Seven

Later that evening, the stars shone brightly in the sky, creating a warm and festive ambience. In the foyer of the Fortress, the air was filled with a soft glow from the chandeliers that casted a warm and inviting light. With the tables dressed in crisp white linens adorned with intricate centrepieces of fresh flowers on some tables and diamond on others, the first set of guest began to make their way to the delicious buffet.

Outside the foyer of the Fortress, guest dressed in their finest attire mingle and chatted. Women, most of whom Sienna could vaguely recognise, were dressed in flowing dress of sateen, their jewellery catching light with each movement. Most of them were accompanied by men in tailored suits and tuxedos. In the background, a light orchestra plays a gentle waltz, the strings blending harmoniously with a soft hum.

Sienna Williams sat in her study where she had the perfect overview of everything. She was dressed in a forest green dress with an off-the-shoulder design that framed her neckline and flowed elegantly to the floor. The petals of diamonds on her dress shimmered in the light. Her hair cascaded perfectly over her shoulders, allowing her neck to shine which, simultaneously gave way for her dainty necklace to show.

Her gaze on the screen darted to the other small pop up box that revealed the reasons for tonight’s banquet. Natalia. Gisella. Ezra. Aaron. As if they had it premeditated, their dresses matched in colour. Since they walked in, Gisella had been glued to Aaron and Ezra, his mother.

There was a light knock on the door, forcing Sienna to tear her gaze away from the screen. She sucked in a breath when she turned and came face-to-face with Damien. For some reasons beyond her comprehension, Sienna found him dangerously gorgeous dressed in a black tux, hair perfectly styled back.

“Are you ready?” he asked in a sexy baritone, and it made Sienna’s insides tingle with desire. Again, she frowned. What was this and why did she suddenly start seeing Damien as a man and not the eldest son of her late husband?

Sienna didn’t have the answer to that, so, she blamed it on her ovulating. She rose to her feet in an elegant manner. Damien eyed her from head to toe, his gaze lingering longer than usual on her lips, her neckline and the slit of her dress.

Sienna saw his lips moved when his gaze travelled backed up to her lips. Then, he took out his right hand from his pocket and adjusted his bowtie before speaking up. “You look beautiful, Sienna,” Damien spoke, his gaze locked on Sienna.

The tension that hung in the air was thick. For a split second, Sienna forgot how to breathe. The turmoil of butterflies in her stomach were so aggressive that for a second, Sienna feared she would throw out. Not because of the party, no. But because of the way Damien stared at her. As though she was the most magnificent thing gracing this earth.

‘What the fuck is wrong with me?’ Sienna wondered. Yes! Definitely ovulation.

Sienna swallowed a gulp. “So do you, Damien,” she approached and took his welcoming hand in hers.

“You’re going to do great,” says Damien as they walked out of the study.

Sienna wasn’t sure of that. She was nervous. Her palms were sweaty. While this day had been one she prepared years for, and Damien had assured her that everything would go just according to plan, she still worry.

Her hands entangled in Damien’s, they descended the stairs. Florescent lights hung in either side of the stairs while a red carpet adorned every step, making Sienna feel like a queen. Everyone who chatted in the foyer had been asked to joined the others in the beautifully decorated and vast garden.

They stood in the foyer before Damien let go off Sienna’s hand. He kissed her gently on the temple before walking out and meeting the others in the garden. Then, it was time for Sienna to make her entry. The Master of Ceremony announced her and urged everyone to rise up.

Sienna closed her eyes, counted to three before taking the first step out of the foyer. Her heart was pounding in her chest, her palms, abnormally sweaty. She wondered as she walked past the invites, if they could see how nervous she was.

“She’s beautiful,” Sienna heard some of the guests say. “She’s alright, though, I wonder why she would throw such a big feast. She’s not a celebrity,” she heard others say. Internally, Sienna smiled.

At long last, she reached their table. She smiled at them gracefully. First, the Governor took her hand and kissed it. “Mrs Williams, pleasure seeing you again. You look divine,” he complemented and Sienna forced a smile on her face, burying the way her insides cringed at the feel of his lips on her bare skin.

“Thank you, Mr Governor. Thank you for coming,” Sienna says, shifting to the next person.

“Natalia DeMarque,” she called out, leaning in and kissing either side of Natalia’s cheeks. The gesture left Mrs DeMarque flabbergasted as she had never met Sienna Williams before, yet, she was so casual with her.

“You look beautiful. The pictures of you don’t do you any justice,” she adds when she pulled away. Her hand gently caressing Natalia’s shoulders, she speaks up again. “Thank you for coming,” and then, she moved to the next person.

“Ezra DeMarque,” She called out, trying to stay calm before the man who took forcefully took from her. “It’s nice to finally meet you in person,” Sienna says, the smile on her face not matching the hatred and bitterness she felt towards him.

“Gisella Westwood,” Sienna says, intentionally calling her by her father’s name and not her husband’s name to pick at her nerves. “You look beautiful, thank you for coming,”

Before Gisella could remark, stating that she now went by DeMarque, she moved to the last man standing. The man who had been gawking at her intensely since she first started talking with the Governor. The man, who till now, still stared at her intensely, silently peeling off every layer of clothing she had on.

“Aaron DeMarque, lovely to meet you,” Sienna said, a strained smile on her face.

_______