Chapter 48 Forty Eight
I folded my l*ps, resisting the urge to let out a groan as Grace added ‘finishing touches‘ to my make up. She had been adding ‘finishing touches‘ to my make up and dress for the past hour.
“Grace…” I groaned, unable to keep.mute anymore. “What are you still doing?!”
“Finishing touches.”
“Finishing touches.”
We said at the same time and Grace burst out laughing. “Relax. Didn’t you say you wanted to go late. I’m making good use of your lateness.”
“Yes, I wanted to go Kate but now I’m way too late. I bet the event would have. ended by now.”
Grandma Doris sent me the
was now three hours late.
invite and it was well past the time stated there. I
“You’re taking so long on this makeup, I don’t want it to be heavy. What if it rains?” To be honest, my butt was already hurting and it felt sore from sitting on
the stool, even though it was cushioned.
“It isn’t heavy and it won’t rain,” she muttered absentmindedly.
“Grace” she interrupted me.
“Finally done.” Grace drew back and smiled at her handiwork, “Now you can stop squirming and groaning,” she met out a small laugh.
I huffed as I stood up from the chair. I pulled up the long flowy gown Grace made me wear and marched to the mirror. My l*ps parted as I stared at myself in the mirror. Saying I looked stunning was an understatement.
Surprisingly, the make–up she spent so much time on didn’t look like it. It looked like there was barely anything on my face.
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I turned to find Grace smirking at me. “You like what you see, don’t you?” Then she walked up to me and smoothed back a strand of hair that had fallen from the messy yet elegant updo she had styled my hair into. Even though the updo looked messy, she had taken a long time styling it. Even to look like you aren’t trying, you have to try.
“I told you it will all be worth it,” she looked at me, a soft smile on her l*ps.
“What did you spend the whole time doing?” I marveled as I looked at myself in the mirror again. “There’s barely anything on my face.”
Her l*ps lifted in a lopsided grin, “That’s the magic.” Then she handed me my purse and the wrapped gift I had gotten for Grandma Doris. “Now you should get going before the event actually ends.”
She walked me up to the door and held my purse and the gift for me as I put on my heels.
“Have fun, love,” Grace waved at me as I pulled my car out of the driveway.
“Sure,” I answered and blew her a k*ss which she returned. I could still see her in the side mirror for a while before she finally went inside the house.
I had intentionally intended to go late to the party, hoping that I wouldn’t have to spend much time. Besides, by then, lots of guests would have arrived so the likes of Mark and Dora that I didn’t want to have any contact with during the par- ty would be busy entertaining the guests or being entertained by them. So I would easily be able to bypass them, go directly to Doris, wish her a happy birth- day as I give her the gift I got for her and perhaps meet the man Doris wants to
introduce me to then I would leave. Simple.
I glanced at my phone. I had thought that Doris would call and clearly express her displeasure at my impuntuality but there’s been no word from her.
I relaxed a bit when I got into the vicinity of the Torres‘ mansion. There were lux- urious cars scattered about because the parking lot was filled to the brim with cars. It could only mean one thing, the party must still be in full swing.
I found a good spot to park my car and made my way to their enormous and
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beautiful courtyard.
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I decided to take a detour and pass through the garden. There, I could easily spot everyone at the party. I would find Doris, Mark and Dora from the crowd. and know how to bypass them all and get directly to the person that brought
me here.
However, unfortunately, as I was quietly passing through the garden, I was halt-
ed by the sound of people speaking in agitated hushed tones.
I tipped my head back and groaned. “Why did they have to have their argument
on the path I had hoped to take?” I whispered as I asked myself.
I decided to walk a bit closer to see who they were. Perhaps, they were people
that didn’t know me and I could just pass them.
But on a closer look, I saw that it was Mark and Bella. Bella’s response to what-
ever Mark had said drifted to me.
“Mark, don’t you love me anymore? Why have you been so cold to me lately? You don’t even answer my calls,” Bella was crying. She was actually crying. Her
voice was quivering as she spoke.
My curiosity piqued and my feet stayed rooted to the spot. What could have.
made Bella, the carrier of a stone heart, cry?
“We stay in the same house, why do I need to answer your calls again?” Mark
let out in a frustrated tone.
I raised my brows mockingly. He doesn’t sound or look like the lovesick man I divorced. The angry gaze he casted on Bella didn’t look like she was his world.
anymore.
“True,” Bella sniffed, “You’re right, we live together but you’re barely at home, Mark. You’re always working. Tons of meetings and interviews that I never see
you anymore.”
