Chapter five

Aidan could not contain his involuntary blinking as he fixated on Karina, who commanded the stage with her ethereal presence and left the audience in awe of her divine appearance.

As Karina dazzled the audience with her stunning appearance, Aidan felt a rush of conflicting emotions. His heart raced at the sight of her, while his mind struggled to comprehend the transformation before him. It truly was Karina, his ex-wife, but she appeared otherworldly. She was far from the woman he had last seen six years ago. She radiated like a golden goddess, with an enviable beauty and a figure that could seduce just by staring at her dazzling face framed by perfect hair.

Suddenly struck with a sense of suffocation, Aidan excused himself and hastily made his way out of the hall, desperate to escape the suffocating atmosphere. Amira's gaze followed him, her expression a mix of frustration and disbelief.

"Gosh. This has to be some kind of sick joke," Amira muttered under her breath, her jaw clenched in irritation.

 How could Karina have changed so drastically? And to think she was now poised to inherit the Everhardt Corporation and Groups—it was absolute rubbish for Amira. She could feel her cheeks tightening as she fought to keep her facade.

Glancing at the entrance, hoping for Aidan's return to save her from the embarrassment of being in Karina's presence without him, a multitude of thoughts raced through Amira's mind.

Just when she thought things couldn't get any worse, her phone buzzed in her purse. She grabbed it and saw the caller ID. Her heart pounded with anticipation.

"A call from Mr. Marshall. I am certain he has good news for me," she squealed, quickly covering her mouth and scanning the area to make sure no one noticed her. She then made her way to a corner adorned with ribbons to take the call in private.

Clearing her throat in anticipation, she swiped to answer the call on her screen. "Hello, Mr. Marshall. Yes, it is me. I presume you are calling to inform me that I have landed the role.”

The man on the other end let out a resigned sigh. "Well, you..."

"It's fine," Amira interjected brusquely, her tone laced with irritation. Her eyes darted to the stage where Karina was delivering a speech, her presence a stark reminder of Amira's own shortcomings. "I'll have my time. After all, I'm the best actress in the world. No one can outshine me."

"Unfortunately, that's not the case."

Confusion creased Amira's brow. "What do you mean?"

"There's a new contender in town. Have you heard of K. Everhardt?"

K. Everhardt? Amira's lips parted in surprise as she turned her gaze to Karina.

"Hello? Well, she's the new hotshot in the industry. She snagged the role you were after. She's set to star as the female lead in the blockbuster."

"No. That can't be right. I worked so hard for that role. I even did a free commercial for a friend of that infamous British producer, Wick Holland. He couldn't have overlooked me..."

"Sorry to break it to you, but he specifically chose K. Everhardt for the part. I'm sure she's already been notified. Thanks for your efforts though. I hope you get another opportunity soon."

"No! Wait, do you know who I am? I am a..."

The line went dead, leaving Amira seething with frustration. She clenched her jaw, her mind reeling with disbelief.

"How dare he?" she muttered, tucking her phone away in her purse. Lost in a whirlwind of emotions, she struggled to process the news.

“Once again, thank you everyone for being at this party. I appreciate you all.” As Karina concluded her speech, Amira's heart sank. The realization that she had been outshone by K. Everhardt, whom she now knows as Karina, stung like a knife.

"K. Everhardt," Amira muttered through gritted teeth, her gaze fixed on Karina as she was escorted off the stage by her grandfather.

After some minutes of not having Aidan return and trying not to explode, just the mere sight of Karina laughing heartedly with one of the guests triggered Amira

Unable to contain her simmering rage any longer, Amira stormed towards Karina, her fury mounting with every step. 

  

Meanwhile, talking with the guest who happened to be one of the Everhardt Corporation business partners, Karina caught Amira advancing with the corner of her eyes. Unbeknownst to Amira, Karina watched her approach with a calm demeanor, unfazed by the impending confrontation.

"Hey, bitch," Amira muttered under her breath as she approached Karina, who ignored her with practiced indifference.

Concluding her conversation with the man, Karina turned to leave, feigning ignorance of Amira's presence beside her.

"I am a human, not an ant," Amira declared, her voice trembling with a mix of defiance and nervousness, as she reached out and grabbed Karina's arm.

Caught off guard, Karina's earlier smile vanished, replaced by a cold, piercing stare that sent a shiver down Amira's spine.

Gulping, Amira released her grip and feigned nonchalance, pretending to fuss with her hair as she looked away.

"So, Karina, let's get to the point, shall we?" Amira pressed on, attempting to regain her composure.

"Do I know peasants?" Karina replied, her tone dripping with disdain as she glanced Amira up and down dismissively.

"Enough with the attitude, you whore," Amira shot back, her frustration boiling over. "I know you slept with Wick Holland to land that role in his upcoming blockbuster."

"You think?” Karina's smirk only served to further infuriate Amira, who struggled to contain her anger.

“You whore, how…” Before Amira could finish spitting, Karina seized a glass of water from a nearby server and splashed it in Amira's face, her action swift and calculated.

Amira's eyes widened in disbelief as she felt the cold water drenching her, her expression a mixture of shock and indignation.

"How dare you?" Amira sputtered, raising her hand instinctively, but before she could strike back, a bouncer behind Karina moved to intervene.

But at that same moment, someone grabbed Amira's wrist, stopping her in her tracks.

Startled, she turned to see Aidan standing beside her, his expression unreadable.

"Don't you dare, Amira," he whispered sternly, his voice tinged with a hint of warning, leaving her speechless and bewildered.

Unbelievable!