the limo with the twins.

"whoa. I guess this party is a big deal." billie said, lowkey freaking out from all the flashing lights.

"Is that why we had to dress up again?" jacob asked as he frowned.

"at least there'll be cake, right, billie?" jason asked smiling.

one of the paparazzis waved at billie, trying to get her attention. "and who is this newest member of the monet household? tell us about yourself, honey."

"uh..i'm billie o'connell, the new nanny."

"did victoria rousseau approve of this development?" he asked.

"I'm pretty sure anastasia doesn't need permission to hire someone to look after her kids."

"oops, do i sense some tension there? Is victoria nice to you? Is she happy with ms.monet? do they fight?"

"come on kids let's go inside."

"yes, please!" jason said trying to hurry up inside.

billie entered the party with the twins, and her eyes immediately landed on anastasia.

{ anastasias outfit }

she stood on the other side of the room, receiving congratulations from visitors with victoria. billie's heart thumped in her chest at the sight.

"mom!" jacob said excitedly.

"hi boys." she said smiling as she hugged them.

"congratulations on your big night." billie said smiling.

anastasia's gaze darkens as her eyes slowly lift to billies, taking her in from head to toe.

"billie...you look stunning." she said.

"thank you, so do you."

"hmm. you do clean up surprisingly well." victoria said as she looked at billies dress. "thanks for bringing the boys to this event, billie. I know all this glamour and excitement probably isn't your scene." she said with a fake smile.

"victoria, i think I can manage one party."

"that's the spirit."

a waiter then swings past the kids, lowering a tray of sliders for them to sample.

"are those burgers?" jacob asked.

"best. party. ever!" jason said.

the twins happily stuffed their faces as anastasia leaned over and whispered in billies ear. "you did that huh?"

"mhm."

"I can't believe jade put those abominations on the menu. would a little class be too much to ask!" victoria said as her face filled with anger.

"speak of the devil.." jade said coming from behind.

"I guess we shouldn't be surprised that you're fashionably late." billie said smiling.

"haha right, and are you looking to get laid tonight billie?" jade asked smirking.

"really, jade? must you be so childish?" victoria said with disgust.

"i've always been good with groups of people." she said sarcastically. "drinks anyone? just me? be right back..."

"lovely to see you too, jade." anastasia said loudly.

billie felt someone tug on her elbow. "aunt jade left before i could ask for water. do you mind getting me some?" jacob asked.

"oh me too." jason said.

"of course. two waters coming right up." billie said.

jade watches billie approach the bar on the far side of the dance floor.

"couldn't resist following me huh?" jade said smirking.

"that, and the boys asked me to grab them some water."

billie grabbed two water bottles from the bartender.

"what are you doing?" billie asked confusingly.

"seeing if i can turn the anastasia monet fifty shades of red. just look at her."

billie subtly glanced over her shoulder...sure enough, ana was watching intensely, her jaw was tight and her eyes were filled with what might be, anger?

"fun, isn't it? I bet we could make her explode if we kiss.."

billie looked back at anastasia, trying to gauge her reaction when she realized...

"shit. where are the twins?"

at some point during the drink distraction, the boys managed to slip away into the crowd. billie frantically scanned the room for any sign of them.

"don't worry billie. i'm sure they're around here somewhere."

billie ignored jade as she went to go find them.

eventually, she tracked them down in the hotel kitchen.

"what are y'all two doing in here? y'all had me worried sick."

"sorry billie, we just wanted to do an experiment."

billie took a deep breath to calm down, she noticed the balloons tied up behind them. "...should i even ask?"

"well...we wanted to see how much icing would fly onto victoria when she cuts into our prank ballon cake!" jacob said.

billie tried to maintain a stern expression but as she pictured it she started laughing.

"i'm in. tell me what to do."

jason and jacob both grinned at each other and turn back to face billie. "we've already blown up the balloons. we just need you to help us make the cake look realistic. then we'll hide the real cake and swap em out." jason explained.

"i'm only doing this because victoria is the worst.I say we replace all her food with balloons until she learns the two of y'all apart."

within a matter of minutes, the three of them have made something that resembles an engagement cake and swapped them out.

"all thats left is to wait and watch."

they all leave the kitchen returning to the party, trying to act as casual as possible.

"anastasia, victoria...the crowd is starting to get bored. maybe you should cut the cake or something?" jade said.

"wonderful idea, jade!" billie said smiling.

"uh...sure?" anastasia said.

anastasia gave billie an odd look as jade takes her and victoria to the center of the room. one of the catering staff wheels out the prank cake. "oh my! this cake sure is...different." victoria said with a fake smile.

"but i bet it taste great!" billie said.

"I know i'd sure like to try it." jason said smiling.

"cake! cake! cake!" jacob said.

"If it'll keep you two quiet..." victoria mumbled.

billie and the boys share a smile as victoria picks up the knife and leans close to the cake.

billie held her breath as victoria slices into the cake..and icing explodes all over her!

"what the hell!" victoria said screaming. "who did this!?"

"victoria...you poor thing. let me help you clean up-" billie said getting cut off by victoria.

"unless you know how to get buttercream out of chanel back off.

"and why are y'all still taking fucking pictures!?" victoria said to the photographers that were inside.

victoria walked away, and anastasia turned to the boys.

"boys. I think it's time for carter to take you home." she said angrily.

"yay!" jacob said excitedly.

anastasias eyes widen and they both frowned.

"we'll discuss this tomorrow."

"I'll go grab our coats." billie said.

"you can stay, if you want billie. carter can keep an eye on them, and not everyone's night should be cut short."

"okay.If you're sure.."

soon, the twins were ushered out by carter, happy to return home and completely forgetting about their punishment. victoria was still missing as the band started to play the first song of the evening.

anastasia turned to billie and extended her hand, eyes unreadable.

