Chapter 10: A Complete Circle

Author's POV

Alice and Haley had sat drunk giggling as Mr Wilson had re-entered the room with a few more guests.

Allison looked up to see that Mr Wilson was accompanied by the last person she wanted to see. The whole week she had spent avoiding him went up into smoke, her efforts were futile. He had seen her in a state she wished to bury deep within herself, keeping her wounded self hidden in the dark but in the one month they had known each other this man had known more than her friends who had known her longer. It was like her dirty undergarments were laid bare in front of the world, in those moments' death was not a bad deal right about now, it was a good life she thought. Another guest followed behind the two men, Thea Adonis, Theo's older sister she had taken the liberty of googling him after she had mistaken him for his secretary on the day of the business meeting.

"I hope you're not interrupting the party, Snow" Theo had said.

"Yes, my brother does have a hard time reading the room" Thea had said while side-eyeing him.

It was as if she had read Alice's mind but the distaste on her face as she looked at her brother after she had recovered from the shock was evident.

"No, no it's no trouble at all the more the merrier" A drunk Mr Wilson had slurred trying to make the guest house comfortable as possible trying to snip the tension that was thick, you'd need a laser to cut through it.

"The more the merrier" a drunk Hayley repeated as she giggled from her seat taking another drink from her glass.

Allison's POV:

They both joined us sitting at the table and to my luck, Theo sat directly across from me so ignoring him had just become ten times more impossible. He sat there in silence for a while until Mr Wilson had cleared his throat.

"So, since we have a few additional guests I think it's time to order a bit more alcohol" he suggested in hopes facts the drink would lighten the tension. Hopefully bringing back the fun-loving atmosphere, bring back life to the room and get rid of the hostility in the room.

Theo agreed with Mr Wilson's suggestion as he picked up the menu not even scanning the front and immediately went to the back where all the expensive alcohol was.

"And to show how much we appreciate your hospitality I'll be covering tonight's bill" he announced

"Wow Mr Adonis if I didn't have a boyfriend, I might have just dated you instead" Hayley clapped her hands and gushed over him.

She was the alcoholic in the friendship.

I sat there apathetic unaffected by his little announcement as if the cost of the liquor on the menu didn't leave a dent in his bank account it would be like you were buying candy from a store costing $2.

Mr Adonis had pressed the intercom Anne had delivered or order to the person on the receiving end and soon after our drinks arrived, I had requested a bowl over the intercom as I knew being sober

would not help me survive this night, I needed to down all the hard liquor I could and fast, my liver could hate me later.

As soon as the liquor was on the table and the waiter had left the room, I unscrewed the cork and filled the bowl of alcohol, it was as if the liquid was from the fountain of youth as if it would cleanse me of all my sins or teleport me away from this moment and one swift action, I downed the entire thing.

" I never thought you'd be much of a drinker Ms Snow" Theo commented.

"When the time calls for it I can down about five bottles before I'm blacked up and lose all sense of rationality" I announced.

Bragging, yep, I was almost there, one-way ticket to Drunkardvil.

My boasting had been an indication that I was already tipsy from downing almost half the bottle that filled the bowl I had just drank.

The alcohol did lighten the mood up and we all became chattier about our lives growing up hobbies we had when we were younger dreams our hopes things are taking their free time until the topic of the family came about which made me feel awkward. Thea spoke on the death of their mother It was no news to anyone since their information was practically readily available on Google as finding the contact number for a government office.

Mr Wilson had shared his experience and Haley had both parents present in our life nothing too exciting and then it was my turn.

"You don't have to share if you don't feel comfortable doing so" Theo had said

His concern was appreciated but it was almost as if you already knew my life story before I even told him. I quickly pushed it there was no way, it was just my drunk paranoia. What would one of the richest men in the world find interesting about me?

"I appreciate the concern but I have no problem sharing. I'm an orphan I grew up in an orphanage I grew up jumping from foster home to foster home until I eventually dropped the system, I was a smart kid so I got a scholarship to cover my university and I've been working with Mr Wilson since I graduated three years ago.

"You've been through a lot Ms Snow, you're quite amazing for becoming who you are now"

Those were the first words she said directed at me and not addressed to the group, she had complimented Hayley and chatted with Mr Wilson a few times but not me until now.

"I'm afraid you've got me beat in that Ms Adonis but I try, Thank you"

Hayley and Mr Wilson were no strangers to my story well to the parts that I've shared with them.

Thea and I clanked glasses well my bowl with her glass and took a sip. Theo on the other had looked at me with sad eyes, I was used to it by now when my parents found out how I grew up but didn't this guy founded like a couple of dozen orphanages I can't be his first orphan for him to have a look like someone stabbed him in the heart. After that, the mood in the room slowly went down as no one was no longer sober enough to hold up the conversation. We all decided to go home. Mr. Wilson called a designated driver to drive him home and Hayley's boyfriend came to pick her up, I never liked the guy since day one but as long as he makes Hayley happy, I'm not one to judge either way. I was about to get a taxi when Theo offered to being me home after he brought home Thea and no matter how much I wanted to refuse it was safer and I was still a bit tipsy he was the only one at the table who had one drink the entire time we were talking and we were going the same place.

I got in and dozed off a few minutes into the ride.

It seemed the more I tried to avoid him the more I seemed to be running in a circle.