On one hand, Anna was happy about Mrs. Graham's displeasure against Odelia's attending the party. It proved just how little Odelia's importance was in her adoptive mother's heart, but she needed Odelia to attend the party; she had put things in place to make sure Odelia would be the main focus of the party and serve as the hired clown that would give them the greatest show of the century and entertain them.
Anna held Mrs. Graham's hand and patted it softly.
"Mum, I understand your concerns, but I think Odelia misses you too; when I saw her, she looked thin and haggard; it seemed as if she wasn't in a good place. After I saw her like that, how could I not invite her? Please, Mum, let's send her an invite; I'm sure she has learned her lesson," Anna said in a gentle tone.
Seeing Anna explain so much, Mrs. Graham relented, even though she still felt Odelia was a lost cause. She knew Anna was a naturally kind and generous person who always wore her heart on her sleeve, not like that troublemaker Odelia. "Okay, if you say so, I will listen to you this one last time. Get ready, and let's go shopping later," she said and turned to leave the room, not noticing the evil smirk that was plastered on Anna's face.
Anna couldn't wait to see Odelia wearing a dress that was out of season and sticking out like a sore thumb among the guests at the birthday party. She had made sure most of the guests who would attend were the cream of the crop—New York's rich and famous—people who dressed sophisticatedly and had an air of poise and elegance surrounding them. Odelia, that slut would sure be the free entertainment at the banquet, and she couldn't wait to shine the spotlight on her.
After getting permission from Mrs. Graham, Anna made sure to spread the word about Odelia attending the birthday party. She thought that Odelia would chicken out and not attend at the last minute; how boring would that be?
So it was not long before people started badmouthing Odelia. She had been publicly kicked out of the Graham family, but because she was thick-skinned and still wanted to leech off the fame of the Graham family, she didn't even hide and brazenly wanted to get a slice of the cake. How shameless could she be?
~~~
On the day of the birthday banquet,
Odelia woke up with a start and lazily got out of bed. She checked the time and realized it was about 10 a.m. She went into the bathroom to brush her teeth and freshen up before the stylist arrived. Odelia didn't want to run into those gossipy rich ladies who might say something and spoil her mood, so she had booked for home service. A makeup artist who doubled as a hairstylist would come to get her ready for the banquet. If it had been any other day, Odelia would have done her hair and make-up herself, but with the look she was going for, she needed an expert.
She took a shower, got some breakfast for herself, and scrolled through her phone reading hate comments about herself on the Internet as she waited for the stylist. She read through the comments as if it were a fantasy novel with no emotion on her face. About 20 minutes before the set time, she heard someone ringing the doorbell. She walked to the door, checked the security monitor on the wall, and saw it was the stylist. She opened the door and invited her in, and they got to work.
By the time all her styling and makeup were done, it was about one hour for the banquet to begin, but she didn't mind and took her time. To make a grand entrance, it was important to attend late; she wanted everyone to see her arrival. She smiled as she took in her reflection; Odelia felt she looked more beautiful than on her wedding day.
~~~
Mrs. Graham's birthday banquet was held in the most expensive and luxurious ballroom of the seven-star Mitchell Hotel in Manhattan, and the entire hotel had been booked for the event. The ballroom space, large windows with views of the central park and the plaza, bright lights, the lively display of the culture, and the decorations managed to depict the essence of luxury and elegance for which this occasion was celebrated.
In a dreamy yet beautiful sky blue full-length bodice gown with sparkling silver tassels adding an alluring detail as she walked and a silvery touch to the gown silhouette, Anna walked with grace and poise with a gentle smile on her face as she mingled with the guests and welcomed them, acting as the host of the party.
With the rumors of her being Adam's fiancee and the only daughter of the Graham family, people flocked to her to curry her favor, fighting for her attention. Anna beamed in satisfaction as she thrived under all the attention.
