"This is all a bunch of lies!" Mom threw the file at the woman. "I don't believe any of it!"
She had both hands on her hips and she tried to look as confident as possible, but I could tell that she was wavering. She was starting to believe what that woman was telling her.
"Lorraine", Dr Avilon said in a hushed tone, "I am one of your closest friends. I would never lie to you. You and I built our friendship with the understanding that everyone around us may lie and pretend to be our friends, but WE would never lie to one another."
She was trying to be quiet, but she was doing a terrible job.
We were supposed to be listening to all the speeches right now or eating away at the endless buffet downstairs, but instead we were both upstairs, listening to one of mom's closest friends, Dr Fiona Avilon.
Mom hates almost everyone at this banquet. She learned very early on after marrying dad, that where there's money involved, there's lies and betrayal involved. Almost no one can be trusted and she has had to learn the hard way that being a Greyson means being vigilant at all times.
However, she managed to make a few friends; people she trusted with her life and the lives of her children and one of those people is Dr Avilon - a woman who dragged mom away from the politicians, shareholders, directors and all the money people downstairs.
I wasn't supposed to be here or to overhear their conversation. I just happened to be standing outside on the balcony getting some fresh air when the two of them came inside the room.
"Then why didn't you tell me back then?" Mom didn't bother trying to be quiet this time. "I told you that she came to me, asked for my help to get back to school. Why didn't you tell me about this back then?"
"Because back then she wasn't wearing a diamond ring the size of Texas on her finger!" Dr Avilon spat out. "Back then it looked like that girl was going to stay away from you and your family. I thought she just wanted your help getting back to school, but now it's clear that she intends to be a part of your family and I know something like this is a dealbreaker for you so I thought I should let you know ... as your friend."
I was watching them through a thin white curtain that kept getting blown by the light breeze outside. The two of them seemed too preoccupied with their conversation to notice the dark figure standing outside.
"She would never ..." Mom's words faltered. "I always told her that if she, if she got pregnant she should come straight to me. That was the only thing I asked. I would have raised both of my grand babies for how ever long she needed me to."
I saw Dr Avilon go to rub mom's shoulder while mom sobbed quietly.
I hid behind the wall while I listened to Dr Avilon comfort her.
"I'm sorry, Lorraine." She said softly. "I know how you feel about matters such as this. I also know how much you love that girl and how much you've always hoped she and Lucas would give you grand children one day."
I tried to be as quiet as possible while they remained in the room.
It doesn't take a genius to figure out what they're talking about - Charlotte had an abortion. Mom will forgive most things, but she wouldn't forgive someone robbing her of being a grandmother.
I sighed and stopped myself from going to her while she cried.
I never thought Charlotte would do such a thing; ever. This will break Lucas all over again. I'm not even sure if he should know of this. He just proposed to her a week ago.
That woman truly is a piece of work.
If this had been anyone else telling mom this news, she would have laughed in their face. However, she trusts Dr Avilon; we all do. The woman's husband was in the same accident that killed dad. That made her and mom grow even closer and lean on each other while vultures tried to hurt them, their kids and tried to steal what their husbands left behind for them.
I remained quiet until I heard mom speaking again.
"If she did this then she can't marry, Forest." She said angrily. "Killing my twin grandbabies is not something I'm willing to forgive."
I heard the door open and then get shut.
I would have expected Charlotte to hide information like this, but I guess I overestimated her.
*******************************************
Lauren's POV
"...because the best way to make the evil witch leave Prince Charming is for his family to hate her and see her for what she truly is ..." Lisa laughed again.
She was almost talking loud enough for the people standing and chatting close to us to overhear her. She and Connor didn't seem to care that they were bad-mouthing Charlotte right here in the open.
I thought Charlotte and Lisa were similar, but Connor and Lisa might as well be twins at this rate.
He had the same evil smirk on his handsome face that Lisa had. Just like her, not a single strand of his charcoal black hair was out of place and his blue eyes held that menace that I've seen too many times in Mom, Dad and Lisa's blue eyes.
We managed to find a corner where the photographers and journalists wouldn't find us. Actually, after Lucas and Charlotte graced us with their appearance, the news outlets didn't seem too interested in us. We were standing here because we didn't want too many people around us.
"What if it doesn't work?" I tried raising my concerns. "Mrs Gresyon worships the ground that Charlotte walks on. I think she'd forgive anything she does."
