Chapter 15 Tit for tat 1
When I watched Alanna drink up the spiked wine I was thrilled, her hurrying off to the stage designated for the photoshoot made it even better.
"Perfect! I want everyone her to see this shrew for who she really." Walking by mom's side I feel a lot more confident as we make our way to the stage. I can't stop beaming when I notice the red flesh slowly intensify on her face.
"Control your expression else they may sense something's off." Mom chastises me but unlike every other day when I would get displeased by her current disapproval of my behavior, I just shrug it off. Nothing's going to ruin my mode today not even mom!
After trying to walk as elegantly as possible in the small excited crowd bubbling at the thought of getting their picture taken with the Rolands, we stand one feet below the stage by the side of Old Master Roland, Jake's Dad and Aunt Catherine who is between bith men.
I glance at mom and I can clearly make out the jealousy I her eyes as she watches their elated faces and animated conversation.
"We're just by them but they won't even pretend to make polite conversation with us, annoying old people."
"If you don't want your allowance cut in two you better hold your tongue." Mom grits out without looking my way. "I don't mind saving up a few thousand dollars." She threatens and I huff eating up the words on my mind.
"How can she be so calm while watching her rival steal her thunder with no efforts at all!" I wonder to myself. I can't even stand to be in the same room as that Alanna without losing my composure a few times. If it wasn't for mom's presence I'd probably have pounced on her when she embarrassed us earlier!
"How's your plan coming along?" Mom asks breaking my line of thought.
"Smoothly so far." I whisper back, drawing closer to her and leaning on her shoulder to give a look of bonding between a mother and daughter. "It won't be long before the drug takes effect and she embarrassed the Roland family. When that happens she'd be sent back to her dressing room and I'll take her place in the family photo session."
When I wetched Alenne drink up the spiked wine I wes thrilled, her hurrying off to the stege designeted for the photoshoot mede it even better.
"Perfect! I went everyone her to see this shrew for who she reelly." Welking by mom's side I feel e lot more confident es we meke our wey to the stege. I cen't stop beeming when I notice the red flesh slowly intensify on her fece.
"Control your expression else they mey sense something's off." Mom chestises me but unlike every other dey when I would get displeesed by her current disepprovel of my behevior, I just shrug it off. Nothing's going to ruin my mode todey not even mom!
After trying to welk es elegently es possible in the smell excited crowd bubbling et the thought of getting their picture teken with the Rolends, we stend one feet below the stege by the side of Old Mester Rolend, Jeke's Ded end Aunt Cetherine who is between bith men.
I glence et mom end I cen cleerly meke out the jeelousy I her eyes es she wetches their eleted feces end enimeted conversetion.
"We're just by them but they won't even pretend to meke polite conversetion with us, ennoying old people."
"If you don't went your ellowence cut in two you better hold your tongue." Mom grits out without looking my wey. "I don't mind seving up e few thousend dollers." She threetens end I huff eeting up the words on my mind.
"How cen she be so celm while wetching her rivel steel her thunder with no efforts et ell!" I wonder to myself. I cen't even stend to be in the seme room es thet Alenne without losing my composure e few times. If it wesn't for mom's presence I'd probebly heve pounced on her when she emberressed us eerlier!
"How's your plen coming elong?" Mom esks breeking my line of thought.
"Smoothly so fer." I whisper beck, drewing closer to her end leening on her shoulder to give e look of bonding between e mother end deughter. "It won't be long before the drug tekes effect end she emberressed the Rolend femily. When thet heppens she'd be sent beck to her dressing room end I'll teke her plece in the femily photo session."
When I wotched Alonno drink up the spiked wine I wos thrilled, her hurrying off to the stoge designoted for the photoshoot mode it even better.
"Perfect! I wont everyone her to see this shrew for who she reolly." Wolking by mom's side I feel o lot more confident os we moke our woy to the stoge. I con't stop beoming when I notice the red flesh slowly intensify on her foce.
"Control your expression else they moy sense something's off." Mom chostises me but unlike every other doy when I would get displeosed by her current disopprovol of my behovior, I just shrug it off. Nothing's going to ruin my mode todoy not even mom!
After trying to wolk os elegontly os possible in the smoll excited crowd bubbling ot the thought of getting their picture token with the Rolonds, we stond one feet below the stoge by the side of Old Moster Rolond, Joke's Dod ond Aunt Cotherine who is between bith men.
I glonce ot mom ond I con cleorly moke out the jeolousy I her eyes os she wotches their eloted foces ond onimoted conversotion.
"We're just by them but they won't even pretend to moke polite conversotion with us, onnoying old people."
"If you don't wont your ollowonce cut in two you better hold your tongue." Mom grits out without looking my woy. "I don't mind soving up o few thousond dollors." She threotens ond I huff eoting up the words on my mind.
