High Class.

EP 6: A Chua Tradition

Head phones on, bag hanging from her right shoulder, red, blazing lips and one tough girl look, Claire Chua was done for the day and was heading home from school, she wanted to by all means leave without the pick-up car, but her mother happened to be one step ahead of her, she had bodyguards everywhere.

"Miss Chua" The driver called as she neared the gate and was changing route. She frowned at him like it was his fault.

"What?" She demanded. "Why are you always following me, I have my life to live too, you know" He didn't respond and she got even more angry. " Go, go already, tell her you didn't see me,I said go"

"Why are you acting like a child?" Nicolas said behind her as he walked with another bodyguard. "Stop giving them a hard time they are just doing their jobs"

"When did you start caring about the employees" She chuckled. "Oh you poor hypocrite, don't make me laugh"

"I am not in the mood for your childishness today" He said and went into the car, she frowned even more. She saw her friend Erisa coming out and an idea crept into her mind, she was going to put Mom under so much distress by inviting Erisa home.

A dinner was going to lighten the tense atmosphere in the house, and also bring Yvonne to show her true intentions, Sarah had everything planned. She wasn't all that crafty, Christiana was, and they were two dangerous kinds of people, one ,quick and crafty, the other, quiet but sly. But Yvonne was one step ahead, she was of the streets, she knew the many ways to kill a monkey.

Yvonne had her dress picked, Laurence had sent for them and he choosed what she would wear, Mariana was watchful, she wanted to see what they were up to but she just couldn't understand Yvonne, why wasn't she trying to cling to her, to be patronizing.

Claire and Nicolas came back with Erisa, they were surprised to find Yvonne.

"Is that the woman your uncle got married to?" Erisa asked, eyes wide open.

"My uncle has a wife?"

"The whole world is going crazy over her, I thought you knew"

"I didn't go online today" Claire lied, walking ahead. Nicolas watched Yvonne, she was looking so... very mysterious, she was the ideal one, the missing piece to his art collection, she noticed his stare and turned to his direction, he tried to look away quickly but she caught him.

It wasn't long before Yvonne's identity surfaced online, Daniel was the most happiest, Yvonne's beauty and fame was starting, he would love to work with her later on. She was praised for her beauty and condemned for everything, for her class, being a British and for "Seducing Laurence Chua" They already hated her even without meeting her, Genesis Chua was amused, the girl's got beauty that was for sure, confidence?, she would have to see for herself, she never believe anything the media says.

Yvonne was dressed in a white simple but beautiful short gown by Gucci, it had a simple black belt and fitted her perfectly, besides she would be having dinner with the family, she shouldn't dress too elegant.

Dinner was held at the dining room, it was a large room for family dinners, the other dining room was used on a regular basis, this one was sacred. No talking during dinner time was a rule at this table, but there was no day that that rule wasn't violated, and every seat carried a name. Paul Chua was seated at the head of the table, the chair opposite his was for his sister, and since she was absent, it was empty. Laurence sat at his right hand, with Yvonne next to him and they had to keep baby Jordan beside her, so Esther had to move to the next seat, much to her dismay. Sarah was seated at his left, Christiana followed and then Julio's but since he was absent, Genesis occupied it, Mariana had no choice but to take the seat after Esther's, the seating arrangements infuriated her, it was a long, old tradition and who was she to stop it.

They were a Christian family so Christiana said the prayers, not that she believed though, it was a rule, it had to be kept.

"So tell us, Yvonne, I can call you that, right?" Esther began after they started eating, Paul frowned at her, the rules were constantly broken every dinner time, he was tired of telling them that they had to keep it.

"Yes" Yvonne nodded.

"What family are you from?, where did you go to school, what you do?, everything about you"

Everyone turned to Yvonne, she drank some water and cleaned her mouth.

"My parents divorced when I was seventeen,so I stayed with my Mom and my brother, they however died when I was twenty" She glanced at Laurence, she was sorry to be telling her real story than his made-up one. "I worked as a librarian at a neighborhood library" Mariana sneered, Genesis looked interested and Esther's face was as cold as ice, nevertheless she continued. "I got married to my high school boyfriend when I was twenty two, and he died two years back" By this time, she felt her throat tightened, like she was going to choke.

"Your job status showed you are a photographer" Mariana chipped in.

"Photography was a part-time for me, so when I lost my job at the library, I took on photography full time"

"You never told us about your school?" Sarah said.

"I went to Wilson's high school, and then the university of Westminster in the UK"

"So when is the wedding?" Genesis asked, taking a slice of pork. Sarah and Mariana scowled. "Don't tell me you aren't having one, seriously Laurence, you are not doing this without a wedding, are you?"

"There was no time to plan any formal wedding, we had a wedding privately in Malaysia"

"I was not there" Genesis said.

"Neither was I" Esther chipped in, she tried to force out a smile.

"We are having a wedding, I'll do the planning" Genesis volunteered. "My soon to be sister in law, it's time to plan a very very big wedding"

Yvonne smiled, she turned to Laurence, he was quiet and looked worried, she didn't understand why he was worried.

By morning, the Chua household was already filled with so much noise, telephone ringing, phones blowing up, people were calling to congratulate the couple and giving their best wishes ahead of the wedding, Yvonne wished for something simple, despite the fact that she was now rich, this family's wealth scares her.

In the serenity of her room, she pulled out her pajamas, getting ready for a hot bath, her hands went to her back, there was a scar at the right side of her back, a scar like a wound from a knife attack, for days she had been trying to figure out the rest of the memories she had lost, she knew and felt it in her heart that she didn't lose Benjamin's baby when she had the first accident at Blue Heaven, there was more to the story, something she can't remember. Her mind went to what Mariana said that day.

"Laurence brought her to punish us, this family is so screwed"

As she left her room, and was walking downstairs, she saw Mariana talking to her Mom, smiling. She stopped walking, they turned to her, and she smiled, very wide like she was saying hello to s friend, Mariana's face was contorted and Sarah looked confused.

"Mariana" She called as she got to them. "I was just telling Laurence how nice it would be if you were my bridesmaid"

"What?" Mariana croaked.

Yvonne laughed. "You would be the most beautiful woman at the wedding" She adjusted the neckline of Mariana's V neckline Versace dress.

"Say chess!" Nicolas shouted as he took a photo of the two, Yvonne smiling and Mariana looking flustered.