She fainted to be hearing whatever was been said. She nodded there and here and was relieve when they bid their farewell. She ran off immediately, she didn't want to be introduce to anyone else.
She sneaked out to the backyard. There were her hut. She always go to whenever she wants to be alone. Exiting the house, she saw the backward figure of a man standing at the veranda.
'What's he doing here, shouldn't everyone be inside,' she complained, frown forming on her face.
He was jeopardizing her escape. No one was supposed to see her leave the party. They could tell her father who would dragged her back e didn't want someone to see her, he may tell her father who would dragged her back. Sighed and walked to him.
'I will make him leaves then,' she thought.
"Sorry to disturb you, I didn't think I would come across someone here," she said taking a place by his side.
The view of the grand garden was perfect from their position. The fountain in the middle was what one see first before the eyes wonders on the flowers all over the place.
"You don't have to, I just wanted to take some fresh air. I was suffocating inside," he said, standing spot, face looking ahead.
The familiarity in his voice confused her. She heard him before. His side profile confirmed her thoughts, they already met.
"Excuse me but have we met before?" she asked, eyes fixed on his. He was taller than she was, if not of the fact she had heels on, she would have needed to stretch her neck up to meet his face.
"Yes but you were quite young, I don't think you can remember," he turned, his lips slightly lifted up.
Ivy eyes widen, the last person she would have thought of was standing by her side. Alexander Smith. Her hero. The man she admired the most after her father. How did she fail to recognize him on spot? She read all his books, follow his every moves and yet, once he was beside her, she didn't recognize him.
Alexander Smith wasn't a name to be presented. Everyone knows whom he was. The man who single handedly skyrocket his father small business into a multinational company.
He gained everyone respect, even though he was no more the CEO, his achievement couldn't be deny. His early retirement took everyone by surprise. He recently gave his position to his twenty five years old son.
He inspired her in every stage of her company growths. Following his guidance and knowledge. She knew they were bound to meet and was looking forward to it but never thought it would be in such a place. She now realized how far her father went with this party of his.
His voice felt different from what she had heard. She always loved hearing him speak. His voice, strong but gentle was charming. His handsome face was accentuated by his grey eyes and dark hair pulled back. His build strong and firm for someone in his earliest forty but he looked much younger. He had a calm expression as if nothing could affect him.
"Apologize Mr. Smith, I didn't know it was you," she said after recovering from her shock. Subconsciously taking a step back.
"Don't be so formal and polite, we are among CEO… Well I'm an ex CEO but still," he chuckled.
Ivy stand relaxed a bit and was somehow happy, he heard about her. Her small company wasn't that known in her home country.
She was still surprise. How could her father make such an important figure come to such a simple party. It was just her welcome party, for her he exaggerated.
He invited Alexander Smith, of all people. True, they were acquaintance, it surely wasn't a big deal. The more she looked at him, the more she realized cameras wasn't making him justice.
"What's the star of the party doing here all by herself?" he asked.
"I didn't want this party in the first place. I was trying to sneak out when I saw you," she blurted out.
He chuckled, "I know that, your speech left us speechless," he was amazed when he heard her. It was bold of her to speak in such a way in a room filled the country big names. He liked it.
Ivy left an awkward laugh, now she regrets doing it. If she knew he was there, she won't have dare to say it.
"Let me not stop you, I'm going in. You can ran off," he teased and walked away.
Ivy turned, looking in the direction he left all perplexed. He was friendlier than she thought. He and her father called themselves friends but she never saw them together. She has wanted to meet him more than once via her father but never got the opportunity. Today, she did. She met her idol, who knows about her and her company. She couldn't be happier.
The sight of his back view was replaced by that of a an unpleasant face. Bella stood a few steps in front of her, head high, proud smile on her face.
Ivy face turned sour. She folded her arms and raised an eyebrow. The happiness she was feeling no way to be found
"What do you?" she asked her tone harsh. She had no patient for her even to fake. In fact, she had no reason to fake. She may have become Andy's fiancée but it didn't means she had to like her.
"Can't I want to talk to you?" she asked walking closer to her swinging her hips in her golden dress. Her long brown hair was flowing her movement. Pretty. Ivy had to admit she was. She could see why Andy fell for her.
"What do you want to talk about?" she gave her an ounce of patients for Andy. She was ready to listen to her.
