Chapter 7: Gossip Party

Adorned in high class luxury branded accessories worth the amount of money that Alicia could only see in hospital bills. She gentle touches the diamond earrings then the pendant on her, slightly afraid of breaking it, although she is getting paid by Bianca to dress like a rich man’s daughter, actually wearing the expensive items to look the part makes Alicia to be sensitively conscious about the price tag. However, Bianca already told her to not to be afraid to destroy some especially when necessary after all, the most important thing right now is to successfully fool everyone in the party that she is Bianca Ada.

This evening is Alicia’s test after weeks of learning who and how to be Bianca. Tonight’s rich people party is the kind of party that the real Bianca rarely attends thus, not everyone can act friendly towards her thus, this party was deemed as a perfect test.

The party was arranged with gossip as its main objective. Bianca, as an individual, has never been tangled up in any kind of controversy. Her family is a different story but she is attending as an individual tonight so she was told to relax as it is next to impossible for Bianca to be mocked and dragged into gossip but she should also try to mingle here and there to test her learning.

“Are you feeling well, A- Bianca?” Ray asked out of concern but almost slip up with the names. Ray was the drunk man that Bianca was with when they first met in the convenience store. Turns out, he was Bianca’s childhood playmate. Not a son of a rich family, but a son of Bianca’s nanny. Their friendship became possible after the nanny giving concern of how lonely Bianca might be but because Bianca was allegedly Mr. Ada’s favorite child, he cannot allow rich family to take advantage of being Bianca’s playmate as reasons to use her in adulthood thus, the nanny suggested to her son.

“It’s amazing how you can easily distinguish the two of us once you sobered up.” Alicia commented on the slip up and this made Ray pout.

“Stop bringing that up. My vision becomes hazy when drunk. I basically grew up together with Bianca, I know every single detail of what makes Bianca as herself. Truthfully, upon closer inspection, the two of you are not identical.”

“Well, that’s concerning. If I can’t pass as Bianca from her best friend, how am I going to fool everyone else?”

“I’m not just anyone, of course it will be easy for me to tell but if I were someone who just met Bianca on the passing, you can trick me even just by standing. I must compliment you on how quick you are to imitate her posture and make it look so natural.”

Ray successfully parked the car then escorted Alicia out and accompany her during the party. From being a childhood playmate, Ray now acts as Bianca’s personal assistant so it would not look strange for the two of them to be seen together and this makes him the most reliable person to accompany Alicia in the future pretend missions.

“Should I help you in identifying who is who?” Ray whispered but Alicia softly shook her head while maintaining the smile she was practicing.

“No need, I perfectly memorized the everything there is need to know about this party. I just have to greet the host, exchange a couple of pleasantries with before mingling with a few more daughters before retiring for the night.” Ray only smiled at this and decided to completely trust Alicia.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Have you heard about Chase Fuentes?”

“Named as a billionaire at only 25 years old. He hasn’t inherited FuenTECH yet, if he did, that would make him multi-billionaire doesn’t he?”

“Which family do you think will start leeching off of him?”

“If anyone could actually leech, then I would give congratulations to how brave they are with that decision. Remember, he isn’t just any brat, he’s the son of that Gabriel Fuentes.”

“Oh? What did Gabriel Fuentes do?” Alicia joined in on the gossip, this gossiping group that she is in right now will be the last one for tonight but because of how much gossip this group creates, she is only managed to join right now. She did perfect in recognizing everyone in the party but she had a difficult time following the gossips as she only knows those who are present at the party.

“Oh, sweet Bianca, are you trying to learn how to gossip as well? I failed to notice you but it’s such a rare sight for you to be here.”

“Oh no, it’s not like that. It is true that it has been a while since I last attended a party like this but seeing everyone here tonight having so much fun, I can’t help but feel envious.” Alicia responded still having Bianca’s gummy smile plastered on her face.

“Gossiping indeed is enjoyable. It’s a weird stress reliever for us daughters of rich family. It’s such an escape to talk badly.”

“I heard that that is exactly the reason why Mrs. Lim always hosts such parties and why it can innocently appear as a fancy gathering.”

Alicia cannot believe the expertise of these girls to gossip, in just a second later, they are off gossiping another people. After failing to contribute in the gossip, she said her farewell to them before searching for the host and giving her official farewell for the night.

“How was the party? You never participate in such events.” Mrs. Lim, the host asked.

“It was certainly entertaining, I can clearly see now why your parties are always a favorite.”

“I’m glad to hear so, then I will continue to invite you in the future.”

“Yes, I will look forward to it.”

“Next time, bring along your older sisters. I am aware that they are busy silently raising a family but as you already witness, my parties are perfect daughters like your sisters.” Mrs. Lim said with a smile but a subtle sadness can be seen.