"may i have this dance?" she asked billie.

"um, yeah of course." billie said nervously. with her heart pounding in her throat, she took her hand which lead them to the dance floor.

anastasia held billie close, it almost left her mind that this was her engagement party with another woman...almost.

billie leaned back a little to be able to look at her face. "this isn't so bad.."

"did you think dancing with me would be?" anastasia said chuckling.

"not like that! Its just..we haven't been this close since...uh...since.."

"right..we should probably look for different dance partners."

"but the song hasn't changed yet." billie said.

"it's not about the song, and you know that."

anastasia pressed her lips on billie ear lowering her voice to a whisper. "you know how hard it is for me to resist you.."

"then stop resisting."

anastasia looked into billies eyes, billie wished she could know what ana was thinking of.

"I know i shouldn't, but...my hands feel glued to you. and no matter how close i am.."anastasia spun billie, still holding on to her hand. "..i wanna be closer."

she then spun billie a little to hard, and her body presses against hers...hard.

"well..we can't get much closer than this." billie said.

anastasia went to whisper again. "that's where you're very, very wrong."anastasia shifts her hands down to billies hips and billie wraps her own arms around anastasia's neck.

"It's a beautiful party. I hope you're having a good time." billie said.

"probably not as much as i should be..all things considered."

"oh? lets fix that." billie traced her hands along anastasias shoulders, down to the sides of her waist. she closed the distance and pressed her hips to hers.

"this seems...unwise." anastasia said.

"that's what makes it fun."

"billie, i know we should probably talk.."

"but this isn't the place. I know, just dance with me." billie said. "are you ready?"

"for what?" ana asked confused.

billie smirked as she spun around in her arms until her back was against anastasia's chest..and her hips were pressed with hers.

anastasia's fingers clutched around billies waist as she swayed her hips back and forth against her.

anastasia's lips find billies ear. "you're driving me crazy, billie. i'm starting to wonder if that was your plan all along.."

"I definitely don't have my life together enough for any sort of plan."

billie turned back around in ana's arms to face her. yet ana's arms remained glued to billies waist.

"I'm just going with the flow..doing whatever feels good." billie said.

anastasia's groaned softly, fluttering her eyes closed for a moment.

when she opens them, there's a now-familiar intensity staring back at billie.

"there's something i need to ask you. I know i shouldn't...but i have to know."

"what?"

"you and jade..you're not uh...are you?"

"jade and I?"

"I see the way she looks at you. she has never settled down with one woman in her life. you could do so much better."

"I could do better? do you have someone in mind...someone like you, perhaps?"

"billie..."

suddenly, someone taps billie on her shoulder making her turn around.

"billie. we need to talk now."

without waiting for a response, jade wraps an arm around billies waist and sweeps her away from anastasia.

"jade, what the fuck? what was so important that you had to cut in?"

"you looked like you could use a save...that dance seemed a little too intense for the public eye.
besides making my sister mad is a surprisingly fun thing to do."

"well..thanks. I guess."

"look, i don't know what's going on between you two, but whatever it is, it doesn't look fun. plus an adult relationship should always be fun."

jade suddenly spins billie around, and dips her.

they both laugh. "see you're having more fun already, and anastasia knows it."

billie resist the urge to glance back even though she could feel the heat of anastasia intense gaze.

after a few more songs, everyone gathered around for victoria's and anastasia's toast.

"thanks for coming to our fabulous party. this night is a dream come true for me...anastasia is my dream come true." victoria said.

victoria lifted her champagne glass in anastasia's direction, fluttering her eyelashes. billie scoffed under her breath.

"Is she for real right now?" billie said to jade.

"oh yeah, absolutely. this is serious business for victoria. she even hired a ghostwriter for her toast." jade said chuckling.

"a ghostwriter? thats pathetic. how hard is it to write a loving toast about the person you're engaged to?" billie said.

"It's only easy if you actually like her."

"anastasia and I have only been officially dating for.." victoria checks her cards. "about eight months, but we've been the best of friends for much longer."

"I swear, she has 'I love anastasia' written down too. Imagine what we could've tricked her into saying if we'd swapped out her cards." jade said laughing.

as victoria goes on and on, jade continues to whisper things to billie, making them both giggle and interrupt the whole toast.

"ana, would you like to say a few words?"

'finally.' billie thought to herself.

billies eyes trailed as ana joined victoria, giving her a kiss on her cheek.

"thank you, victoria. and thanks so much to all of you for joining us as we celebrate our engagement."

"I think she means arrangement." jade said laughing.

"jade..keep it down. I'm not going to get in trouble because of you." billie said.

"but you wouldn't mind getting in trouble for other reasons?"

"...maybe."

"as you all know, i lost my first wife 3 years ago...and for a long time, i didn't think i would ever meet someone else who made me feel the same way she did." anastasia's eyes lock with billies. "but now...i feel as if i've gotten a second chance at happiness. I finally met someone who gets me. someone i can't stop thinking about. someone who lights up the whole room with her smile.."

"oh i love you too!" victoria wraps anastasia in a long hug that makes the room spin for billie. the longer she looked at her perfectly manicured nails and huge ring the dizzier she got.

'does ana really think i can just sit back and watch her with victoria?'

billie turned to jade who starts to make another snide remark but stops short she sees the determined look on her face.

"what? you finally want to join in on the fun? cause you know i'm up for anything.."

billie glances back at ana, who is still caught in victoria's embrace.

"I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you, sunshine." victoria said.

adrenaline and maybe a bit of alcohol surges through billies veins, as she comes up with a plan on the spot.

'jade is definitely willing to do anything, and i already know she likes to push ana's buttons. maybe it's time to show ana what it'd be like if I were with another girl.' billie thought to herself.