CHAPTER TEN
"Hello Mr. Alesso." Anna walked up to them. She was suddenly curious as to why Melissa was looking unhappy and angry.
This was the 'Paula effect'. She always found a way to ruin people's mood. What had she done to Melissa? She would soon find out.
Paula had seen a woman coming close but she could not really make out who the woman was. She was still wearing her mask but as soon as she came closer and removed her mask, Paula knew and anger swirled.
She took a deep breath to control the anger. She had remembered what had transpired the last time she had set eyes on the woman. It had been the most humiliating day in her life, nothing had ever come close. And ever since, she had made sure that nothing ever came close.
"Hello, Mrs…?" David turned from his conversation with Len to look at the woman who was harboring a smile.
"Bertram. I'm Len's mother." She introduced, reaching out a hand.
"Oh. Apologies, ma'am. Len never told me he had a beautiful mother." He accepted the handshake.
Paula and Isak were done catching up and were now engrossed on the happenings around them. Melissa ran to Anna's side. Typical of her. Paula mused.
Anna chuckled. "Oh. And Len never said the famous David Alesso possessed a sweet tongue."
Len merely smiled. His attention was with Paula, he could not take his eyes off of her. There was this confidence and strength that he had never seen from her before.
"How are you?" He asked before he could stop himself.
Paula raised a surprised brow. Why was he talking to her? The last time they had seen each other, he had hit her. And it was not the first time. Well, this was now, and she answered to no one. If she backed away, she would seem like she was still affected by six years ago.
She would prove she was not. "I'm fine, thank you." Her tone was coldly polite.
"Scriptwriter and a model, huh? Who knew you had it in you?"
She offered him the coldest smile that made him uneasy. "Yes, who knew."
He laughed nervously. What the hell?! How could he be nervous talking to her? "I guess you're here to work with Alesso on a project. That means we'll be working together too. I'm now part of it."
"I think you're getting it wrong, Mr. Bertram. I am working for David. Whatever deal you made with him concerning the project, I believe it's not none of my business."
"Hey, you stay away from him." Melissa was at Paula's side, hissing angrily in her ear.
Paula faced her with a cold gaze that accessed her as though she was nothing. Then she turned back to face Len, her tone was steely. "Mr. Bertram, I'd suggest you talk to your wife on walking up to random people and hissing in their ears for no just cause. The next time, I'd have to call the security for disturbance and harassment."
Len was awashed with embarrassment, he grew red. He would never believe Paula to regard him in that manner, talk less of engaging him as one would engage a stranger. He glared at Melissa who was fuming, it was obvious she was in a war between fighting Paula and avoiding making a scene here.
"She's not my wife." Len lamely argued.
"I don't care, Mr. Bertram. You came in with her so she's your responsibility, not so? Please, keep her in check."
Isak who was close had heard everything, he was also shocked at how Paula had handled herself. David and Anna were watching the ongoing scene.
"Is anything the matter, my dear?" David came to Paula's side for which she was grateful. She hated confrontations especially public ones.
"Nothing. Can we just move on and greet other guests?" Paula noticed that people were already beginning to stare suspiciously at their side.
She did not want to be part of it.
"Okay. See you later and we'll make the deal official after this party." David called to Len who just nodded. He seemed exhausted by everything.
His problem, not hers.
"Let's go." She hooked her hand around David.
"Can I speak to Paula privately? A moment please, Mr. Alesso." Anna said.
Paula wondered why the woman wanted to talk to her. But she already knew it was not going to be good. She sighed, she could not turn her down else David would become suspicious and she did not want him to know anything.
"Is anything the problem, Mrs. Bertram?" Paula lifted her chin defiantly. She was not going to be scared of the woman.
"Privately, please." She was trying to sound cordial but Paula could still hear the spite undertone.
Thankfully, this was a different Paula. "I'll be back, David." For more show, she leaned in and kissed his cheek. His eyes twinkled excitedly.
She glanced at Len. His expression was shifting from anger to annoyance to disbelief to surprise. She chuckled inwardly, let him stew over his mistake and be reminded all over again.
"Lead the way, Mrs. Bertram." She said.
The woman led the way and they did not stop walking until they got to the patio. Paula braced herself as Anna slid the glass doors close. No one could hear them and it was quite dark for anyone to properly see them.
"Why are you here, Paula?" She began rather rudely.
"You think it's illegal for me to be here, Mrs. Bertram? Last I checked, I am a free citizen."
Paula saw that her reply had both shocked and aggravated the women. Her eyes flashed but it was only for a while before she controlled it.
"You can't fool me. My son…"
"Sorry for interrupting you, Mrs. Bertram but not everything revolves around your son. Maybe once, I had been stupid enough to let myself be treated badly by you and your son but no more. I am here for myself, not your son. I don't care about him."
How dare her? Anna thought maliciously. Thinking she could come here and become this star that everyone loved and admired. "If you don't care about him as you say, then why engage him in a discussion. I saw you both."
Paula's chuckle was harsh and short. "If you don't want your son talking to me, then tell him. I'll be glad if you do because I do not want him talking to me too. Mrs. Bertram, I'll make this clear; the Bertram family no longer mean anything to me."
"How dare you?!" She raised her hand.
Paula held it mid-air. She was angry too, but she was not raging. She was quiet. Too quiet. "This is not six years ago, Mrs. Bertram. Let this be a warning to you, don't raise your hand against me next time." She flung the woman's hand away from her face.
"You…"
"I guess you have nothing to say. Have a pleasant evening, Mrs. Bertram. I must take my leave, I have other guests worth my time." Paula opened the door with her head held high. She was proud of herself.
Mrs. Bertram could only stare in shame as great anger boiled. This was far from over. By the time she was done with that Paula, she'd run from this state with her tail between her legs just as she'd done six years ago.