I can feel the anger pulsating off of me by the time I'm done with the speech.
While everyone else is clapping and hooting all I want to do is to run off the stage and punch Dexter in the face. Before I could turn my thoughts into actions though, Zadia walks out onto the stage. I have no idea where she came from but it causes the crowd to cheer even louder.
I was angry, fuming even but the second I laid my eyes on her my breath hitched in my throat. There is no doubt that Zadia is beautiful. She smiled at me and my entire body freezes as I can basically hear my heart beat pulsing in my ears.
My eyebrows draw together in confusion at my own reaction.
What the hell is wrong with me? I'm not supposed to react like this to her.
It's hard not to though, I was in love with her only a year ago. Maybe a part of me still has feelings for her even after all she's done to me.
Yeah, keep talking crap!
I need to get over this. I was about to do just that in fact until she walks up to me and pulls me into a kiss.
I don't have enough time to react. The first thing I think is 'this isn't Alana' but before I can do anything else the kiss is over and I'm glad I can't see my own face right now.
The crowd however is eating up our little performance right now. It's a pity they don't know.
For a second I forgot about the camera and the hundreds of people in here and I whisper silent prayer that Alana isn't watching us on the tv right now.
I'm so screwed.
**********
Only minutes later we are launched into the crowd of unwelcomed guests. Each glare from Dexter reminds me to keep a smile on my face and pretend this is the happiest day of my life.
After an hour I'm sure my face is gonna freeze into a permanent fake smile until Zadia loops her elbow with mine and signals for me to leave with her.
Granted, she's the last person I wanted to be with right now but then again anything is better than staying out here surrounded by these vultures.
Once Zadia and I reach the back halls where I had come in through earlier a door opens and she leads me inside.
"Okay you better tell me what the hell is going on?", I snap once we're inside.
But another voice replies for her instead. "Calm down Blake", she utters completely seriously.
My eyes nearly bulge out of there sockets at the woman in front of me, "Mom? What are you doing here?".
Her eye narrow maliciously at me, "Saving your stupid ass, again", she retorts.
I glance over at Zadia who is looking everywhere but at me then I huff and look back at my mom frustration and confusion apparent in my features.
"What is this?", I glance between the two of them, "please tell me the two of you aren't working together again. We all know how well that turned out the last time".
"You shut your mouth!", Heather snaps, narrowing her eyes at me. I told you to let me handle it before and now look what's happened! I hope you're happy Blake because all of this, will only affect you".
That really pissed me off. "And then what!", I shouted, "he threatened Adrianna she's my God daughter for Christ's sake".
I took a deep breath trying to calm myself down and I noticed the look on Mom's face soften.
"You could have come to me", she says after a while, "I would've helped you. We already had a plan".
"We", my voice rose a bit again, "you and Zadia, you mean?".
"Blake", Zadia says with a thoughtful look on her face.
I hold up a finger to her stopping her from talking.
"No!", I shake my head at her in disgust. "I don't wanna hear anything from you either. I can't trust you. I bet you put your dad up to this huh? I already agreed to marry you the least you can do is stop trying to make my life worse".
She flinched and a look of hurt passed her eyes but I brushed it off.
My words were harsh, just as I had intended. I can't fall back in their trap again. I won't let them play me.
She nodded slowly and I could see her eyes glaze over as if she was holding back tears, which only confused me further. She had no reason to cry. She doesn't care about me.
My mom is looking at me in that disappointed way that makes my stomach churn uncomfortably. I look away from her to escape that look in her eyes.
"I'm sorry you think that Blake", Zadia says but I notice how her voice breaks. She takes a step towards me and reach for my hand. I consider pulling it away but for some reason I don't.
She opens my hands and it almost like Deja vú. She places the chip in my palm then turns and leaves the room. My mind goes back to the day she'd given me back the engagement ring in her apartment. I was so wrong about her intentions back then so... Could I be wrong about her intentions now?
My eyes glance down at the chip and I know immediately it's the same one those guys had stolen from Wayne the other night when he was beat up. It's the same one Dexter told me he had. This chip had all the evidence Wayne and I were gathering to use as leverage against Dexter if we ever should need it.
How did Zadia get this chip?
I'm confused. Even if by some miracle she was to get it why would she give it to me when I was planning to use the information on it to blackmail her own father?
I only look up when I feel my mother's had on my shoulder, by then, all the anger has fizzled out of me and I am trying to understand what the hell just happened.
"She's a good person Blake", mom says, "you should give her a chance. I suggest you start by apologizing since she just practically helped me save your life".
Heather too turns to leave but I hold until her hand and she turns back to me so I ask the one prevalent question that keeps lingering on my mind.
"Mom, if this is the chip with all the evidence on it then what does Dexter have? He told me he had this chip".
Heather smirked at me and I knew she wasn't going to give me a straight answer.
"Dexter doesn't have anything on you son, right now all he is concerned with is gaining a foothold in your company by marrying his daughter to you", she seemed rather pleased with herself for some reason, "but Zadia is not trying to work against you Blake, the sooner you realize that the better".
She left after she said that and I was standing there alone in the room with only my thoughts to keep my mind occupied.
Could I have been wrong about Zadia?