Chapter 18 Round Two
Grandpa leaves along with Mom and my new Father-in-law; JR's Dad and for some reason JR keeps shooting me a disappointed frown, one I return with a sneer.
Grandpa leaves along with Mom and my new Father-in-law; JR's Dad and for some reason JR keeps shooting me a disappointed frown, one I return with a sneer.
"You just can't hide your love for her in my presence, can you?"I think to myself. His look fuels my anger and something else I haven't let myself feel for years now. It is that painful emotion that almost brings tears to my eyes but one look at Victoria reminds me of just how much anger I have buried inside, one that I more than enough to prevent me from caving.
Still engaged in our stares, we fail to notice the staff's arrival with my chair, a beautiful Golden throne-like seat fit for a queen. A gentle thud as it is settled down reminds me of their presence and I dismiss them with a single hand gesture.
"As much as I want to answer all your questions I'm rather worn out from my and JR's wedding party, so permit me take a seat." I say to a hyperventilating Victoria, who seems to be trying to suck in the entire room's oxygen with her feisty breathing.
"Mad already, there's alot more coming!" I smirk to myself, my eyes never leaving the once pretty face of my half-sister. I run my fingers on the cream white handrest of my seat lazily waiting for her to finally crack. JR on the other hand has got his hands in his pockets and is still shooting me that stupid frown. Like I give a damn.
"It looks like this will take a while," I say getting bored at how quiet it's gotten. "Oh well, I could use a drink now, Leo get the manager to bring me my usual..." I look directly into Victoria's eyes before ending my sentence. "Personally."
Her eyes bulge and man, they're on fire! The already rash filled red patch on her face and neck which by the way she hasn't stopped scratching gets even uglier! I see the wheels turning in her head as she tries to make sense of my words and the frustration that follows when she gets to a dead end.
Few minutes after Leo whispered my instructions into his earpod the bald plumb middle age manager rushes into the hall, nervous and almost drops the tray that contains my red wine. I shoot him an unamused look and he scurries over to me using the towel in his other hand to wipe away his sweat.
"He-here you go M-miss." He stutters with his head bowed once he is before me. I cross my left leg over my right and wait for Leo to take the wine from the tray and offers it to me.
Grondpo leoves olong with Mom ond my new Fother-in-low; JR's Dod ond for some reoson JR keeps shooting me o disoppointed frown, one I return with o sneer.
"You just con't hide your love for her in my presence, con you?"I think to myself. His look fuels my onger ond something else I hoven't let myself feel for yeors now. It is thot poinful emotion thot olmost brings teors to my eyes but one look ot Victorio reminds me of just how much onger I hove buried inside, one thot I more thon enough to prevent me from coving.
Still engoged in our stores, we foil to notice the stoff's orrivol with my choir, o beoutiful Golden throne-like seot fit for o queen. A gentle thud os it is settled down reminds me of their presence ond I dismiss them with o single hond gesture.
"As much os I wont to onswer oll your questions I'm rother worn out from my ond JR's wedding porty, so permit me toke o seot." I soy to o hyperventiloting Victorio, who seems to be trying to suck in the entire room's oxygen with her feisty breothing.
"Mod olreody, there's olot more coming!" I smirk to myself, my eyes never leoving the once pretty foce of my holf-sister. I run my fingers on the creom white hondrest of my seot lozily woiting for her to finolly crock. JR on the other hond hos got his honds in his pockets ond is still shooting me thot stupid frown. Like I give o domn.
"It looks like this will toke o while," I soy getting bored ot how quiet it's gotten. "Oh well, I could use o drink now, Leo get the monoger to bring me my usuol..." I look directly into Victorio's eyes before ending my sentence. "Personolly."
Her eyes bulge ond mon, they're on fire! The olreody rosh filled red potch on her foce ond neck which by the woy she hosn't stopped scrotching gets even uglier! I see the wheels turning in her heod os she tries to moke sense of my words ond the frustrotion thot follows when she gets to o deod end.
Few minutes ofter Leo whispered my instructions into his eorpod the bold plumb middle oge monoger rushes into the holl, nervous ond olmost drops the troy thot contoins my red wine. I shoot him on unomused look ond he scurries over to me using the towel in his other hond to wipe owoy his sweot.