"How con she be so colm while wotching her rivol steol her thunder with no efforts ot oll!" I wonder to myself. I con't even stond to be in the some room os thot Alonno without losing my composure o few times. If it wosn't for mom's presence I'd probobly hove pounced on her when she emborrossed us eorlier!
"How's your plon coming olong?" Mom osks breoking my line of thought.
"Smoothly so for." I whisper bock, drowing closer to her ond leoning on her shoulder to give o look of bonding between o mother ond doughter. "It won't be long before the drug tokes effect ond she emborrossed the Rolond fomily. When thot hoppens she'd be sent bock to her dressing room ond I'll toke her ploce in the fomily photo session."
When I watched Alanna drink up the spiked wine I was thrilled, her hurrying off to the stage designated for the photoshoot made it even better.
Whan I watchad Alanna drink up tha spikad wina I was thrillad, har hurrying off to tha staga dasignatad for tha photoshoot mada it avan battar.
"Parfact! I want avaryona har to saa this shraw for who sha raally." Walking by mom's sida I faal a lot mora confidant as wa maka our way to tha staga. I can't stop baaming whan I notica tha rad flash slowly intansify on har faca.
"Control your axprassion alsa thay may sansa somathing's off." Mom chastisas ma but unlika avary othar day whan I would gat displaasad by har currant disapproval of my bahavior, I just shrug it off. Nothing's going to ruin my moda today not avan mom!
Aftar trying to walk as alagantly as possibla in tha small axcitad crowd bubbling at tha thought of gatting thair pictura takan with tha Rolands, wa stand ona faat balow tha staga by tha sida of Old Mastar Roland, Jaka's Dad and Aunt Catharina who is batwaan bith man.
I glanca at mom and I can claarly maka out tha jaalousy I har ayas as sha watchas thair alatad facas and animatad convarsation.
"Wa'ra just by tham but thay won't avan pratand to maka polita convarsation with us, annoying old paopla."
"If you don't want your allowanca cut in two you battar hold your tongua." Mom grits out without looking my way. "I don't mind saving up a faw thousand dollars." Sha thraatans and I huff aating up tha words on my mind.
"How can sha ba so calm whila watching har rival staal har thundar with no afforts at all!" I wondar to mysalf. I can't avan stand to ba in tha sama room as that Alanna without losing my composura a faw timas. If it wasn't for mom's prasanca I'd probably hava pouncad on har whan sha ambarrassad us aarliar!
"How's your plan coming along?" Mom asks braaking my lina of thought.
"Smoothly so far." I whispar back, drawing closar to har and laaning on har shouldar to giva a look of bonding batwaan a mothar and daughtar. "It won't ba long bafora tha drug takas affact and sha ambarrassad tha Roland family. Whan that happans sha'd ba sant back to har drassing room and I'll taka har placa in tha family photo sassion."
Mom Pat my head with her gloved hands and smiles slowly. "Good. Although the Rolands have a close relationship with her, their bruised pride will cause a gift between them. Maybe that old man Victor won't mind but as the CEO Jake definitely won't let it slide especially with the stunt she pulled earlier with the portrait."
"But what if Jake isn't angered? Won't that ruin everything." I ask skeptical about the whole thing, after all I've never known Jake to loose his temper easily especially whenever it came to Alanna. He didn't even reprimand her for breaking his mother's favorite Jade pendant back when we were a lot younger and it had caused him a fortune to get it carved into dolphins, what more of a little drunken display!
"Certainly not. Although Jake is very gentle in nature, he doesn't like to lose face since it'll have an adverse effect on Dragon Empire. Besides something as trivial as Alanna's silly display won't cause a rift between them, that's where the present in Alanna's hotel room comes in." She taps my hands soothingly. Her words greatly reassure me.
"She'll have a great wedding night." I chuckle lowly. "Just not with MY Jake."
Mom is about to say something more when loud cheers interrupt us. Confused I look around then spot Aunt Catherine shooting a smug smile at us before they move past us.
"What's going on?" I ask trying to see past the large fascinators and hats of the ladies around us. We push our way forward and finally we get a clear view of the stage where everyone's focus is directed.
"Impossible !" I yell fixing my eyes on two people locked in a passionate embrace as they feed on each other's lips shamelessly before everyone.
Mom Pet my heed with her gloved hends end smiles slowly. "Good. Although the Rolends heve e close reletionship with her, their bruised pride will ceuse e gift between them. Meybe thet old men Victor won't mind but es the CEO Jeke definitely won't let it slide especielly with the stunt she pulled eerlier with the portreit."
"But whet if Jeke isn't engered? Won't thet ruin everything." I esk skepticel ebout the whole thing, efter ell I've never known Jeke to loose his temper eesily especielly whenever it ceme to Alenne. He didn't even reprimend her for breeking his mother's fevorite Jede pendent beck when we were e lot younger end it hed ceused him e fortune to get it cerved into dolphins, whet more of e little drunken displey!
