Len's heart dropped to his stomach. Paula Maillet? Was it the same person he knew?
"What is happening?" Melissa whispered, nudging his sides. She must have heard that wrong. Did that guy just mention Paula's name? The same Paula she knew?
There must be a mistake. It was definitely not the same Paula. Her thoughts were drowned by the ovation of the guests who were eager to see this woman that had captured David Alesso's heart.
Paula walked in with David in hand. After six years, she was back. Back to the place she had sworn to never return to. But she had the opportunity to work with David Alesso. The one and only David Alesso!
When David had reached out to her, she could not resist. She had always wanted to work for him and now, the opportunity had come. This meant more fame for her. She was a lot of things that people did not know.
She was famous yet lived a quiet life. With her son.
Yes, she had a son and she loved him to bits and pieces. He was the only good thing that had come from her past. Her past. Len. He was an elite and he usually was invited to events like this.
He was that wealthy and affluent. Hm. There was no need for her to think of him. He was a bitter past she had successfully buried beneath her new life.
And Paula Maillet wanted nothing to bring that past up to the surface. Not in this lifetime or the next, if there was a next.
"The crowd is wild for us, Paula." David was a roguishly handsome guy. With a shoulder length black hair that he sometimes let down or had in a ponytail. There were days he braided it.
"Yes, David. But I believe it is more for you than me." She said with a smile. They had come out of an hallway that had hidden their appearance.
Wow! That gown! Melissa thought with jealousy. And other women in the crowd too were stunned by the sheer beauty of the white gown with a flowing skirt, gold rimmed the hem of the high-thigh slit.
The back rode low with gold flowing unobstructively along the edge of the bodice cusp, teasingly revealing cleavage that left a lot to a man's imagination. It was obvious they had a winner after all. Her curves were everywhere.
It was as though the theme had been just for her. She was the only female in the room who had dressed in accordance to the white and gold theme of this year's masquerade ball.
She was like a goddess. And the gold stilettos making confident clicks as she took her time approaching the podium with David was suddenly the only sound in the room.
Faces wore different expressions. From the women, one could easily detect envy and admiration. The men were smitten, harboring adoration for this tall, curvy goddess.
"You've got yourself a diamond on your first catch, Alesso." A male guest teased.
"I know right?" David laughed.
Len was tongue tied. He was not believe his eyes. Every part of him was on standstill yet he wanted to bolt out of there…her. If the guy had not mentioned her name, he would have never in a million years point her out.
She was wearing a gold mask but even he knew she had changed. Was this the woman he'd been married to years ago? Was she the famous scriptwriter? Model too?
"Welcome to this year's masquerade ball." David had taken two champagne flutes from a passing waiter and handed one to Paula who closed her hand around the dainty slim stem of the flute.
Her eyes covertly roaming. Searching. But she soon gave up when she heard David mention her name. She had better pay attention to her host.
"My lovely plus one here, Paula. She's beautiful, smart and one of the best women on planet. I usually I'm the one who gives the speeches and make the toast but this year will be different." David turned his masked face to Paula. "This damsel here will do the honors tonight."
Her pulse quickened and she felt a little nervous kick below her stomach. She would not be nervous or scared. She had come this far separating herself from the woman she used to be.
She took a deep breath. She could do this and she somehow knew Len and his mother was watching. His wife, they should be married by now, Melissa, should also be here.
She would not mess it up and give them something to laugh at again.
"Thank you, David. You're too kind." She beamed confidently and passed her untouched drink back to David who accepted it and kissed her cheek before leaving the podium.
Len swallowed at the sight of David kissing Paula. It was a casual kiss and possibly did not mean anything but it did not seat well with him. He knew David Alesso. They were friends though not really close.
"Stop staring." Melissa was green with envy. Len had never looked at her for that long. Was he smitten? Did he still like her?
"What? She's about to give a speech, where should I look at if not her?" Len's tone was low but sounded very annoyed.
"You're staring too much." Melissa hissed.
Len glared silently at her, then moved a bit away from her. She was constantly grating his nerves.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I'm Paula Maillet, a scriptwriter and model amongst other things." She cleared her throat. "I know this is a masked party but can you excuse my dislike for masks?"
There were low chuckles.
"Many of us do. We just do it for the tradition." An elderly man commented. He was jabbed by his wife. He smiled. "Plus my wife loves it."
Another round of laughter.
Paula laughed softly. "Okay. Then I'll just take mine off. You can leave yours." She wanted Len, wherever he was to see her.
It would be the only opportunity she had to gloat about her success and survival. Let him see the woman he'd crushed and broken. She had remodeled herself and returned even better than expected.
"That was freeing." She looked around the room. She could recognize Len if she saw him. Six years was not enough to forget him.
She saw a mouth slightly agape in shock. Bingo! He had seen her without mask, she noted with a covert smile. Now she could go on with her speech.