Are you hurt, honey?
Laureen
My makeup was light as I didn't like too much drama, unlike Mimi. I paired my dress with silver Hills and earnings then looked at myself in the mirror one more time before heading out.
"We both look so pretty" Mimi said making me laugh.
The party was hosted in one of the finest hotels in the city, it was grand and the decor was top-notch.
I had to get a hold of myself in case I saw Louis there. Mimi held my hand "It will be okay, I'll be right here" she assured me.
"Thank you, let's go inside" I told her
"Not yet" she said
"What's wrong?" I asked her but she kept searching through the cars
"Are you looking or waiting for someone?" I asked her
"Yes" she said. I was about to ask her who it was when Luc appeared behind her and put a hand on her waist.
"Looking for me baby?" Luc asked her before kissing her neck.
Mimi just smiled.
"Luc?" I questioned her
"He's the one you've been waiting for?" I asked again
"He's my plus one for the night" she said
"You guys should ride slowly and don't crash" I warned them
"We are careful" Luc assured me or maybe Mimi was the one he was assuring.
He wasn't at home while we were getting ready, I thought he finally left for good, turns out he went to get ready so he could accompany Mimi here.
"Shall we?" Mimi asked us this time.
We all went into the building. Mimi and I went on to greet friends we had in school, then we separated to greet our different batch mates.
Almost everyone was present, so why not? It was at reunions and such parties like this that others came to flaunt their latest cars, clothes, engagement rings, husbands, wives, businesses, riches, or new accomplishments. No one wanted to be left out. What did I have to showcase tonight, nothing.
"Hi, Laureen" Emelda, a classmate of mine greeted me.
"It's been a while, how have you been?" she asked me
"I'm ok, how have you been?" I asked her in return
"I've been okay. Are you sure you've been okay? I mean it's hard to handle a breakup talk less of someone you almost married" she said
"What are you talking about?" I feigned innocence
"We arrived early at the party. Patricia flaunted her engagement ring to everyone in the room. Louis broke up with you and proposed to her within such a short period?" she told me
"I thought you guys were friends?" she asked me
"I thought so too" I replied
I was dumbstruck at what Emrlda just told me. I didn't know what to say, I couldn't believe Patricia could stoop so low to spreading false rumors about me after what she did.
I looked around the hall, I don't know if it was my imagination but it felt as though everyone was staring in my direction. Great!
I was going to be the topic of the discussion at this party.
"It's no big deal, I'm fine Emelda. Thank you" I said to her before taking my leave.
"I never thought you would show up at this gathering" Patricia said from behind me, she was standing with a group of classmates from our batch.
"What do you want this time Patricia?" I asked her instead
"You cheated on Louis so he broke up with you and took back the ring he gave you" one of the girls said
"Is that what Patricia told you?" I asked her
"Yes. Louis himself confirmed it" she said
"Leave me alone, I don't want trouble" I told them
"What is going on here?" Louis entered the scene and asked the ladies
"We were just teaching her a lesson for disgracing women" they told him
"You told them I cheated on you?" I simply asked Louis but he stayed quiet.
"Why don't you tell them the truth? Isn't it enough that you hurt and betrayed me? Now you're even tarnishing my image and reputation. Tell them the truth, you cheat" I yelled
"Don't be such a drama queen and stop turning the tables" Patricia said
"How could you be such a whore? Are you here to beg Louis to take you back?" another asked me
"No man wants a woman like this. You're a disgrace to womanhood. Will you ever move on?" They rained all sorts of insults at me and I couldn't let them win.
"But I moved on already. I have a man already. Someone better than Louis who sees my worth and appreciates my efforts. I'm not here to beg Louis to take me back, I'll never do that. My new boyfriend and I came to this party together" I ignored the insults and told them.
"Where is he? You liar" they yelled
"Why should I tell you?" I asked them
"Prove us wrong, is he here? If he's not here, then show us a picture" they said
"There he is" I pointed to the man whose back was turned towards me. I don't who he was, I couldn't see his face clearly but I proceeded towards him regardless. I was just going to beg him to play along I couldn't give Patricia and the others the joy they wanted.
I hugged him from behind.
"Hi honey, please just help me. Just play along, I'll explain later" I said but when he turned to face me, I was stunned at the face I saw.
"You again?" we both said
"Please play along" I pleaded with him
"How much for my silence?" he asked me
"What? Why are you so money-minded?" I asked him
"It's the way of the world" he smirked
"Please" I begged again when I saw them approaching us.
"Ethan Garcia is your boyfriend? You don't know who he is" one of the girls said in an astonishing manner like I'm supposed to know this man.
"Yes, Ethan is my boyfriend" I said with plenty of uncertainty in my voice, I didn't even know his name but it didn't stop me from tugging at his arm for survival.
I cried internally for Aunt Mimi to come to my rescue but God didn't answer me.
"You are such a whore, he is old enough to be your uncle" They said
"Age is just a number" I said but my mind was screaming 45, the age Luc guessed today.
Ethan was quiet through all of this.
"Say something. Is this woman blackmailing you, sir? Is she telling the truth?" Patricia asked.
"What's going on here?" I heard Aunt Mimi's voice
"They said I cheated on Louis so he broke up with me and took his ring. They said no man would ever want me again but I just showed them, my new boyfriend, they don't want to believe it" I explained to her and she got the script already.
I knew she would pester me with questions after this was all over.
"You all stay away from my niece" she ordered.
The crowd was beginning to grow larger, these girls made a scene at the party.
"Louis cheated on Laureen with Patricia. She caught them in their house, on their own bed. He wasn't sorry for what he did, he said he loved Patricia and wanted to marry her instead so she let them be and then you came here to harass her" she said
"Is that true Louis, Patricia?" they turned to ask them now.
"How can you spread rumors like this? You are very cruel for breaking another woman's home" They turned to Patricia and Louis and started to curse at them just like did with me earlier.
Patricia saw that she was at a losing end.
"She's lying. How can Ethan Garcia be her boyfriend?" she threw back the stone at me
"Mr. Ethan, do you have anything to do with this woman?" they asked and pushed till I crashed on the floor.
"Are you hurt, honey?" he said picking me up from the floor, shocking me, my aunt, and the angry crowd.
"I think I hurt my ankle" I told him
"I'll handle it" he said just before he took out his phone and made a phone call.
"Ken, ask the driver to prepare the car to take my girlfriend home" he said again
"You all should learn to mind your business" he said to the crowd with a voice that sent shivers down spines.
"Make way, I need to take my woman home to rest. You all have bothered her enough tonight" He said as he carried me outside in the bridal style.
My eyes hadn't left his face from the moment he picked me up from the floor.
Who was this man? I held onto his neck as if my life was dependent on it.
He didn't let me go till we reached the car and put me in the passenger seat.
"Uncle, wait" I heard someone call Ethan. I could recognise that voice even in my sleep, I've heard that voice for almost six years.