CHAPTER 16: A LAUNCH PARTY

How many more surprises do I have for the day?? First a million dollar dress, then a Cinderella's shoes and now a diamond necklace??! I tell you again, if this is a dream then I don't wanna wake up from it.

"Do you like??" he asked, "like?? I love it! gosh! this is diamond! it must have cost a fortune!" I complimented inspite of myself, normally, I would never admit to liking anything that comes from this man, but come on! A diamond necklace is every girl's dream!

"Don't worry, with time you would get used to it, but then for now, I could use a thank you" he said so arrogantly.

"Thanks, but it's not gonna be mine for long, by the end of the seventh day of our agreement, I would be returning every single thing you've ever given me, I mean every single thing" I sounded.

The look on his face showed that he wasn't taking me seriously, I know I sounded as serious as possible, so what's with that look on his face??

"I know, I Know what you must be thinking, that I'm just bluffing, right? You actually think that I won't be able to part with all these trinkets, I'm sure you think of me as every other girl, but I'm not, there's nothing you can use to tie me down or tie me to you."

I was almost out of breath by the time I was done, yet his facial expression worsened, now he has this mischievous smirk on his face and I was getting frustrated at him.

"Hey!" I yelled in frustration and he gave me an eyebrow like 'what??'

"Wipe that smirk off your face! I'm serious here!" I whined and he only chuckled.

"You're such a cute little thing" he said, "I'm not!" I countered and he gave me the eyebrow thing again.

"This is what I like about you, you're so innocent, too innocent for your own good. Now save your energy for the rest of the night, you're gonna need it later" he said.

What exactly does he mean by that??

Soon our car pulled over in front of what seem to be a hotel, okay, what can we possibly be doing in a hotel? I looked round from the window, I could see fleets of cars packed in front of the building and I could also see men and women dressed just like us entering the hotel.

Are we attending a ball or what?

Soon a guard opened the door for us and King got off first, then he helped me out.

Soon the paparazzi came taking pictures of us, this was something I hadn't noticed before, it was like they came out of nowhere.

Oh holy mother! The nervousness I was feeling was indescribable, how did I get here?? I used to be in my rat hole back in my neighborhood and now all of a sudden I'm in the spotlight?? And did I mention that I am camera-shy??

King must have noticed my nervosity, because he gave me this squeeze in my Palm and then he breathed some words to me, "smile, you've got it in you" he said and somehow, my self confidence shoot from a zero degree to a hundred.

I smiled so effortlessly at the camera, I looked up at the man who has been holding and leading me to into the venue, he was all stoic and expressionless, talk more of smiling. You can advise someone else to smile but you can't do it yourself?? You should learn to do what you preach Mr grumpy, I thought to myself.

Soon we were both inside the venue, indeed it was a ball or at least it looked like one. I looked up at one of the projectors, the display on it read, 'The launching of Royal Welnex' Oh I get it now, this is the launching of a new hotel; this hotel.

I bet this is a 5 star hotel, I mean, if this isn't one, then I don't know what else a 5 star hotel should look like.

As we strode further into the venue, all heads turned to our direction, people where practically gawking and moping at us, but why?? Here I thought that I had gone through the last anxiety for the night, only to be faced with an even bigger one.

I don't get it, we aren't doing anything out of the odds, right? And besides, we are not the only ones entering the hall, are we??

"Uhh, why is everyone looking at us??" I whispered to King as I struggled to keep up my smile.

"They are only doing what they're supposed to do; looking up to us. Besides, if they don't, that tells you that you've chosen the wrong wears for the night, so if they're looking, then it's a confirmation that you look good."

'Wow! how can someone always know what to say??' Mr King has proven himself to be a man who has an answer to everything, but still, I think there's more to this speculation, I could even see some people whispering to each other in low tone, what could they possibly be gossiping about us??!

But then, I didn't fail to notice that the greater percentage of these speculators were female.

"King! You came! I knew you would come!" A lady that seems to be in her mid-twenties approached us grinning from ear to ear, she looks like those beauty queens you see on TV or in magazines, she's indeed beautiful, and she looks quite familiar, it's possible I might have seen her on a billboard or something.

"What do you want Charlotte?" King said curtly, it looks like he doesn't appreciate the fact that she came over here to say hi. "Ah! come on King! Must I need something before I can say hello??" She said in a little hurt tone.

"Nevermind, I'm glad you came, so now that you're here, let's go say hello to people that matters" she said taking him by the arm.