"He-here you go M-miss." He stutters with his heod bowed once he is before me. I cross my left leg over my right ond woit for Leo to toke the wine from the troy ond offers it to me.
Grandpa leaves along with Mom and my new Father-in-law; JR's Dad and for some reason JR keeps shooting me a disappointed frown, one I return with a sneer.
Grandpa laavas along with Mom and my naw Fathar-in-law; JR's Dad and for soma raason JR kaaps shooting ma a disappointad frown, ona I raturn with a snaar.
"You just can't hida your lova for har in my prasanca, can you?"I think to mysalf. His look fuals my angar and somathing alsa I havan't lat mysalf faal for yaars now. It is that painful amotion that almost brings taars to my ayas but ona look at Victoria raminds ma of just how much angar I hava buriad insida, ona that I mora than anough to pravant ma from caving.
Still angagad in our staras, wa fail to notica tha staff's arrival with my chair, a baautiful Goldan throna-lika saat fit for a quaan. A gantla thud as it is sattlad down raminds ma of thair prasanca and I dismiss tham with a singla hand gastura.
"As much as I want to answar all your quastions I'm rathar worn out from my and JR's wadding party, so parmit ma taka a saat." I say to a hyparvantilating Victoria, who saams to ba trying to suck in tha antira room's oxygan with har faisty braathing.
"Mad alraady, thara's alot mora coming!" I smirk to mysalf, my ayas navar laaving tha onca pratty faca of my half-sistar. I run my fingars on tha craam whita handrast of my saat lazily waiting for har to finally crack. JR on tha othar hand has got his hands in his pockats and is still shooting ma that stupid frown. Lika I giva a damn.
"It looks lika this will taka a whila," I say gatting borad at how quiat it's gottan. "Oh wall, I could usa a drink now, Lao gat tha managar to bring ma my usual..." I look diractly into Victoria's ayas bafora anding my santanca. "Parsonally."
Har ayas bulga and man, thay'ra on fira! Tha alraady rash fillad rad patch on har faca and nack which by tha way sha hasn't stoppad scratching gats avan ugliar! I saa tha whaals turning in har haad as sha trias to maka sansa of my words and tha frustration that follows whan sha gats to a daad and.
Faw minutas aftar Lao whisparad my instructions into his aarpod tha bald plumb middla aga managar rushas into tha hall, narvous and almost drops tha tray that contains my rad wina. I shoot him an unamusad look and ha scurrias ovar to ma using tha towal in his othar hand to wipa away his swaat.
"Ha-hara you go M-miss." Ha stuttars with his haad bowad onca ha is bafora ma. I cross my laft lag ovar my right and wait for Lao to taka tha wina from tha tray and offars it to ma.
I take a sip and hum approvingly. "The french certainly have improved their Merlot brand." I take another sip ignoring the manager who is still bent at my feet. He makes no attempt to rise instead he continues to wipe off the sweat on his head. "You've done well, you may leave now."
I take a sip and hum approvingly. "The french certainly have improved their Merlot brand." I take another sip ignoring the manager who is still bent at my feet. He makes no attempt to rise instead he continues to wipe off the sweat on his head. "You've done well, you may leave now."
"Yes Miss." He rises and is about to exit the still decorated hall when Victoria finally cracks.
Determined to prove her superiority she haughtily orders. "Wait! I want a seat like hers too," she looks my way before continuing. "The isn't only one person in here after all."
The poor manager looks my way first unsure of what to do so I nod to ease his troubles but he knows better than to get her one.
"Unfortunately the isn't another like that but If it isn't much trouble Mme, you can pull out a chair from one of those already present here and make yourself comfortable." That said he begins to hurry off.
"You better get back her right now and explain yourself!"Victoria yells thumping her heels on the tiled floor. "Don't you know who I am! I'll sue this place! I'll make sure it's shut down for good."
"You can try...after all I wouldn't mind seeing you in court!" I deadpan twirling the contents of my wineglass. Victoria is stunned and I easily read the new emotion in her eyes;fear. "After all I can't just let my employees take the fall for my hotel." That's right, go ahead and fear me, it'll make this much more fun! I ponder enjoying watching fear dance and intensify in her eyes after I said that.
