Sylvia said nothing. Nodding her head she gestured a 'thanks' towards Mantisha. Adi smiled warmly as he thanked her. But his next words brought everybody's attention on Mantisha again.
"Mmm it might be a party for us but you are taking the limelight back to you. Is this fare?" He nudged Sylvia softly.
"It's the time for youngsters to shine. I would not compete with a little girl like her." Sylvia also smiled back.
After listening to Adi's comment, Mantisha was getting nervous. But Sylvia's words jolted her back as she felt completely provoked.
'D**n it', she thought, 'I have told Mom a thousand times not to call me a little girl anymore. Yet she is...'
Mantisha pursed her lips in dissatisfaction. If it was not a party and they were by themselves, she would show her the consequences.
As if sensing her anger, Sylvia's lips had formed an amused smile. Before getting anymore angry, Mantisha turned around and prepared to leave.
Adi whisper screamed on her back, "You look gorgeous. Enjoy yourself."
Though it was a mere whisper but everybody around them had seen the special treatment she got.
"They did not ask her about her guardian or partner, that means they know each other."
"Did you see, she called Mr. Roy Uncle."
"Yes. May be she is someone from his sister's family."
"That can be. But they are quite well known figures in nobles. If she was one of them, then until now, why she was not introduced."
"Did you notice that her name was not announced, and she entered through a different door. And Madam Roy seems to know her too. She must be a family to him then."
"Whoever she is, that's none of our business. We should just remember that she is adored by Mr. Roy and we should not offend her." Evelyn concluded the discussion between the ladies forming almost a circle to gossip.
Everybody nodded their heads, some still looked at her with envy and disdainful eyes. An unannounced daughter of a high class family, then she must be a show case and good for nothing, for that her family was ashamed of herself. However, Mr. Roy favoured her, so they could not tell her anything or mock her directly.
A gorgeous looking lady standing with a glass of white wine were surrounded by some other ladies, snorted in disgust.
"How fake. She is not even that pretty! How did she managed to get a hold on Ms. Eberly's limited edition dress, moreover, got Princess Abigail's teardrop tiara! Does she even deserve it?"
"You are absolutely right Miss Woodson." A girl in her early twenties fluttered her immediately. "Your insights are really powerful. I was just thinking the same."
Being a A grade actress and model, Laura Woodson was habituated with these flutterings. So she said nothing.
However that lady, named Macy, did not have any intentions of stopping. She might be a successful model and brand ambassador of Roy's Hotel Chain, but she wished to make her foot strong on film industry too. Thus she left no chance to butter Laura.
"I wonder how much money she had spent to attend today's banquet. She must want to hook with a bigshot here. Otherwise why dressing so extravagantly!"
Sitting quietly in a corner, Steven clenched his teeth. Andrew had felt his mood swings by the time that little girl entered in the hall. Actually, he was also quite surprised to see the girl on a completely different demanor. Yesterday she was like a drunk mess, who could hardly manage to look like a nerd, and now she is, looking like a Disney Princess walking through aisle.
He sighed as he looked at her again. While everyone else was begging for their attentions, dying to have a conversation with them, she just looked at them for a second or two, then shifted her gaze and never looked back. 'Did she not know who am I by now? Or she was still pretending!' Andrew did not quite understand.
While Andrew was sulking by her ignorant behaviour, Steven was fuming with anger. His pale cheeks were getting red, as he started getting angrier by the mean comments she was facing.
Thirty seven years ago, in a party like this, a little girl also appeared. That time she got cheaper yet beautiful clothes which complimented her perfectly. But nobody saw that. May be, they did see, but in front of the bullies she faced, nobody utter a word.
Steven's aura changed as he thought of the day. She could not even reach to the center of the hall. She was considered as a 'gift' that might be sent through the backdoor to please the inviter of the day.
That time, Steven was not drown to her, he did not meddle with other people's businesses. He also watched her getting bullied for having a lowly appearance, cheap clothes, no back ups or no partners to protect her.
Steven regretted, he genuinely regretted that he did not stand against the people to protect her. She was panicking, yet she tried to struggle her best. But then she was asked to show her invitation card which she could not. Everybody considered her as an intruder and she was splashed with wine all over her face, had been called a slut, a whore and after all the insults, she was dragged back by the securities.
Steven sighed, even then, she was afraid of blowing out her cover. She was afraid of implicating her closed ones if she asked for help.
Thirty seven years ago, in a party like this, the miseries of her life had just began like this. And he was only sitting there watching, as her confidence was completely demolished, her vulnerable attitude was exposed and she was called a human gift. Later, when he got entangled with her, loved her, he realised that their pointing fingers to her left a huge shadow over her. She even lost the confidence to choose a dress or getting out in front of lot of people.
Thirty seven years ago, he could not do anything. But thirty years ago, when he lost her, he swore to himself that he would stand up for everybody in need, if anything happened in front of him again.
He calmed a little as he thought of his wish being granted. Thirty years ago, he desparately wanted to flip the timeline as he wanted to go back into the time he had met her. He wanted to change everything around her so that she hadn't had to face anything bad, ever.
So he gave her the best costume, paired with jwellery. So that a perfect make over could blind the eyes of these narrow minded people and yet again, they were roasting her for being classier than them.
Steven was fuming with anger. He was afraid of seeing her vulnerable today. If she became like that, she would meet her doom, she would meet the man as a rescuer of her. A man, later on, who became her ruin.
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The next two chapters are going to be a little light with some entanglements. As I told earlier, this party is going to give some twists in the youngsters lives.
Are you ready to know what happened with Mantisha earlier? How did they fall for each other?
Who was the man who rescued her? Does someone who support people in their vulnerable states can really be bad? If not, then why is Steven aware of him?
Albert and Herbert are in the party too. Will they blow her cover?
Or will Evelyn expose her identity?
And what's wrong with that Laura huhh!
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Happy reading :)