'Wait a sec, is this woman blind or something?? How can she be conversing and acting like I'm not here?? Is she intentionally ignoring me or what??'

"I've got company, as you can see" King said as he swung his arm off her grasp, it was as though he read my mind, that's right!

Now Miss hairs-and-nails finally acknowledged my presence, she looked upon me with so much scorn and disdain, the contempt in her eyes were evident.

Hmm, this is gonna be one hell of a night.

"King, is she one of your many flings?? I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if she was one of your numerous hookups, but I really don't mind, I'm sure she doesn't too, they can all keep warming your bed till the real one comes" she quipped, her snide was too painful, it cut me through my veins.

"What codswallop are you spewing??! Don't you dare cause a scene here!" King cautioned her in a low tone, but this doll wasn't ready to stop.

"Why?? I'm only telling the truth, what? You can't handle the truth?? Oh no! my bad, it's she who can't handle the truth. Hey there, are you hurt?? Did I strike a nerve there? hmm??" she continued taunting me, I could no longer stand these indirect insults, I was beginning to tear up.

"Enough!" King shunned her, he was a little loud so he attracted few attentions to us, before any other thing could happen, I stormed off blindly in an unknown direction.

I didn't know where I was going, but I kept going, I badly needed to let my emotions out, and I needed to be by myself.

Fortunately for me, the path I took led to the restroom, and I found myself into the ladies' and lucky enough, there was none in there.

I cried so bitterly, never had I ever been called or addressed as a whore, I've been called many things, a begger, a peasant, a bummer, a slum girl, but never a slut.

It's beginning to make sense now, that explains why those people were looking at me! They think I'm just another fling for Mr King.

So this is it! This is what King wants me for, his bed-warmer?? So he thinks I'm that lowly, that I can just fall into his arms at the drop of a hat!

"Blasted man! Argghhh!!!" I cried, just then, I heard the bathroom door creak open, I quickly wiped off the tears tickling down my cheeks then I spontaneously turned to see who it was, not that I actually wanted to know.

But to my dismay, it was her; Charlotte.

What now?? did she follow me down here so she can finish up what she started?? I won't give her another opportunity. I immediately started walking towards the exit, but she stopped me.

"Where are you going to?? I came here to see you, I mean talk to you. I want to apologise for what I said out there" she said, sounding remorseful all of a sudden.

Seriously?? Does she actually expect me to buy that??

"I know I said a lot of things, gosh I can't even remember them all, I mean I'm not sure what I should apologise for, can you imagine that?!" she said with a sinister laughter.

I knew she wasn't here for any apologies, she just wants to add more fuel to the fire.

"What do you want?" I asked her in a surprisingly strong voice. "It's simple, stay away from King" she stated vehemently.

"I think you should be talking to King instead, he's the one that should stay away from me" I retorted.

"Really now?? You expect me to believe that?? Now let's look at the facts, King is a wealthy, handsome and famous billionaire, he's every girl's dream. While you on the other hand, is... I lack a suitable adjective to qualify you, I mean who are you?? and where the hell did you come from??! Look, you're playing with fire girl, you had better disappear while you still can!"

"Look here Charlotte or whatever you call yourself! I don't want your King or anything to do with him, so if you are so desperate to have him, you can have him for all I care! just leave me the hell alone!"

With that I stormed out of the restroom, almost bumping into someone who wanted to enter.

I've had enough for one night, once I get back to the hall, I'm gonna ask King to take me home.

But it seems fate has other plans in stock for me, as I tried to take a turn that leads to the hall, I bumped into a pair of muscular arms.

"Watch it gorgeous" the unfamiliar baritone voice said. I looked up at the person holding me, and I jerked off, but his grip on me was strong and firm.

This man looked scary in every sense, he had this long scar that cut from his right brow to his left cheek, then his tobacco stained teeth didn't help matters.

I tried to wriggle myself out of his hold but it only got tighter.

"Hey gorgeous, be still, I'm only getting to know you, and besides, how can I be able to touch that little behind of yours if you keep wriggling like this??" he said with a sly grin.

The thought of what he said made me mad, I started throwing punching into his chest but he didn't bulge, I kept jabbing and hitting still he didn't let go of me, then the next thing, he drove me hard into the wall and I cried out in pains.

"Hold still, I just want to have some fun" he said and then out of sheer frustration, I kneed him in the groin and he came crashing to the floor with a cry of pain, he was still writhing in pains when I ran away in panic.