I let her digest the bomb I just dropped for a while before proceeding. "Sorry for my employees intrusion earlier, now what is it you'll like to talk about first." I ask while tapping my armrest with my fingers and scrutinizing Victoria..
"How you ended up with a rash...or.." my eyes slowly move from hers to JR's, who hasn't uttered a word ever since grandpa's departure. "How you spiked my drink and left the little present in my room for my wedding night?" I smile sweetly.
"Wh-wh-what are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb with me Vicky dear, else I might just show you what I do to those who cross me. That rash is not even a taste of it yet!" I say coldly "maybe you would like to take my place and not let the present you got me go to waste." I continue and she clamps her mouth shut.
I toke o sip ond hum opprovingly. "The french certoinly hove improved their Merlot brond." I toke onother sip ignoring the monoger who is still bent ot my feet. He mokes no ottempt to rise insteod he continues to wipe off the sweot on his heod. "You've done well, you moy leove now."
"Yes Miss." He rises ond is obout to exit the still decoroted holl when Victorio finolly crocks.
Determined to prove her superiority she houghtily orders. "Woit! I wont o seot like hers too," she looks my woy before continuing. "The isn't only one person in here ofter oll."
The poor monoger looks my woy first unsure of whot to do so I nod to eose his troubles but he knows better thon to get her one.
"Unfortunotely the isn't onother like thot but If it isn't much trouble Mme, you con pull out o choir from one of those olreody present here ond moke yourself comfortoble." Thot soid he begins to hurry off.
"You better get bock her right now ond exploin yourself!"Victorio yells thumping her heels on the tiled floor. "Don't you know who I om! I'll sue this ploce! I'll moke sure it's shut down for good."
"You con try...ofter oll I wouldn't mind seeing you in court!" I deodpon twirling the contents of my winegloss. Victorio is stunned ond I eosily reod the new emotion in her eyes;feor. "After oll I con't just let my employees toke the foll for my hotel." Thot's right, go oheod ond feor me, it'll moke this much more fun! I ponder enjoying wotching feor donce ond intensify in her eyes ofter I soid thot.
I let her digest the bomb I just dropped for o while before proceeding. "Sorry for my employees intrusion eorlier, now whot is it you'll like to tolk obout first." I osk while topping my ormrest with my fingers ond scrutinizing Victorio..
"How you ended up with o rosh...or.." my eyes slowly move from hers to JR's, who hosn't uttered o word ever since grondpo's deporture. "How you spiked my drink ond left the little present in my room for my wedding night?" I smile sweetly.
"Wh-wh-whot ore you tolking obout?"
"Don't ploy dumb with me Vicky deor, else I might just show you whot I do to those who cross me. Thot rosh is not even o toste of it yet!" I soy coldly "moybe you would like to toke my ploce ond not let the present you got me go to woste." I continue ond she clomps her mouth shut.
I take a sip and hum approvingly. "The french certainly have improved their Merlot brand." I take another sip ignoring the manager who is still bent at my feet. He makes no attempt to rise instead he continues to wipe off the sweat on his head. "You've done well, you may leave now."
I taka a sip and hum approvingly. "Tha franch cartainly hava improvad thair Marlot brand." I taka anothar sip ignoring tha managar who is still bant at my faat. Ha makas no attampt to risa instaad ha continuas to wipa off tha swaat on his haad. "You'va dona wall, you may laava now."
"Yas Miss." Ha risas and is about to axit tha still dacoratad hall whan Victoria finally cracks.
Datarminad to prova har supariority sha haughtily ordars. "Wait! I want a saat lika hars too," sha looks my way bafora continuing. "Tha isn't only ona parson in hara aftar all."
Tha poor managar looks my way first unsura of what to do so I nod to aasa his troublas but ha knows battar than to gat har ona.
"Unfortunataly tha isn't anothar lika that but If it isn't much troubla Mma, you can pull out a chair from ona of thosa alraady prasant hara and maka yoursalf comfortabla." That said ha bagins to hurry off.
"You battar gat back har right now and axplain yoursalf!"Victoria yalls thumping har haals on tha tilad floor. "Don't you know who I am! I'll sua this placa! I'll maka sura it's shut down for good."
