I sat in front of the computer for a long time, scrolling through the news. Most of the news coverage was on the Lanes and the Martins, and I was starting to get bored from reading about it. Now that the people of Avenport knew about Christopher’s ties with the Martin family, Christopher would be condemned by all if he were to refuse to marry Monica. Simply put, that was emotional blackmail.
But these people had completely forgotten about one thing; Christopher and I were not bothered about these issues at all. Even if someone were to say anything mean about Christopher, he was not one to harbor grudges.
I, for one, always had a bad reputation. I couldn’t care less if word got around that I was a mistress, since that was what others used to call me. But I didn’t like it when Christopher became their target of vilification.
The Martin family was a heartless bunch. They knew they couldn’t take me down; hence, they would rather use this approach to catch Christopher’s attention in order to get him to comply with their request.
I wanted to call Christopher to let him know about the news and gossips that were circulating online. After second thought, I decided against it. He had his hands full with work, and I didn’t want to bother him with such petty news. Besides, he was bound to hear about the news from someone else later.
Christopher did not want to attend the piano concert, but I was the one who insisted that he attend it. Ironic as it may seem, but that’s the way of life.
I went to the salon to get my hair styled and had my makeup done flawlessly. After I changed into the outfit that was recommended by the stylist himself, I heard him say, “Miss, you look beautiful in this evening dress, and you’ll definitely be the star of the party.”
“Oh, I’m just playing a minor supporting role for tonight’s event. I want to look good for my husband.” I twirled around in front of the mirror as I studied my reflection. I was quite pleased with the way I looked, and the narcissistic side in me thought I looked beautiful.
“A wedding reception? You look beautiful, and I’m sure your husband must love you a lot.” The shop owner was a real sweet-talker.
I shook my head and said with a chuckle, “It’s not a wedding reception. I’m doing this for my love rival. It’s her piano concert, and I’m going to be there to cheer her on.”
“Huh?” The shop owner balked at me. He probably thought I lost my marbles.
I burst into a hearty laugh and walked out of the salon. As I was walking down the street, I made a call to Christopher. And then, I went into a café and waited for him to come and pick me up. After waiting for a long while, much to my surprise, Christopher did not show up. I glanced at my watch and saw that there were only ten minutes left before the opening of the concert. Has Christopher decided not to go? Could it be he’s caught up with some work?
I stood up, and just when I was about to leave, Julia strode in elegantly from the café’s entrance. She was dressed in a black suit, and she looked the epitome of a strong and successful woman. Only this time around, she wasn’t alone. She was followed closely by her personal assistants and bodyguards.
“Hello, Mrs. Lane.” My eye began to twitch. Is she here to see me? Could it be she’s going to force me to leave again?
After I greeted her, I quickly dialed Christopher’s number to find out where he was. To my dismay, I couldn’t get through to Christopher, and his phone seemed to be turned off. My heart sank, and a frown etched on my face. I didn’t know what was going on. I dialed his number several more times, but I still couldn’t get through to him.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Lane. Something came up, so I have to leave now.” I took my bag and was prepared to leave when the bodyguards stepped forward and blocked my way.
I stopped in my tracks and asked, “What’s going on, Mrs. Lane?”
“You’re not going anywhere today. You’ll stay here and wait till after the concert is over,” Julia said as she sniffed at the cup of coffee in her hand.
