Billionaire's Exhibit Wife

Chapter 11-

Caroline Lowe was a practical woman.

Born and raised in a poor home herself, she knew just how draining the hunt for food, water, money, or anything to have guaranteed one’s survival was.

Having to hold out your dirty platter out just so you could be served a spoon of leftover rice. Skipping meals, getting beat up by her father, being defiled from a young age, the list of struggles were infinite.

She, however, always had a fascination with the rich. Something that kept her from loosing her mind.

As a kid, she would brazenly stare at the pale woman in a short black dress, elegantly alighting the roofless red convertible and little purse hanging about her arm. Her fluffy hair draped in a white straw hat to obstruct her skin from any sun damage.

Meanwhile she had to walk about and under it so as to carry their luggages from point A to point B.

Their lifestyle... Their superiority.. everything about it richly piqued her interest. You could say she was obsessed to someday have the tables turned.

And that’s why she decided not to follow after runaway motorcycle boys on the streets with intentions of getting you filled inwardly alongside other w****s of theirs.

Or the so called would have been the love of her life, who would turn into a broke abusive, alcoholic.

Instead, she’d stalked the wealthy men to have caught her eyes, recognized their pattern and wooed them. Slowly climbing the social ladder.

Before finally reaching the peak of her success, after honing her skills of right place right time, built up charisma from previously failed attempts and seduced a certain man named Rhys Lowe.

He might have been smitten with her, but she enjoyed the power over other low lives.

As this was all, from a very young age, a strategy to her.

And receiving an invitation to her son’s wedding to a certain Elora Jensen was not constructive to everything she’s ever attained.

You’d think, she’d relate to Elora, but she did not feel an ounce of pity for the poor being. There are plenty of other well off men that needed mistresses.

And though the thought might have crossed her mind, that Elora was merely doing likewise, marrying a rich man to evade poverty. To Carol, Elora was simply a blot that needed bleaching.

She was still a practical woman after all.

Carol glared at the navy blue and gold design , repeatedly going over the information and a date that was 3 days away from today.

Mocking her just as the arms that slid about Elora's waist. Taunting her more than the smile her son portrayed, and unquestionably humiliating her, alongside the face of that wrench.

The thought of being that thing’s mother-in-law every morning made her coffe bitter, her mouth extremely parched and her joy instantly fade away despite amidst laughing at a joke.

“We’re here Mrs. Lowe “ the conductor instructed, staring into the rearview mirror at a distracted Carol who’s had her gaze still fixated at the wedding invitation.

Her thoughts were afar off, envisioning different ways she could get rid of a stubborn rat in the wall. Rat poison, insecticide, a trap, pest control.

No matter, she’d finally come up with a simple, and hopefully effective one.

“Mrs. Lowe” He called out once more, a bit louder this time.

“Yes” Carol replied absentmindedly, simultaneously fluttering her lids as she blinked repeatedly.

She veered her head to the grey building that firmly stood opposite her, it’s doors shut and some windows slightly opened.

“Do wait for me.” She uttered as her hand ventured to the door’s handle. Stepping out of the car as her polished red shoes clanked on the cemented streets. “I have no intention of staying that long”

Lest she be caught with a dead body.

Carol reached out into her black purse for a napkin whilst treading the floors towards the building. She never failed to tag along with one.

She briefly unfurled the red piece of silk and rested it on the doorknob, now twisting it downwards before making her way in.

She imagined all the germs she’d evaded with that simple gesture. One she’d not even have considered when she was once a kid.

“Good day” she uttered with a pretentious beam at the unfazed looking lady that sat behind her desk. A spread out magazine of an equally spread out smooth legs laying on full display atop the furniture “I am here for a visit” she explained, attempting to hide her disgust.

“Is there a Miss Jensen scurrying within these walls?” Carol questioned as she watched the chubby receptionist flip the page, seeming uninterested in having this conversation.

However, having just about enough courtesy to point out at the ‘closed’ sign that had been positioned openly before her.