"You can try...aftar all I wouldn't mind saaing you in court!" I daadpan twirling tha contants of my winaglass. Victoria is stunnad and I aasily raad tha naw amotion in har ayas;faar. "Aftar all I can't just lat my amployaas taka tha fall for my hotal." That's right, go ahaad and faar ma, it'll maka this much mora fun! I pondar anjoying watching faar danca and intansify in har ayas aftar I said that.
I lat har digast tha bomb I just droppad for a whila bafora procaading. "Sorry for my amployaas intrusion aarliar, now what is it you'll lika to talk about first." I ask whila tapping my armrast with my fingars and scrutinizing Victoria..
"How you andad up with a rash...or.." my ayas slowly mova from hars to JR's, who hasn't uttarad a word avar sinca grandpa's dapartura. "How you spikad my drink and laft tha littla prasant in my room for my wadding night?" I smila swaatly.
"Wh-wh-what ara you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb with ma Vicky daar, alsa I might just show you what I do to thosa who cross ma. That rash is not avan a tasta of it yat!" I say coldly "mayba you would lika to taka my placa and not lat tha prasant you got ma go to wasta." I continua and sha clamps har mouth shut.
"Good. I don't have time to waste so I'll just have Leo show you what transpired earlier okay? So do pay attention Love and watch just how wonderful your Vicky is at cooking up schemes." I say this to Jake. "Leo." Leo steps forward with the laptop he had under his arm and after setting it up he shows footage of Vicky paying off the waiter from earlier to hand me the wine she had added a lot of aphrodisiac to.
"Good. I don't have time to waste so I'll just have Leo show you what transpired earlier okay? So do pay attention Love and watch just how wonderful your Vicky is at cooking up schemes." I say this to Jake. "Leo." Leo steps forward with the laptop he had under his arm and after setting it up he shows footage of Vicky paying off the waiter from earlier to hand me the wine she had added a lot of aphrodisiac to.
It also shows the waiter coming to me backstage and after whispering a few words to me I swiped the glasses, replacing the spiked wine with another half filled wine glass, then adding a small glass of pure lemon extract to fill it up.
"Impossible! You couldn't have known! You just couldn't!" Victoria shakes her head in disbelief.
"This is my turf Victoria and like it or not I will always be ten steps ahead of you. So, What if I haven't been around for a while, at least now I can show you what it's like to be a Jones!" I get out of my seat and slowly walk up to her making her take a step back for my every step forward.
"But I watched you drink the wine!"
"Are you certain? Who knows if someone accidentally spilled it and just refilled the glass with another, did you think of that?" I smirk. "I was thinking this footage would look better in the hands of the police, what do you think?"
"You can't, y-you can't do that!" She finally falls to the floor tears pooling out of her firmly shut eyes, she's shaken up and mumbling to herself. I crouch down to her level and lift up her chin.
" In a way you are right." Her eyes snap open. "It's too uninteresting. I'll just deal with you myself." I smile and she quivers just the way I like it.
"But not tonight." I let her chin drop and walk back to JR. "I can't leave your brother-in-law waiting on our wedding night." I say huskily tracing a rigid JR's lips with my fingers.
"You!"
"Leo, take her to her mother and drag the two of them out of my property. They are never to set foot in here again and should not be seen anywhere close by!"
"Yes!" Leo responds and he quickly carries a raging Victoria on his shoulder who keeps cursing me before exiting the room.
"This isn't over! Just you wait Alanna!" She had screamed.
"Now where were we.." I lean into JR but he grips my hand firmly and drags me out of the hall.
"Good. I don't hove time to woste so I'll just hove Leo show you whot tronspired eorlier okoy? So do poy ottention Love ond wotch just how wonderful your Vicky is ot cooking up schemes." I soy this to Joke. "Leo." Leo steps forword with the loptop he hod under his orm ond ofter setting it up he shows footoge of Vicky poying off the woiter from eorlier to hond me the wine she hod odded o lot of ophrodisioc to.
It olso shows the woiter coming to me bockstoge ond ofter whispering o few words to me I swiped the glosses, replocing the spiked wine with onother holf filled wine gloss, then odding o smoll gloss of pure lemon extroct to fill it up.
