After talking to a few guests and exhausting her champagne, Summer begin to feel woozy she almost lost her balance but Chris caught her.
"Hey, hey, are you okay?"
"Yea, I just feel a little off."
"Go lay down, I'll catch up with you later, okay?" Chris insisted.
Summer stumbled into her room, her steps unsteady as if she were walking on a tightrope. She collapsed onto the plush armchair, the world around her spinning wildly. Her heart raced with fear as she tried to focus, but the room danced before her eyes. Then, admist the chaos in her head, someone walked into the room. She knew that figure anywhere. It was Vincent.
"What are you doing here?" She managed to say.
"Summer. Please. I love you. I've always loved you..."
Either she was incredibly drunk or she just heard Vincent say that he loved her. What the actual fuck? How dare he just come into her room and say that to her. Maybe he was the one that even drugged her drink.
"Oh Lord, Vincent,Nancy might like hand-me-downs but not me. So I'm going to tell you nicely... get the hell out." Even if she was tipsy going back to Vincent was not an option. She reached for a bottle of water and drank it to clear her head.
"You really don't love me anymore?"
"Fine you won't leave? I will." Summer didn't know how she found the strength to get up even if she felt like she was walking on high ground. She tried to get past Vincent but he held her back.
"Don't you see? We're just toys to these people, Summer. Once they lose interest in us, we are done." He held her shoulders tightly and she struggled to get free.
"Let go of me you brute, you disgust me."
"Oh I disgust you? Because I'm poor right?" He pushed her back and she fell to the couch,hit by a serious migraine. "What about Christian? Do you know how many women he has had before you? Maybe he likes you because you are the most dirtiest used up hoe of them all." He got on top of her and she held him back, her strength failed her but she knew she couldn't let him win.
"Get off me!"
Chris was just walking towards the room when he heard Summer scream. He burst into the room and threw Vincent to the ground then punched him.
"Get the fuck off my wife." He was about to punch him again when Nancy rushed in.
"Please, please, please, this is just a misunderstanding Summer had too much to drink and she just couldn't resist Vincent." She defended. Summer was too drunk to even protest.
"Shut up do you think I'm a fucking idiot?" He silenced her.
"It's true she came on to me." Vincent tried to lie.
"Shut the door I'll teach this motherfucker a lesson myself." He told his security that had followed him. They were about to shut the door when an elderly man walked in.
"Wait Mr Norton."
"Mr Reeve what are you doing here?"
"I'd like you to forgive my granddaughter." He said. Mr Reeve knew Nancy was coming to the party but when he was passing by and saw her rush into Mr Norton's room, he knew there was trouble because that's all she did - caused trouble wherever she went. "Apologize to Mr Norton at once." He told her. She pouted.
"They assaulted my wife. This is beyond an apology."
"I understand and I want to do everything that I can to fix this, Christian. I understand that the Norton's are interested in the beauty product market." Mr Reeve began his voice was soothing and Chris calmed a bit, his attention had been caught. "... I am willing to share all the patents that I have." He offered. It was a very tempting offer but Christian was still adamant on his decision.
"That's very generous of you Mr Reeve but the answer is still no. I won't stop until she's in prison" he pointed at Nancy, then Vincent "...and this piece of shit along with her."
"Christian, it's okay, just listen to Mr Reeve." Summer finally spoke and Mr Reeves attention was drawn to her.
"Yvonne?" Mr Reeve was dumbstruck at the impeccable resemblance. He stuttered for words. Was it really her? Yes, No, it couldn't be. "Excuse me Miss how old are you?"
"Uhm, 27."
"Oh" His face fell. "That's too young. I'm sorry it's just. You're a spitting image of my daughter, Yvonne. She passed away in an accident."
"I'm so sorry to hear that." Summer replied. Her head was beginning to clear. Chris faced Nancy and Vincent.
"You two apologize and then you can go."
"Grandpa!" Nancy put on a high pitched rich spoilt kid voice, then pointed to Summer. "Are you just gonna let this trash ride all over us?"
"Do you even hear yourself? I ought to teach you some manners." He scolded. "Now. Apologize to the Nortons."
Nancy sucked it up. Then stared at Summer for a long time, pinching herself within and biting her lips.
"I'm sorry."
"You too!" Chris said to Vincent
"Sorry Summer."
"Now get the fuck out of here and make sure I never see your face again." They both walked out, including Mr Reeve. "Mr Reeve, a word please." Chris stopped him. "There's a high possibility that you and Summer might be related."
Once outside the room, Vincent faced Nancy angrily, he knew it was a dumb idea.
"This is all your fault, I told you it was a stupid idea."
"I told you to talk to her not attack her, you idiot." She hit him on the chest with her purse. "Do you still have feelings for her?" She asked. Vincent stuttered for words, then looked away and looked back at her.
"I'm sorry, it's my fault." He admitted. "I love you Nancy." He stated plainly. She cocked her head away then smacked her lips.
"I love you too Vincent." She said dryly. She heard a ruffle behind them from inside the room. "Grandpa's coming, I'll go talk to him." She walked away and left Vincent standing there. She went to her Grandpa's room and sat there, waiting. After a while, he came and and looked at her, shaking his head.
"What were you thinking upsetting a Norton, Nancy. You disappoint me. Why can't you just grow up?"
"I see you like that Summer bitch better than me. Well too bad Grandpa, she's a Cale. Not a Reeve." She clucked.
"We'll see about that."
"What?" Nancy's cocky smile faded.
"I've decided to take a DNA test to find out if she's Yvonne's daughter and if you really are my granddaughter too."
"But Grandpa, that's insane. Yvonne is my mother..."
"You certainly don't act like her. I've had my doubts all these years and seeing Summer, I just have to confirm that." Mr Reeve stated. He just had to. Yvonne was kind and calm, Nancy was a total disappointment. He always thought his granddaughters character would be like his daughter, but no. She was rough.
"Are you really just gonna take some random stranger in, just cause she looks like my mother and cause you're mad at me??"
"Not everything is about you Nancy." He spoke calmly.
"But Grandpa..."
"That's enough, please." His harsh tone overshadowed hers and she folded her arms, gritting her teeth. Summer was ruining her life and she had to do something about it
Back in the room, Chris offered Summer water to drink.
"I want you to stay away from those two maniacs. You could really get hurt." She nodded, then smiled. "What?"
"Nothing, I was just thinking about how much of a gentleman my husband is."
"You're just now figuring that out?"
"It wasn't so obvious before." Summer humored. Chris laughed.
"Oh, you wanna play?" He began to tickle her and she laughed.
"Stop it." She couldn't control her laughter.
"Too late now." Chris didn't stop.
Days later, Mr Reeve made at stop at the hospital. It was the only best hospital in town. He made her way to the head doctor's office and handed him a file.
"Run a test on these files, see if they're a match." He said.
"Sure thing Mr Reeve."
He left the office. Nancy was also in the hospital. She sat on a chair and hid her face beneath her hoodie till he left. She had trailed his car when she saw him leave the house that morning. She knew he was coming here. She went into the doctor's office.
"Hi doc. How would you like to make some extra dough." She started. He looked at her, puzzles by her confidence.
"How much dough?" How much could a little girl like her possibly offer him?
"How does a hundred thousand sound?" She said. He paused for a moment then shifted in his seat.
"Depending on what you want me to do."
"I know you're running a DNA test. Call me when you're done and the money is all yours." She brought out a cheque from her bag and handed it to him. "Here's a deposit. I'll pay you the rest when it's done." She brought out a file from her bag and gave him. "Run a test on this too." He nodded and she left the office.