Dawson navigated through the crowd, Emmy clasped in his hand, introducing her to other business partners. The men gazed, admiring her beauty. Growing impatient with the pleasantries, her eyes scanned the room, searching for a specific group of individuals."
Spotting them, she turned to Dawson with a smile. "Dawson, I'm heading over to meet Celest and the others."
"Alright, have fun and stay safe," Dawson replied, giving her a gentle pat on the head.
She excused herself from the gathering and headed toward Dawson's cousins.
"Baby, we missed you," Celest Sullivan and Eldoris Hopkins said, embracing Emmy warmly.
"I missed you guys too, but you're choking me," Emmy said, causing them to release her hastily.
"Hello, Pumpkin," Emmy said, embracing Cecile Yales, who returned the hug with a smile.
"It's been two months since we last saw you. We thought you'd forgotten about us," Celest said.
"Hope you brought goodies for us, Emmy?" Eldoris inquired.
"Of course I did, and you're going to love it," Emmy replied, accepting a glass of champagne from a waitress.
Celest chuckled when she saw Emmy reaching for the champagne, quickly cautioning her, "You shouldn't drink too much, or else Dawson will be upset."
"I know it's just a sip," Emmy said, grinning at her friends.
The four friends were enjoying catching up on all that had happened when Cecile asked, "What was that about outside, Emmy?"
"Oh, it was a lady by the name Chaya Smith trying to throw herself at Dawson, but she got quite a shock when she saw me," Emmy replied.
"Does she truly need to demonstrate her unpleasantness to everyone?" Eldoris questioned
"C'mon, El," Cecile said to Eldoris, eliciting laughter from both of them.
"Could you please all behave like ladies?" they heard Chaya Smith say from behind them.
"Speaking of the devil," Cecile remarked.
"Who's the devil?"
"Anyone who answered," Cecile said, causing Chaya to grit her teeth in annoyance.
"You'd better watch your mouth, Miss Yales," Anne Garner thundered, backing up Chaya.
"Is it because you can't speak anymore that you ordered your dog to bark at us?" Eldoris inquired.
"You..." Anne lunged towards Eldoris, but Chaya held her back.
"Chaya?"
"It's okay, Anne. I just want to ask this woman why she's clinging to Dawson," Chaya said.
"Who do you think you are to Dawson? Don't you realize he belongs to me?" Chaya remarked.
"Allow me to correct you. My cousin is not your possession. From what I observed outside, it's clear he's not interested in you," Cecile interjected.
Ignoring Cecile's words, she redirected her attention to Emmy.
"Now, let's focus on you... What's your reason for being with Dawson?"
Emmy simply stared at Chaya. "Why the interrogation? Go ask Dawson himself why I'm with him."
Observing Emmy's evasion of her question, instead redirecting her to Dawson, she couldn't resist issuing a veiled threat to the woman before her. "Do you grasp my influence? A single call from me could upend your entire existence."
However, the woman before her seemed oblivious to her words. Watching the woman's smug demeanor, Chaya seethed with anger.
"Hey, are you even listening? Or did you cozy up to him just to score an invite to this banquet?" Chaya pressed, her tone sharp.
"Why label Emmy like that? You're the one, sleeping your way to the top," Eldoris retorted, her voice raised in anger.
Desiring to impart a lesson to Eldoris for her derogatory remark, Chaya raised her hand to slap her before anyone could react. Not being satisfied with the first slap, Chaya raised her hands again to slap Eldoris, but a slender hand forcefully grasped her arm, halting her motion.
"Who granted you the authority to touch her?" Emmy demanded, pushing her hands aside.
The force was overpowering, causing Chaya to stumble backward, nearly falling if Anne hadn't steadied her, shooting a pointed glance at Emmy."
"Are you going to answer me?" Emmy demanded, a sinister gleam flickering in her gaze.
Glancing at Emmy, Chaya intended to challenge her, but the icy stare from the woman sent shivers down her spine, causing her to shudder. 'How can someone exude such a chilling presence?' she pondered, quickly regaining her composure and meeting Emmy's gaze head-on.
"What's the harm in wanting to slap her more than once? She deserves it for defending a promiscuous person like you," Chaya retorted, chin lifted defiantly, a hint of pride in her demeanor.
Sensing the simmering anger emanating from the person beside her, Eldoris shifted her gaze, hoping to diffuse the tension, only to be met with a sharp, resounding crack. Whipping her head in the direction of the noise, she witnessed the shattered glass in Emmy's hand, crimson droplets trailing down.
The shattering of glass seized the attention of nearby guests, prompting them to pivot towards the source, their curiosity piqued as they sought to discern the cause.
"Emmy, you're bleeding!" Eldoris exclaimed, her words echoing shock as the other girls gasped in response, startled by the sudden revelation.
Without waiting for Chaya's reply, she seized a handful of Chaya's hair, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she taunted, "Cat got your tongue?"
Chaya winced as a sharp pain shot through her scalp, her efforts to break free from Emmy's grip proving futile. "Let go of me slut, you... you're hurting me!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling with both pain and indignation.
"Still being difficult, huh?" Emmy gripped Chaya's hair tightly in her hands.
"Ah, please, let go!" Chaya cried out in pain.
"Not in the mood for conversation?" Emmy's grin took on a wicked edge as she looked at Chaya.
Still gazing at the woman before her, Chaya realized she had angered the wrong person, but who was she? How could a woman possess such a fiery temper?