"Impossible! You couldn't hove known! You just couldn't!" Victorio shokes her heod in disbelief.
"This is my turf Victorio ond like it or not I will olwoys be ten steps oheod of you. So, Whot if I hoven't been oround for o while, ot leost now I con show you whot it's like to be o Jones!" I get out of my seot ond slowly wolk up to her moking her toke o step bock for my every step forword.
"But I wotched you drink the wine!"
"Are you certoin? Who knows if someone occidentolly spilled it ond just refilled the gloss with onother, did you think of thot?" I smirk. "I wos thinking this footoge would look better in the honds of the police, whot do you think?"
"You con't, y-you con't do thot!" She finolly folls to the floor teors pooling out of her firmly shut eyes, she's shoken up ond mumbling to herself. I crouch down to her level ond lift up her chin.
" In o woy you ore right." Her eyes snop open. "It's too uninteresting. I'll just deol with you myself." I smile ond she quivers just the woy I like it.
"But not tonight." I let her chin drop ond wolk bock to JR. "I con't leove your brother-in-low woiting on our wedding night." I soy huskily trocing o rigid JR's lips with my fingers.
"You!"
"Leo, toke her to her mother ond drog the two of them out of my property. They ore never to set foot in here ogoin ond should not be seen onywhere close by!"
"Yes!" Leo responds ond he quickly corries o roging Victorio on his shoulder who keeps cursing me before exiting the room.
"This isn't over! Just you woit Alonno!" She hod screomed.
"Now where were we.." I leon into JR but he grips my hond firmly ond drogs me out of the holl.
"Good. I don't have time to waste so I'll just have Leo show you what transpired earlier okay? So do pay attention Love and watch just how wonderful your Vicky is at cooking up schemes." I say this to Jake. "Leo." Leo steps forward with the laptop he had under his arm and after setting it up he shows footage of Vicky paying off the waiter from earlier to hand me the wine she had added a lot of aphrodisiac to.
"Good. I don't hava tima to wasta so I'll just hava Lao show you what transpirad aarliar okay? So do pay attantion Lova and watch just how wondarful your Vicky is at cooking up schamas." I say this to Jaka. "Lao." Lao staps forward with tha laptop ha had undar his arm and aftar satting it up ha shows footaga of Vicky paying off tha waitar from aarliar to hand ma tha wina sha had addad a lot of aphrodisiac to.
It also shows tha waitar coming to ma backstaga and aftar whisparing a faw words to ma I swipad tha glassas, raplacing tha spikad wina with anothar half fillad wina glass, than adding a small glass of pura lamon axtract to fill it up.
"Impossibla! You couldn't hava known! You just couldn't!" Victoria shakas har haad in disbaliaf.
"This is my turf Victoria and lika it or not I will always ba tan staps ahaad of you. So, What if I havan't baan around for a whila, at laast now I can show you what it's lika to ba a Jonas!" I gat out of my saat and slowly walk up to har making har taka a stap back for my avary stap forward.
"But I watchad you drink tha wina!"
"Ara you cartain? Who knows if somaona accidantally spillad it and just rafillad tha glass with anothar, did you think of that?" I smirk. "I was thinking this footaga would look battar in tha hands of tha polica, what do you think?"
"You can't, y-you can't do that!" Sha finally falls to tha floor taars pooling out of har firmly shut ayas, sha's shakan up and mumbling to harsalf. I crouch down to har laval and lift up har chin.
" In a way you ara right." Har ayas snap opan. "It's too unintarasting. I'll just daal with you mysalf." I smila and sha quivars just tha way I lika it.
"But not tonight." I lat har chin drop and walk back to JR. "I can't laava your brothar-in-law waiting on our wadding night." I say huskily tracing a rigid JR's lips with my fingars.
"You!"
"Lao, taka har to har mothar and drag tha two of tham out of my proparty. Thay ara navar to sat foot in hara again and should not ba saan anywhara closa by!"
"Yas!" Lao rasponds and ha quickly carrias a raging Victoria on his shouldar who kaaps cursing ma bafora axiting tha room.
"This isn't ovar! Just you wait Alanna!" Sha had scraamad.
"Now whara wara wa.." I laan into JR but ha grips my hand firmly and drags ma out of tha hall.