"I'm Andy fiancée, we will get to see each other more often, why don't we let all the past grudges behind and start all over?" her meant peace but her tone told another story. Her chin high, the pride she felt from her statement was palpable.
The pride she felt merely by being Andy fiancée was astonishing. As if she achieved something important. Promoting her on equal footing with Ivy.
'Does she really think now we are on equal foot? Make me laugh' Ivy was amused by her naivety. She giggled, shaking her head at the pathetic woman in front of her.
Ivy reaction unsettled Bella who had a drop in her confidence. She frowned, "What's funny?" it wasn't the reaction she expected.
Ivy had always looked down upon her. Her family was wealthy but in front of Ivy's, it was nothing. Ivy had everything she desired, lovely parents who loved her, friends, money, influence, intelligent and the man she loved. She always admired her and tried to be her friend but Ivy always said she was no worth to be her friend, she always looked down at her.
She would never forget the humiliation she felt after not been invited to her party, saying it wasn't for someone of her status but now that she was with her friend and would soon get married, she won't dare to. She was now at the same stand as her…Or so she thought.
"It's just…, you're so funny playing high and almighty. You seem so proud to be dating Andy as if it was some achievement. He's just a man, you're just a couple that is it," Ivy wondered just how stupid she was. Was it why she was behind Liam back then? She wondered.
"He is my fiancé, we are going to get married," Bella argued all prideful.
"And what? So what? We're going to get married, does marriage pay?" she hated does girls who thinks marriage is the end point. They are running after rich men to marry them, and live in money. Why not used that energy to work for yourself and have something you can be proud of.
"If you want to brag in front of me, please come with something valuable not a marriage certificate," she shook her head in disappointment.
After all these years she didn't change, still running after men. Men aren't the only thing in life. What if one day he wake up and say he felt out of love with you and ask for a divorce? What would be left for you? It was a type of risk Ivy could never take in her life. Be solemnly dependent of a man.
"You seem so proud of this relationship but let me ask you. Who do you think he would choose between the two of us? If I give him an ultimatum, you or I, who will he pick? I'm confident it did be me, what about you?"
Bella confident vanished. Andy loved her, that was certain. She had no doubt about it but comparing it to his love for Ivy, she doubt where she stood.
Ivy he loved like his own sister. The person he said could do anything for. He knew her for years, since in diapers. Was she her match? Does his love for her compete with that for Ivy? She doubted it.
Bella reaction was funny in Ivy eyes. How all the pride and arrogance she had earlier disappeared just like a balloon gradually losing air. Ivy smirked, she enjoyed it to it fullness.
"One last thing," she leaned to her ear.
"Next time you feel all grand and almighty, keep in mind what I did during our last year together. I don't mind repeating it if you insist," she whispered.
Bella color vanished. She realized her error. Thinking of herself as equal with the monster that was Ivy Stone. Pale face, she took a step back, her hands shaking.
"Andy won't let you do it. He won't let you hurt me once again," she managed to say with her shaking voice.
"Sure about it? He doesn't even know what I did in the past to you, how he is supposed to stop something he isn't aware of. Don't get ahead of yourself, Andy is powerful but so I am,"
Bella trembling body, shaking eyes delighted her. Her shaking voice was pleasant to hear, not to say enjoyable.
A smirk formed on her face. It is was a sensation she had forgot the feelings. To be a terror to someone. To have someone tremble in fear. She kind of missed it.
'I'm I a sadist?' she questioned herself.
Yes, Andy was powerful but Ivy power could compete with his. She tried to mess with the wrong person. Now wasn't the time to think of facing her with her present status. Soon, maybe, she would be able to confront her with equal power. She left without a word, walking absently, her eyes empty.
"I forget how being the villain of the story felt like," she smiled.
Seeing Bella broken face seems to have wake up the sleeping lion. Being the villain, the bad one in the story. She forgot how it felt like . The adrenaline she just felt reminded her of whom she used to be before Shirley entered her life. She softened, she realized, ever since Shirley entered her life.
She was never one to feel compassion for her enemy, and Shirley was her enemy. Yet, she controlled herself for so long.
It wasn't for nothing she was being called the evil queen when in school. Everyone knew not to mess with her if you want a peaceful life. She could be the worst enemy as she could be the best friend. She was a double edged sword. She could be as kind as a saint and as cruel as the devil.