Ch-8

008

Alora's POV

I never believed the saying revenge was a dish best served cold , until now, and I didn't regret it. Not one bit.

Before this moment, I always replayed it, over and over in my head, just how Cynthia and Eliaz were going to react when they eventually saw me again. I had made a habit of imagining the shock on their faces, but nothing could compare to this moment. Absolutely nothing.

If it wasn't so dark, I would have taken a picture, just for reference.

A couple of minutes had passed and the crowd was still in shock, which was exactly what I wanted. Slowly, like the veil had been lifted from their eyes, lone claps started resonating from different parts of the hall. The applause started out weak and scanty, but in a matter of seconds, it spread all round. With each high octane the claps reached, I couldn't help but feel all the more proud of myself.

This was just one of many victories.

“Let's welcome miss Alora to the stage please.” I took that as my sign to walk towards the host. While I did, I didn't miss more murmurs reaching my ears.

“Is that really Alora?” Someone whispered underneath her breath. “I thought she was dead!”

“Dead?” Someone else chorused. “i heard she went so bankrupt she couldn't even afford two square meals.”

“No no no.” Someone else chipped in . “She used to work as a bartender…..”

I figured I'd already heard enough, and tuned them out immediately. When I decided I was going to go into hiding it restrategize , I had seen it all coming.

After father's death and Eliaz's betrayal, I expected nothing less. Barely moments after I'd gotten out of the hospital, news about me started to fly. I was called all manner of things and accused of so many crimes. Neither Eliaz nor Cynthia came to the rescue. Instead, they used the trend to their advantage.

Like they hadn't stolen all of my father's hardwork, they wasted no time in soiling his name and running it to the ground.

This was just one of the many ways I was going to pay them back. Slowly, but surely I was going to rid them of every opportunity until they were poorer than the dirty rats that roamed the streets.

“A word, Miss.” The host smiled, before paving way for me to stand at the podium.

“Thank you.” I gave him a polite small. It was funny just how people treated you, based on how much power you had. Just because I had secured the contract, I could ask him to kiss my feet and he would gladly do that. “Thank you everyone for coming here to witness my victory, but my gratitude wouldn't be complete if I didn't acknowledge the one person who's stood by me since the very beginning; Fredrick Henshaw, My husband.”

I'd just dropped another bombshell and the crowd reacted just the way I wanted. Eliaz's eyes widened so much I thought they would blow up in his face. Even my stepsister shared in his sentiment, but for the first time tonight, I wasn't looking out for either of them.

My eyes roamed the crowd, and before long, I spotted Henry, Fredrick's brother. Tonight's victory hadn't just been for me and me alone, Fredrick had a share in it too.

Both brothers hadn't seen each other since Fredrick's escape and when Fredrick appeared next to me, he froze.

“I believe my wife has said it all.” Fredrick grinned, much to his brother's disappointment. “I know this is a big opportunity, and my wife and i will make sure to serve the public in the best way we can!”

With a parting round of applause, we got off the stage. It didn't take too long for a number of guests to come rushing at us. While the majority of them smiled at us and offered their congratulations, I just knew they didn't mean it.

Deep down, each one of them were furious and seething that they hadn't gotten the contract. While this was going to result in a kind of cold war between us, others were only going to warm up to us simply for favors and what not.

Fredrick and I did our very best to keep up with the guests that seemed to multiply by the minute, but never for once did I take my eyes off the trio. Eliaz, Cynthia and Henry sat to the side, each of them fuming with envy. Henry on the other hand, couldn't dare take his eyes off his brother.

I wasn't a mind reader, but I liked to think I had an idea of what might be going through his mind.

“I think that's the last of them.” I sighed, just out of earshot of the guests that were leaving. “If someone else walks up to us, I swear I'm going to nudge them in the face with my shoe.”

“That wouldn't be so bad.” Fredrick's laughter was hearty. “but I think we should slip out before anyone finds us again ”

“We need to rest.” I huffed. “My feet are killing me.”

“And celebrate too.” Fredrick took my hand in his. “ What we've achieved tonight isn't an ordinary feat. In fact we should….”

“Alora?” I froze at the interruption. Someone had just called out to me, but the fact that I recognized whom the voice belonged to struck a chord in me.

I inhaled and exhaled before slowly turning, and just as I'd expected, I came face to face with Eliaz.

A couple of seconds passed and I took that as the chance to collect my thoughts before he spoke.

“Congratulations.” He chimed. “Coming out of the blue and taking it by a storm….”

“Get to the point, Eliaz.” I spat, cutting him off. Call me crazy or whatever, but I could swear I saw him flinch. “What do you want? I honestly don't have any more time to waste tonight.”

“To talk.” He let out slowly. “I want us to talk.”