After that, Ray escorted Alicia back to the parking lot and ready themselves to go back to Bianca’s apartment. Ray thought that Alicia might be tired thus he refrained from starting a conversation and just silently drive. While Alicia looks outside the moving road, a sentence is bothering her mind. ‘daughters like your sisters’.

Bianca have two older sisters, Rebecca and Danica, which both were married off to other rich families at exactly the age of 18. Because Bianca get to continue being single at 25, this became a suspicion of Bianca being the favorite child but this could also be false because the children of Mr. Ada already knows that his favorite child is the first son, Phillip Ada. He finished education with biological engineering. He founded a pharmaceutical company and an entire hospital to his name. He managed to get all of that thanks to the eldest marrying a wealthy man and their father embezzling money from FuenTECH. He is already married to a daughter from an influential family but still has no children.

He was called the favorite because he was treated differently to the second son, William Ada, who still acts like a lap dog to their father to gain attention. There’s also the third son, which was Bianca’s only sibling whom she shares the same mother with, Oliver Ada. He left the family at 20 and today is quietly living as a struggling artist. He get to leave the family unharmed because he was branded as useless to their father.

Bianca already told Alicia multiple times that their father sees daughters very valuable. After witnessing daughters only having their freedom through parties, Alicia cannot fathom how stressful and lonely these daughters might be feeling when the party ends. The majority of the attendees in the party were married with the remaining as already engaged. Everyone there treated Bianca like a precious little sister and she finally understands why.

“I always thought that rich girls only acts bratty and entitled.” Alicia spoke and Ray heard this.

“There’s a lot of them out there and the loudest gains the most attention. Such people are what people love to gossip about.”

“I often forget that the people around me are humans too.” Alicia turned her head to look at Ray. “Hey, if I was ever sound mean to you. I apologize.” Ray let out a soft chuckle.

“You were indeed very cold towards Bianca and I before but you don’t have to worry about that, Bianca is very understanding. She’s the sweetest girl you could ever meet.” As Ray said this, his cheeks were tinted with blush.

“Are you in love with Bianca?” Alicia asked and the color on Ray’s cheeks became much more visible.

“Yes.”

“Wow, you didn’t even deny it once. Aren’t you afraid of me telling Bianca?”

“Even if you do, there’s no point, Bianca already knows about it.”

“So, are you guys together in secret?”

“I wish. Bianca haven’t gave me a reply but for now, I am satisfied of her considering my feelings.”

Alicia stared at the love smitten Ray. Alicia cannot relate to this, she was raised by a single mother who worked hard in earning a living. There were suitors of her mother but all of them were turned down, with her mother as her role model, she also turn down every single one who approached her for romance. She never experience it and she doubts herself to even be able to reciprocate feelings either. It was a topic she never given a thought before and doubt she could experience it. Taking care of her mother is her main priority right now. If her mother is fully recovered and if money is no longer an issue for them, maybe only then, she could give romance a try.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Not a single person was suspicious of Alicia in the entirety of the party.” Ray stated to Bianca as an alibi of the report. Although the news were positive, Bianca still looks anxious.

“Did I make a mistake?” Alicia asked and Bianca shook her head in response.

“It’s not you that made a mistake but me.” Bianca said followed by a heavy sigh.

“Why? What happened?”

“Father came to my apartment earlier and found me, who was supposed to be at the party.”

“Is that a bad news?” Ray asked.

“It is because father had someone in the party to report about my movements. Congratulations to Alicia cause the spy was fooled but the problem is father.”

“I thought Mr. Ada already knows about my existence.”

“He does but he doesn’t know that I was going to use you as a double. He was suspicious of me not wanting to introduce you to him. It’s too early for him to know about this. You only went in a single party, its not enough for people to confuse you as me to disable father from announcing you as a different daughter.” Bianca grunted at the end of her sentence and placed her head on the table thinking while mumbling ‘what to do’ over and over.

Alicia frowned at the news and Ray was comforting Bianca. The family dinner will be held next week, Bianca can’t have Alicia attend parties for a full week. Attending a single party requires preparations and even if Bianca could pull that off, it would be suspicious of her, someone who seldom shows up in events, to suddenly agree on every party available.

“What was the condition for the family dinner again?” Alicia asked.

“To bring you so that you could be introduced as an Ada.” Bianca answered.

“What if I pretend to be you and you don’t show up?”

“It’s too risky, my siblings and other relatives would be there. I’m afraid someone could see right through you.”

“Meeting me is what the old man wants.”

“I already told you, father is not a good person.”

“i’m not afraid. I also want to have a conversation with him.”

“Are you certain about this? I can no longer give that much of a help if he were to succeed in entering you to the family.”