Emmy's left palm was bleeding, yet she paid it no mind as she persisted in pulling Chaya's hair.
"Emmy, please listen to me. You're bleeding. Let go, okay?"Celest knew that if Emmy didn't release her grip, she would lose a significant amount of blood. So she pleaded with Emmy.
"What's happening here? Why..." a voice echoed, but it halted abruptly upon seeing her bleeding.
Upon hearing the voice, Emmy swiftly dropped her hands and stepped back.
"Dawson asked, turning Emmy towards him, "Emmy, why are you bleeding?"
Glancing toward Dawson, she quickly embraced him, murmuring, "It's her fault."
Dawson tenderly brushed Emmy's hair aside, his voice soft with concern. "Emmy, what happened?"
Emmy pulled away from the hug, locking eyes with Dawson, tears welling up in her bloodshot eyes. With a choked voice, she confessed, "She slapped Eldoris."
What on earth?!
Chaya was taken aback by the sight of Emmy suddenly in tears. This was the same woman who had nearly yanked her hair out. How could this be? Chaya wondered to herself.
Chaya harbored a foreboding sense that things wouldn't conclude favorably for her.
"She did what?" Nathan Sullivan approached, his gaze piercing as he fixed it on Chaya Smith, who appeared haggard.
"Why would she strike Eldoris?" Xavier Yales questioned, bewildered.
Emmy continued, her tears flowing. "She called me a 'slut' who climbed into your bed, implying that's why you brought me to the banquet," she recounted. "Eldoris heard it and stood up for me, but she got slapped by Chaya."
"Dawson couldn't believe his ears. "She called you a slut?!"
Emmy felt dizzy, staggering backward, nearly falling, but Dawson caught her just in time.
"Emmy, are you okay?" Dawson asked, his tone filled with concern as he held Emmy gently.
Emris responded promptly, striving to regain her consciousness. "Yes, I'm fine."
Chaya couldn't bear it any longer. She anticipated Dawson's reprimand towards Emmy for her actions, but instead, he held her with such tenderness, as though she were fragile glass. "Dawson, who is she? Why do you care so deeply?"
Dawson's voice thundered at Chaya, "Do you still dare to inquire? Who do you presume to be, Miss Smith, to label her as such?" Dawson's tone was icy.
"Who is she that you won't even entertain my explanation?" Chaya inquired, feeling unjustly treated.
"I have no need to hear your explanation; I trust Emmy," Dawson asserted, cutting her off. "Miss Smith, refrain from attempting this again, or there will be consequences," he warned.
Gazing at Emmy's pallid complexion, he was overcome with guilt for not being by her side. 'Emmy, you're not okay. Let's find a tranquil spot and get you the help you need.'"
As Emmy passed by Chaya Smith who was visibly shaken with anger, she smirked and whispered words audible only to them. "Why the relentless pursuit to unravel my identity? Haven't you heard, curiosity kills the cat?"
Hearing her words and seeing her smirk, Chaya nearly lost her composure. She now understood that this lady was not to be underestimated.
"C'mon, Emmy, let's head to the ladies' room to tend to that wound," Celest urged.
"Indeed, let's go together. The guys can wait here," Cecile responded, taking Eldoris along with her.
Apologizing to the guest around, they made their way to the washroom to attend to her injury.
"Here, use this," Celest said as she handed Cecil a first aid kit to tend to the wound.
"You should give it to me; I can handle it," Emmy insisted, reaching for the kit in Cecil's hands.
Cecil swiftly concealed the first aid box behind her, asserting, "There's no way I'm letting you do that. I don't want Dawson on my case."
"Okay, carry on," were the only words Emmy could manage. She knew that even if she attempted to prove herself capable, they wouldn't let her.
>>>
After finishing the bandage, Celest assisted Emmy with her makeup before they all headed out, making their way toward the gentlemen.
Carefully taking her injured hand, Dawson asked with a worried tone, "How are your hands now? Do you still feel any pain?"
"I'm fine," she said, smiling.
Still not convinced, Dawson pressed on, "Are you sure, or should we go to the hospital?"
"It's okay, no big deal," she replied, hugging Dawson to assure him.
"So, Emmy, when are you going shopping with us?" Eldoris inquired, noticing that the atmosphere had now settled.
"Yeah, Emmy, it's been a while since we went shopping together with you," Cecile said.
Emmy told them, smiling warmly. "But we already went together and I truly cherished our time together when you all visited me two months ago."
"Yeah, but that feels like ages ago," Celest remarked.
"Alright, why don't we plan to go tomorrow at noon?" Eldoris suggested
"But I have work tomorrow. Why don't you all go shopping, and I'll cover the expenses?" Emmy proposed.
"We're fine with that, but once you're free, we're all going out together," Cecile commented, and everyone nodded in agreement.
Their chatter persisted until the MC's interruption signaled the commencement of the party.
Grasping the mic, the MC captured the room's attention with a brief preamble. "Tonight, we gather to celebrate the return of the Yales' daughter," he announced, prompting a round of applause and whispers throughout the crowd. "Without further ado, let's extend a warm welcome to Mr. and Mrs. Yales as they take the stage."
"The Yale's daughter? Hasn't she arrived yet?"
"I believe the daughter will be remarkable, just like her mother.
"Mrs. Eldora is from the Lowe royal family, so her daughter is essentially a princess and she would be remarkable like the rest of her siblings," they continued to whisper.