“Right” Carol mumbled to herself. Reaching out once more into her abyss of a purse, before extending her arm silently towards the receptionist.

If there’s one thing she has learned, it is that, money talks.

“Room 104” she uttered, without taking a proper look at the face of the arm’s owner who now handed her a sum far greater than what she earned, as it mattered not to her.

It seemed Zane had not given her enough or failed to foresee this outcome, Carol mused. To think he had paved the way for his mother to get to her so easily, despite knowing how great her disdain is.

“Pleasure doing business with you” once more composing herself, Carol momentarily grinned before waltzing away from her corrupted acts.

Elora knew, once she discerned the knocks to have distracted her from packing, that it was either the men who transported her belongings or Zane.

It hadn't been long since their last drop off, and she doubted Zane would be coming anywhere near her, or the neighbourhood anytime now.

But she also knew there was no harm in verifying that fact.

Her one eye peaked through the peephole as stood on her toes to leverage herself.

Her soon to be in law, she noted the woman painted in all red, from her power suit to the long but fitting skirt. A literal walking red flag.

“Mrs Lowe, what a lovely surprise.” Elora began awkwardly after a moment of preparing herself for this unexpected and unannounced visit “What brings you here?”

Certainly nothing good, Elora notioned as she stood victim of the woman’s disdainfully transparent gaze.

Carol’s eyes ventured from Elora’s feathered hair in comparison to hers. Unimpressed by any but of her logo free clothing nor the worn out closed back slippers she had on.

Before returning her gaze to the perturbed Elora.

“Of all the women” she muttered under her breath, audible to the disheveled Elora who had not even had her bath this afternoon.

“Why don’t you come in?” She gestured a welcoming hand, followed by the slight shifting of her body to the side. Giving way to the redhead.

“Oh cut the bad acting” Carol finally spoke her mind, pained by Elora’s terrible performance just as she imagined she was doing to Zane.

The first and last time they met, it ended on bad terms. Terms Elora certainly must not have forgotten given it was just yesterday.

“There is no one around, you are free to strangle me as much as you want to” she marched in “I certainly would if I didn’t have a reputation to hold “ concluding innocently, as though her words were not enough to incriminate her if Elora were to be found deceased tomorrow.

She wasn’t one to stall on hypocritical sentiments, it seemed.

“You are to get married in 3 days, I believe that should be enough time for you to make the right decision” she made her opening statement, feeling more convenient on her feet than she would on that dusty mattress.

Even Elora had not been familiarised to the wedding cards that were currently being distributed.

“And have you come here to change my mind?” She bit back, terrified by Carol’s hand placement as it slowly seeped out of her purse.

She’d expected something metallic with a barrel pointed straight ahead, instead she was now faced with a white envelope, thick in breadth, and seemingly about to break open from it’s seal.

“Leave this country” Carol’s tone fell low and sinister as she yanked at Elora’s arm, her clench gradually tightening as she placed the hefty “And never return” her eyes widened, as though to emphasize the weight behind her words, not once averting her gaze from the hushed Elora.

"Its not like anything awaits you here" “Leave my son” she finalised, drifting her hand away from the envelope.

The whole point of doing this was for Zane to get back at his parents who pushed every button for most of his life.

Elora could play along for a little while, but having her life on the line... There had to be a limit to this sick contract of his.

“What happens if I don't?“ She questioned out of curious despite being well aware of the answer.

She had heard of the rich getting away with crimes they commited, especially when the victims were either foreigners, or disregarded in the community.

“You do not wish to find out” Carol uttered, giving her room for a little creativity.

She stood still, watching Elora put up a brave front while slowly giving in to the fear Carol had managed to instill within her before quietly taking her leave.

“Do you want us to go in now?“ one, among the two men who she'd brought company asked upon her return.

“No” Carol uttered "There's no need for that" feeling at ease as she now felt the danger removed. She had not protested even once and took the envelope without complaints.

“I trust she would make the right decision“