“I’m glad you know I’m always working,” Mark burst out, “I’m busy working, my world does not and can not revolve around you. So forgive me, your royal high-
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ness, if you feel neglected but I cannot sit at home with you and rub your belly when I should be making money.” Mark responded coldly and sarcastically.
Bella took a few steps back. Then she muttered in a small voice that I almost didn’t hear her, “Mark…”
Mark turned to her, his eyes eying her from head to toe like she was dirt trapped under his feet. “Besides, Why are you here?”
“Grandma Doris‘ birthday. I’m here-” she stuttered and Mark saved her the stress by interrupting her.
“You know she doesn’t like you. It’s why she didn’t invite you to her this party. If she finds out you sneaked in, she’s going to be very angry. You know that so you better leave.”
Bella cried resentfully, “No, I’m going to marry you in the future. We will soon wed and become man and wife, I’m her future granddaughter–in–law. She won’t be angry that I came to celebrate her birthday with her.”
Mark looked stunned, he remained silent as he looked at Bella. Then he slowly spoke up, “What are you talking about? Grandma would never allow me to marry you. She dislikes you, how much more obvious does she need to make it?”
Bella sobbed, “Why can Sydney marry you and I can not? Besides, I was your rightful wife. We were in love and you were going to marry me originally, but that b**ch, Sydney, took the chance that was supposed to be mine. She greedily took my place in your life?”
How far can this girl lie and pretend? I wondered briefly.
Mark shook his head, saying coldly, “Yes, Bella. You once had the chance to marry me and be my wife but you missed it. You threw it away.”
“What do you mean I threw it away? I was sick!” Her voice rose a little, “What could I have done? Have us have our wedding in a f**king hospital room?”
Mark scoffed and shook his head then he looked away from her.
When he didn’t say anything, Bella spoke up again, “So what does me carrying
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your ch
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means now? Is this some kind of surrogacy?” Her shoulders shook as her sobs got louder.
“Bella, this child was unexpected. We didn’t plan it. You know that. You insisted on keeping it and I let you. It doesn’t mean I have to get married to you and it would not change my Grandma’s mind about you.”
Bella shook her head, “How can you say this to me, Mark? How can you?! I told you what the doctor said. I have a heart condition, I can’t have an abortion!” Bel-
la choked up.
Mark looked at her indifferently and said, with his brows raised, “Is that so? Your b*dy is weak and you might not be able to carry a child in your womb again. Yes, Bella, I remember very vividly.”
“You… you jerk!” Bella erupted then she ran out of the garden, crying.
I blinked and took a deep breath. Woah. That was a lot. I mean I expected it but I didn’t think things would get this way this fast.
But still, I wanted to smack myself for eavesdropping. I should have left immedi- ately when I realized that it was them. Instead I had ended up overhearing an inti- mate argument between the very people I was trying to avoid.
I slowly backed away, planning to leave quietly a d just make my way to Doris through the crowd. As long as Mark remained here, and Bella was somewhere crying her heart out, I only had to watch out for Dora.
I
As I moved past the delicately trimmed shrubs and turned the bend there, I came to an abrupt stop before I collided with Mark. There he was before me, his arms folded across his ch*st . He had a smirk on his face as he took me in.
He raised his gaze to mine, “A thief?” He chuckled, “What did you steal?”
Embarrassed that he might have caught me eavesdropping on his conversa- tion with Bella, I raised the gift in my hand and foolishly stammered, “This is a birthday gift for Doris. I didn’t steal a thing.” I quickly stepped by him, “Now if you would excuse me, I want to go in search of the birthday girl.”
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益 The moment I turned my back and walked away, I quickened my steps, my gaze darting here and there in search of Grandma.
I groaned inwardly when I felt someone fall into step with me. It was Mark. Just as he was about to say something, Doris spotted us.
She grinned widely as she waved at me, “Sydney, come here.” She pulled me in for a hug.
“Happy birthday, Doris,” I hugged her back.
“Yeah, thank you. We’ll get to that later. You’re just on time.” Then her gaze swept past me and she gestured to something behind me. “This is Lucas. The handsome guy I was telling you about.”
Oh.
Grandma literally turned me to face the man behind me. When I steadied my- self and looked up, my heart skipped a bit.
There he was, his pockets dug in his pant’s pocket and that familiar smile that I loved so much on his l*ps. But as his eyes took me in, his smile also faltered and his eyes widened.
It seemed neither of us could utter a word as we stared at each other. How did the name not even ring a bell when Doris had mentioned it?
Right before me, hale and hearty, stood my only teenage crush who suddenly disappeared years ago.
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