Lisa shrugged. "The plan is to chip away at Ericsson's credibility slowly, Lauren. We want their hatred for her to start as a seed and blossom into a mighty oak tree that no amount of time can ever take down."
I nodded and looked around nervously.
The hall was decorated in silver and white as if royalty would walk through the doors any second. Nothing was out of place. The ceiling was decorated in intricate silver patterns that chimmered because of the extraordinary chandeliers in the hall.
I may hate Jona, but he did a much better job at planning this whole thing than I could ever do. I'm almost happy he took over planning the banquet when he started working for Lucas. Compared to what I had been planning for six months, he made this place look like a fairytale in just two months.
I wasn't the only one who marvelled at everything in the hall.
The man had the wealthiest and most powerful people in the country talking about how amazing the place looked; not to mention photographers kept trying to take pictures of the place as if they were going to create some collage of the whole event.
I had to keep admiring Jona's work and listening to Connor and Lisa laugh. If I didn't, I'd try to catch a glimpse of Lucas and Charlotte again. I'd find him with a hand around her waist, the two of them talking to some politician or big time investor like they were both running for office ...and then I'd look at that ring.
I wouldn't be able to take my eyes off that ring that was so big that it would cause an earthquake if it fell off her finger. Then after staring at that ring for an eternity, my eyes would start comparing her dress, her skin, her shoes and her hair to mine again.
I would be crushed yet again as I watched her walk like a queen in that exquisite red mermaid dress that was wrapped tight around her body, accentuating her tiny waist and curves. The dress has no sleeves and draws attention to those two breasts I've seen Lucas sucking and licking while she moaned.
Dammit! Why would I think about that right now?
I'd start thinking of how that long slit in her dress ran up her leg and drew everyone's attention to her toned legs. Then I'd look at the waves of her dress that pooled on the floor and had us all wondering how she was still able to walk so effortlessly.
I dared to look down at the long, silver and silky dress I was wearing. My dress was also wrapped around my body, but I just looked like another guest. She looks like the guest of honour, like Lucas Greyson's date, like the future Mrs Greyson.
I caught a glimpse of someone with dark curly hair and for a second I thought it was her, but sighed inwardly when it wasn't.
She didn't let her hair fall down her shoulders like she usually does. Instead, she tied it into a high pony tail of some sorts, but her curls blossomed at the back of the ponytail and down her shoulders. She had pearls in her hair and in those curls and and her light caramel skin glowed.
How is she glowing?
I swear with every step she took, her skin almost glowed gold while the silver of my dress seemed to wash out my skin; something I only noticed when I got here ... After Connor pointed it out to me.
Only a few minutes with the tall, slender man was enough for me to realise that he may have a pretty face and be cruel, but he's not that smart.
His only goal is to stop Charlotte from getting some kind of promotion him and his dad have been working really hard to get.
"Time for you and I to take our places, Lauren." He gave me his billion dollar smile.
It was a handsome smile and he really is a handsome man and pretty good arm candy, but he's no Lucas Greyson. He's not as tall as Lucas or as intimidating as him, or as muscled up as Lucas. I don't even think Connor would be able to lift me, but I am certain that Lucas could do it effortlessly.
I've seen him lift someone before. I've seen him lift her when they were making love. He did it as if he could lift her and hold her up his entire life and would never tire from it.
And yet he's never lifted me; not even when he gave me a hug.
I shook those thoughts out of my mind and smiled stiffly while Connor left and I made my way to Annabelle. I kept a watch on her all throughout the night so I knew exactly where to find her. She was talking to some stuffy old man who looked like he had too much money in his bank account.
This whole scene almost reminded me of what I had to do back when Charlotte broke up with Lucas.
Of course back then it was Lucas that I had to make my way to. I prefer being his distraction rather than Annabelle's.
"Hey Annabelle." I greeted her with a huge smile and went in for a hug right before spilling my glass of white wine on her beautiful blue gown.
The old man she was speaking to immediately gestured for one of the servants to bring a few serviettes.
"I'm so sorry!" I mustered my best apology. "Oh my gosh, I think we should go to the bathroom or else you'll be sticky all night and you'll smell like alcohol."
"That's okay." She smiled politely. "I'll go a bit later. Mr Hendricks and I here were still having a riveting conversation about -"
"But what if it stains?" I asked her quickly. "Or what if the smell gets stuck in the dress? For my sake, please, Annabelle." I gave my best puppy dog face. "Can we please go clean that up so I won't think I ruined your dress?"
Aksara