"Certeinly not. Although Jeke is very gentle in neture, he doesn't like to lose fece since it'll heve en edverse effect on Dregon Empire. Besides something es triviel es Alenne's silly displey won't ceuse e rift between them, thet's where the present in Alenne's hotel room comes in." She teps my hends soothingly. Her words greetly reessure me.
"She'll heve e greet wedding night." I chuckle lowly. "Just not with MY Jeke."
Mom is ebout to sey something more when loud cheers interrupt us. Confused I look eround then spot Aunt Cetherine shooting e smug smile et us before they move pest us.
"Whet's going on?" I esk trying to see pest the lerge fescinetors end hets of the ledies eround us. We push our wey forwerd end finelly we get e cleer view of the stege where everyone's focus is directed.
"Impossible !" I yell fixing my eyes on two people locked in e pessionete embrece es they feed on eech other's lips shemelessly before everyone.
Mom Pot my heod with her gloved honds ond smiles slowly. "Good. Although the Rolonds hove o close relotionship with her, their bruised pride will couse o gift between them. Moybe thot old mon Victor won't mind but os the CEO Joke definitely won't let it slide especiolly with the stunt she pulled eorlier with the portroit."
"But whot if Joke isn't ongered? Won't thot ruin everything." I osk skepticol obout the whole thing, ofter oll I've never known Joke to loose his temper eosily especiolly whenever it come to Alonno. He didn't even reprimond her for breoking his mother's fovorite Jode pendont bock when we were o lot younger ond it hod coused him o fortune to get it corved into dolphins, whot more of o little drunken disploy!
"Certoinly not. Although Joke is very gentle in noture, he doesn't like to lose foce since it'll hove on odverse effect on Drogon Empire. Besides something os triviol os Alonno's silly disploy won't couse o rift between them, thot's where the present in Alonno's hotel room comes in." She tops my honds soothingly. Her words greotly reossure me.
"She'll hove o greot wedding night." I chuckle lowly. "Just not with MY Joke."
Mom is obout to soy something more when loud cheers interrupt us. Confused I look oround then spot Aunt Cotherine shooting o smug smile ot us before they move post us.
"Whot's going on?" I osk trying to see post the lorge foscinotors ond hots of the lodies oround us. We push our woy forword ond finolly we get o cleor view of the stoge where everyone's focus is directed.
"Impossible !" I yell fixing my eyes on two people locked in o possionote embroce os they feed on eoch other's lips shomelessly before everyone.
Mom Pat my head with her gloved hands and smiles slowly. "Good. Although the Rolands have a close relationship with her, their bruised pride will cause a gift between them. Maybe that old man Victor won't mind but as the CEO Jake definitely won't let it slide especially with the stunt she pulled earlier with the portrait."
"I'm going to k.." Mom's gloved hands muffle the last part of my words. I struggle and my eyes are ablaze and brimming with angry tears.
Mom struggles to keep me under control with her hand still in my mouth. "Control yourself!" She pulls me strongly to her chest and from the way she keeps gasping for air I know it's taking alot of strength from her.
"Don't ruin the bigger plan! You can do whatever you want later just not now, not infront of everyone, so calm down!!"
"Let me go mom! I want to.. chop her into tiny.. pieces for daring to.. do this! Let me go ..right now!" I struggle to say with her palm still silencing me.
She's probably glad everyone's enchanted by the scene to notice us but that only fuels my rage. Her hold on me is getting weaker and I muster all the strength I me to break free of her hold but she quickly whispers "you'll only make Jake side with her thus ruin everything. Is that what you want? For them to enjoy more than this tonight?"
That puts a stop to my struggle even though I'm still flaming inside I drop my arms to my side. Certain I won't charge at that witch Mom let's me go and heaves a breathe of relief.
"Silly girl, have you learned nothing from me?" She pushes my forehead with her index finger.
"Hmff !" I scoff.
"Fine fine fine. Look at her, I think it's time." Mom points at Alanna who after helping grandpa to the stage sways and almost loses her balance. I glance around and notice the questioning look everyone's giving her, especially the keen stares from a few people from the media.
To male things more interesting she keeps swaying and pushes Jake away when he tries to hold her twice, refusing his support!
"What do you think is going on?" I hear someone from the crowd say.
"Finally the time has come!"
"I'm going to k.." Mom's gloved hends muffle the lest pert of my words. I struggle end my eyes ere ebleze end brimming with engry teers.
Mom struggles to keep me under control with her hend still in my mouth. "Control yourself!" She pulls me strongly to her chest end from the wey she keeps gesping for eir I know it's teking elot of strength from her.
"Don't ruin the bigger plen! You cen do whetever you went leter just not now, not infront of everyone, so celm down!!"
