#Chapter 5: The Reunion from Hell

Renee’s POV

"Seriously," I laugh out loud. The old me would have slinked off, tried not to make a scene. But not the new me. The new me isn't going to let Mia get away with this.

People begin to crowd to see what’s going on. The pressure comes to a boiling point. Luckily, Eric hasn't noticed me cause l want nothing to do with him after what he did to me. I can’t let Eric see me and I can’t let people think that I’m a fraud. I spent half a year making this dress and aside from Debbie it might be the only other thing in my life that I’m proud of.

l level a look of pure apathy at her. "You can't just blatantly steal my design like that-and then expect people to believe your obvious lies just because you know the CEO," I reply. Mia starts spluttering, but I just keep going. "This dress is the original. We could look at the applications to the New Designers Competition, or you could just look at you haphazardly added lace as an overlay, the uneven hemline, and your neckline is a sloppy sweetheart shape while mine is a deep V"

Mia's face turns bright red.

The next one I see actually makes me laugh. "The soul line isn’t even stitched together properly." I wish it didn’t, but the thought of Mia tripping her dress ripping fills me with a mean delight. A few people standing nearby snicker. Her mouth hangs open as if she wants to protest, but knows that she can’t. "The dress is counterfeit," I tell her simply, putting the nail in the coffin. It’s a small win compared to all that she’s taken from me, but I’ll still count it.

The rest of the crowd murmurs amongst themselves. I should take the opportunity to walk away, to grab Debbie and head straight for the exit.

I can’t work here knowing that Eric is the CEO. It’s too risky. I knew this opportunity was too good to be true.

But somehow I can’t seem to get my feet to move. A small voice tells me to stay and I don’t know if it’s because the pay will help cure Debbie or maybe it’s Annie- before I can finish that thought, a presence approaching commands the attention of the room.

“What’s going on here?” A voice I thought I never would hear again cuts through the crowd. It’s his voice. I quickly step away from the scene before Eric can come any closer.

I allow Mia to do the explaining since that’s now her responsibility. As long as those attending the party know I’m not a fake, I don’t care what Eric thinks about me.

I awkwardly plant myself behind a colleague and hope his long black dress coat can shield me. The crowd is enamored by Eric.

Mia rushes over to Eric before he can take another step. I start to relax, maybe he won’t see me after all. Still, to be safe I try to maneuver through the crowd which is becoming increasingly impossible.

I sneak around, trying to stay low and politely say “excuse me,” to people, but all I want to do is run. I want to plow through the crowd and run as far as I can.

Even though he may not think I actually am Annie, I don’t know what he would do to someone who even looks like Annie.

Maybe that’s why he stayed with Mia. We couldn’t look more different. She’s petite, with straight long brown hair and dark brown eyes. I have blonde curls, a curvier figure, and hazel eyes.  Though Eric has never said he had a preference, he never showed a liking to me.

"Oh darling," Mia says in a sweet tone, "A new artist was just defaming me. They are just jealous of my talent." I hear Mia say from somewhere behind me. She speaks as though I’m beneath her. "I already handled it," she adds. Sure she did, I roll my eyes.

I find Debbie over by the hors d’oeuvre and grab her hand making her drop the bacon-wrapped scallop. I try to get us out of here.

"Can we go meet the nice Uncle now?" Debbie whines. "He’s handsome!" She adds like that will persuade me to want to stay a second longer.

"This isn’t a place for kids," I tell her. It’s just about the only good excuse you can tell a child even if there isn’t any real good reason as to why not.

Besides, the only handsome person I’ve seen here is Eric so whoever Debbie met and is trying to be her new father, I probably won’t be interested.

I know it’s been five years, but there isn’t anyone I’ve even considered dating.

Finally, we reach the exit and I think we’re home free until Debbie drags her heels. "Uncle!" She shouts and wriggles out of my arms, panic running rampant through me. The more time we spend here, the more likely we are to be seen by Eric.

"Debbie!" I call after her, but it’s pointless. She’s already halfway across the room. I have no idea who this uncle is, but I guess I should meet the man who brought my daughter here and thank him. Or yell at him. I also need to tell Margaux to not let Debbie out of her sight.

With an annoyed sigh, I go to get Debbie and make a mental note to pick her up and carry her outside this time. Just then I see her and rather than run towards her, I freeze. She’s dragging the one person I didn't want to see-Eric.

I dare to take a quick look at Eric and instantly recoil at his intense stare, maybe even a slight look of shock. I turn myself around, pretending I’m not this girl's mother. It’s a bad plan, a stupid plan, but I’m out of options.

"This is my mom!" I hear Debbie proudly say to Eric. I bring my shoulders to my ears and try to literally cover myself with my own body.

"Turn around," a cold voice commands me. I took a large breath. I could do this. I slowly turn around, meeting Eric's intense green eyes. They are boring into me, as if trying to unravel me. Up close, he looked even more handsome ... But his eyes seem more sunken than usual with slight bags beneath them. Did he look haggard? I has never seen him like this. Eric doesn't do"haggard."

"This is the man I want to be my daddy," Debbie continues. I nearly choke. I look back at Eric and behind his eyes I see his mind jumping hoops trying to figure me out.

I know I look different, I am different but being around Eric makes me feel like I’m right back to being Annie and the worst part, I think he’s picking up on that.

No one says anything for a bit. The silence drags on as Eric studies me, looking for any obvious sign that I am who he thinks I look like.

Debbie looks between the both of us, "Do you already know each other?" Debbie asks with a hint of hope.

"No sweetie," I take another deep breath, and in a calm voice, "He's a stranger."

"Say that again." Eric raises his voice, forcing me to meet his gaze again. "Who am I to her?"