Even her skin was glowing as she naturally received the praises and compliments thrown at her. It was as if everything she was enjoying naturally belonged to her. Taking a glance at the people present, she recognized that she was, in fact, the most intelligent and the most beautiful, causing her smile to broaden as she observed everyone around her; her smile outshone the stars, dazzling like a diamond.
Her eyes, however, couldn't stop glancing towards the entrance to see if Odelia was arriving. Only Odelia's arrival would highlight her supremacy. She wanted everyone to see the contrast between her and the former queen. As her gaze kept moving towards the entrance, she saw Adam and his parents arrive. She walked towards them and greeted them, naturally assuming her role as daughter-in-law.
She acted as if she had already married Adam. After they had been led to their seats, Mrs. Gray's voice rang out, disrupting Adam from his thoughts. He had been looking around the ballroom to see if he would spot Odelia's presence. He didn't know why, but ever since he knew Odelia would attend the ball, he couldn't stop wanting to see her again.
"Son, why don't you accompany Anna to greet the guests? Seeing her look so beautiful today, be careful before someone steals her right under your nose," Mrs. Gray joked. Anna was the perfect daughter-in-law she wanted for her son, not that country bumpkin who had no shame.
"Ahh, Auntie, please stop making fun of me," Anna said in a whiny voice as she intimately held her future mother-in-law's hand. A shy and bashful smile on her face as she sneaked innocent peeks at Adam. She acted as if she were an innocent girl who had just met her crush for the first time and couldn't help but steal glances at him. Mrs. Gray, on the other hand, seeing the bashful smile on Anna's face, smiled warmly and asked,
"Tell me, my dear, why are you smiling so happily? Is it because of my son?" She asked in an indulgent tone. Anna smiled shyly and looked at Adam and nodded.
"Yes, Auntie, seeing Adam makes me so happy," she replied demurely. Mrs. Graham laughed heartily and looked at her with an approving gaze. If only she knew Anna was happy because she was soon going to rub all her achievements in Odelia's face, she would puke blood.
"Oh child, you are so cute; I can't wait till we become mother and daughter-in-law. Did Adam tell you about the surprise he planned for you?"
Anna nodded happily to Mrs. Gray's question.
"Good; Keep in mind not to stray too far while welcoming the guests; Auntie will summon you to the stage when it's time to make the announcement."
""Sure, Auntie, I will definitely remember what you've told me. I really appreciate your kindness and support." Anna said, her every move and speech was a calculated move to show how respectful and gentle she was, and most importantly, not forgetting to show her most innocent look, giving the impression of a kind-hearted person.
"You are the most perfect daughter-in-law. The one I'm pleased with; if I'm not good to you, who should I be good to? That eyesore? I just remembered—didn't the news say she would come? Where is she?" The older woman asked with a hint of annoyance on her face. 'She hoped that shameless woman wouldn't come and set her sights on her son again.'
"I think she's still on her way; she hasn't arrived yet," Anna answered her future mother-in-law.
"Maybe she knows she would be a disgrace and decided not to come; that would save me from looking at such an ugly sight," Mrs. Gray said.
What she didn't know was that both Adam and Anna wouldn't want Odelia to be absent due to different reasons. Adam just felt like seeing her again, even though he couldn't explain it; maybe he wanted to see if she would come with a date.
Anna wanted Odelia to come so that she would push her into a deeper hell that would make her hide from society. She wanted Odelia to face the greatest humiliation possible so that she would even relocate and never appear in front of them again. If she even died from the shame, the better.
After the future mother and daughter-in-law exchanged a few words, they excused each other. Anna walked back to check on the guests. People were getting seated so that the event would begin when a commotion at the entrance caught their attention.
A woman who looked breathtaking and could only be described as a goddess walked through the doors.Odelia looked stunning in a scarlet red off-shoulder gown. The deep v-neckline elegantly displayed the graceful curve of her neck and accentuated her collarbone, adding a touch of charm and allure to her ensemble. The gown was tailored to hug her body, and it highlighted her tiny waist and curves, showing her beautiful figure without hiding anything.