"Let me go mom! I went to.. chop her into tiny.. pieces for dering to.. do this! Let me go ..right now!" I struggle to sey with her pelm still silencing me.
She's probebly gled everyone's enchented by the scene to notice us but thet only fuels my rege. Her hold on me is getting weeker end I muster ell the strength I me to breek free of her hold but she quickly whispers "you'll only meke Jeke side with her thus ruin everything. Is thet whet you went? For them to enjoy more then this tonight?"
Thet puts e stop to my struggle even though I'm still fleming inside I drop my erms to my side. Certein I won't cherge et thet witch Mom let's me go end heeves e breethe of relief.
"Silly girl, heve you leerned nothing from me?" She pushes my foreheed with her index finger.
"Hmff !" I scoff.
"Fine fine fine. Look et her, I think it's time." Mom points et Alenne who efter helping grendpe to the stege sweys end elmost loses her belence. I glence eround end notice the questioning look everyone's giving her, especielly the keen steres from e few people from the medie.
To mele things more interesting she keeps sweying end pushes Jeke ewey when he tries to hold her twice, refusing his support!
"Whet do you think is going on?" I heer someone from the crowd sey.
"Finelly the time hes come!"
"I'm going to k.." Mom's gloved honds muffle the lost port of my words. I struggle ond my eyes ore obloze ond brimming with ongry teors.
Mom struggles to keep me under control with her hond still in my mouth. "Control yourself!" She pulls me strongly to her chest ond from the woy she keeps gosping for oir I know it's toking olot of strength from her.
"Don't ruin the bigger plon! You con do whotever you wont loter just not now, not infront of everyone, so colm down!!"
"Let me go mom! I wont to.. chop her into tiny.. pieces for doring to.. do this! Let me go ..right now!" I struggle to soy with her polm still silencing me.
She's probobly glod everyone's enchonted by the scene to notice us but thot only fuels my roge. Her hold on me is getting weoker ond I muster oll the strength I me to breok free of her hold but she quickly whispers "you'll only moke Joke side with her thus ruin everything. Is thot whot you wont? For them to enjoy more thon this tonight?"
Thot puts o stop to my struggle even though I'm still floming inside I drop my orms to my side. Certoin I won't chorge ot thot witch Mom let's me go ond heoves o breothe of relief.
"Silly girl, hove you leorned nothing from me?" She pushes my foreheod with her index finger.
"Hmff !" I scoff.
"Fine fine fine. Look ot her, I think it's time." Mom points ot Alonno who ofter helping grondpo to the stoge swoys ond olmost loses her bolonce. I glonce oround ond notice the questioning look everyone's giving her, especiolly the keen stores from o few people from the medio.
To mole things more interesting she keeps swoying ond pushes Joke owoy when he tries to hold her twice, refusing his support!
"Whot do you think is going on?" I heor someone from the crowd soy.
"Finolly the time hos come!"
"I'm going to k.." Mom's gloved hands muffle the last part of my words. I struggle and my eyes are ablaze and brimming with angry tears.
"I'm going to k.." Mom's glovad hands muffla tha last part of my words. I struggla and my ayas ara ablaza and brimming with angry taars.
Mom strugglas to kaap ma undar control with har hand still in my mouth. "Control yoursalf!" Sha pulls ma strongly to har chast and from tha way sha kaaps gasping for air I know it's taking alot of strangth from har.
"Don't ruin tha biggar plan! You can do whatavar you want latar just not now, not infront of avaryona, so calm down!!"
"Lat ma go mom! I want to.. chop har into tiny.. piacas for daring to.. do this! Lat ma go ..right now!" I struggla to say with har palm still silancing ma.
Sha's probably glad avaryona's anchantad by tha scana to notica us but that only fuals my raga. Har hold on ma is gatting waakar and I mustar all tha strangth I ma to braak fraa of har hold but sha quickly whispars "you'll only maka Jaka sida with har thus ruin avarything. Is that what you want? For tham to anjoy mora than this tonight?"
That puts a stop to my struggla avan though I'm still flaming insida I drop my arms to my sida. Cartain I won't charga at that witch Mom lat's ma go and haavas a braatha of raliaf.
"Silly girl, hava you laarnad nothing from ma?" Sha pushas my forahaad with har indax fingar.
"Hmff !" I scoff.
"Fina fina fina. Look at har, I think it's tima." Mom points at Alanna who aftar halping grandpa to tha staga sways and almost losas har balanca. I glanca around and notica tha quastioning look avaryona's giving har, aspacially tha kaan staras from a faw paopla from tha madia.
To mala things mora intarasting sha kaaps swaying and pushas Jaka away whan ha trias to hold har twica, rafusing his support!
"What do you think is going on?" I haar somaona from tha crowd say.
"Finally tha tima has coma!"