The cameras focused on Thalia Mirabel as she uttered her statement.
"Excuse me?" Isabella asked,
Thankfully, Thalia Mirabel had only thought of these words when she was asked that question. She had imagined saying these words to someone… I mean anyone, but even she knew when not to say certain things.
Isabella had started by saying with all smiles, "Congratulations on your marriage!"
Thalia Mirabel settled back on the sofa with a nod.
"We have a general impression of your new husband. We would like to know your thoughts about your husband. You are the one person who is now closest to the nation's husband. I don't think many girls in this room and watching from their homes are particularly happy about this fact, but we still want to hear from you. Can you describe your new husband in three words?
'All I wanted to say at the point was he was a Jerk, a complete asshole, and overly infuriating!' Thalia Mirabel thought to herself reigning in her emotions, but without even blinking, she smiled and turned to the camera.
Initially, no emotions were registered on her face. However, she broke out into a rare smile on the stage, catching all of them in surprise. She looked breathtakingly beautiful with her glistening hazel eyes and dimple that was revealed because of the smile. The fence-sitters started to understand why Jorge Trimshaw would go for her as opposed to the beautiful model Ashley who sat to her left.
The result of the smile, coupled with the wild look, was enough for Ashley to look pale and ordinary in comparison. At twenty-eight years old, Thalia Mirabel still looked like a little teenager but with the aura of a mature, sophisticated lady, even with her dressing. Once the camera turned on her, almost everyone in the room was hooked. They could not take their eyes off of her.
Ashley scoffed, with obvious jealousy written all over her after she saw the reaction of the people toward Thalia Mirabel.
At that moment, some of the harsh thoughts from the audience had changed to, 'I knew that our husband would choose the best wife! Just look at that beauty of the stage?'
Thalia Mirabel replied to Isabella's question, "He is kind, soothing and a sweetheart!"
"Awwwww!!!" some of the girls shrieked and cooed from the audience. Even Isabella had that gushed look return on her face as well.
"This is the best show I have sat on in ages. The effects would last for days! I thank that person who gave us the tip about this!" Isabella thought to herself.
Thalia Mirabel's sweet voice rang through the microphone yet again, "He is also loving, kind-hearted and my superhero!"
Isabella giggled like a little girl in love, "That is more than three words, but we'll take what we get!"
"Awwww! Aaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!" The audience echoed as they screamed even louder all around her. The screams were so deafening that the host tried to plug her ears with her hands.
'I knew he would be the one to make me tell my first lie in public… what an annoying person!' Thalia Mirabel rolled her eyes in her head, but her sweet, fake, and carefree smile remained.
'How did I get to be a part of this caricature show? My life was all quiet a week before today, but now-'
Thalia Mirabel stopped her thoughts and concentrated on Isabella. From then on, the show ran smoothly after that till the end. They engaged in light topics and answered a few from their audience as well.
Isabella was so happy with the success of the show that, they gave Thalia Mirabel a massive bouquet of roses as a gratitude gesture for visiting their show which had never been done with any of the previous guests. Unfortunately, they did not even save Ashley the face through this. Reveal topped the charts that day and garnered a record-breaking viewership rating.
With all these, the new girl, Thalia Mirabel, was trending that evening even more than Ashley, who was supposed to have a large fan base. Ashley was only included in the hype conversation, mostly in ridicule. Thalia Mirabel, who would have preferred a low-profile life, now had her life out there and her name, Thalia Mirabel Thebes, on every person's lips. 'I hope that I made the right decision in signing that marriage contract,' Thalia Mirabel thought to herself as she walked out of the studio.
Just then, "I do not think that you are fit to be with him." The voice that Thalia Mirabel had come to associate with Ashley sounded behind her,
"You must lead a very tiring life!" Thalia Mirabel inquired of Ashley with a sympathetic look. Ashley had a blank look as she was not sure why Thalia Mirabel had said that.
Thalia Mirabel spared her a glance and replied to her statement, "I think so because you poke your nose where it is not needed. In fact, that is good because no one sought your opinion on this!"
Just then, the tall male assistant, Jake, appeared by Thalia Mirabel and bowed, "pardon my lateness, madam, the car is ready. Please follow me,"
Thalia Mirabel nodded and mouthed a 'thank you', handed the bouquet to him and then followed Jake leaving a gaping Ashley behind her. Ashley clenched her fists and stomped her feet. This was supposed to be her show, but why?
'Just why?' Ashley asked herself yet again, but then her eye caught something that gave her a glimmer of hope.
Right across the studio lobby, a sleek black with gold-streaked Rolls Royce rolled over, which Ashley assumed was for the Thalia Mirabel Lady, but what came out of the car had her pondering.
"Mummy!" a small voice emanating from a boy who looked to be barely six years got out of the car and rushed into the embrace of Thalia Mirabel.
Ashley knew Jorge Trimshaw like the back of her hand because of her obsession, and she was sure that he had no children whatsoever, so what exactly was going on there? "Did the Thalia Mirabel girl just fool a whole room of people?" Ashley whispered to herself.
'There is no way that a womaniser like Jorge Trimshaw would marry… not alone a woman with a child…' she thought.
"Did you hear that child call that lady mum?"
Both her assistant and manager, who stood beside her, hummed in response.
"Find out all you can about that woman!" Ashley commanded in a fury.