Chapter 11 - Met The Ex
1196 Words
LAYLA
I downed the wine in one go, clenched my jaw, and shifted my gaze elsewhere. I should have known better than anyone that I could run into him anytime since I was back in the country… Maybe I just didn’t expect it to be this soon.
Frankly, I wasn’t ready to meet him. I hated that my emotions were purging and all over the place just because of him. I should get a hold of them before exchanging words with him. This time, I needed to try everything. I could avoid him… Yeah. Hold him off till after the meeting with the CEO of BOA.
Another waiter passed, carrying a tray of wine. I stopped him and took another one, which I gulped at once again.
One after the other, businessmen came to my table, introducing themselves while I did the same. They were all out to socialize and network, and I didn’t hesitate to do the same. It really helped to get rid of the thought of Bastian in my head.
“Excuse me, Ms. Layla,” the man sitting with me muttered while standing, and he walked away. Now, I was left all alone again. My eyes subconsciously moved to where I saw Bastian a while ago, but he wasn’t there.
“Thank God. I just hope he stays wherever he is till I leave,” I mentally uttered while sighing. Just as I shifted my gaze away, his voice drifted into my ears.
“Is that you, Layla?”
My body tightened and my throat clogged. With widened eyes, I held my breath, unsure of how to react in such a situation. My biggest enemy was behind me, and I couldn’t even think of a better way to respond. I could pass as the world’s fool at this point.
“Are you listening, Layla?” His voice echoed again, making my skin crawl. My stomach churned with irritation and the kind of disgust that made me want to throw up in his face badly.
I remained silent. He could walk away if he didn’t get any response from me. That should tell him that I didn’t want to speak with him. I mean… what good would come from speaking with him in the first place?
Thankfully, another waiter stopped with a glass of wine, and I collected it from him. This would be the third glass of wine I’d drunk in barely an hour since I arrived. It would have been better if I were that alcohol-tolerant, but I wasn’t. This was a risky move, but I didn’t mind at that moment.
There was laughter behind me. “How did somebody like you get into this place?” the question rose.
My body froze in disbelief. What the hell was this blockheaded human talking about?
He walked into my view with his hands tucked into his pockets. His eyes swayed over me like he was trying to check how miserable I’d become all these years.
For a moment, his expression twisted, and his gaze morphed into something I couldn’t name… shock? admiration? longing? or disgust?
I scoffed. “This is not the right way to approach somebody you are just meeting for the first time, Mister.” I rolled my eyes, heaved, and took another sip of the wine. My vision blurred slightly after the gulp, but I shook it away. I couldn’t get drunk at this time. I hadn’t even accomplished the main reason I was here.
“I see those men flocking around you shamelessly. Are they the reason you are here?” There was a brief pause. Then his expression changed into disgust. “To look for more clients?”
I smiled. “I didn’t know I was this important to you, Mister. You even took your time to focus on me in a large event like this,” I teased. My smile dissipated and was replaced by a frown. “I don’t think it’s right to ask such personal questions when you are just meeting me for the first time.”
He was taken aback, but he quickly got a hold of his emotions and responded with a similar smile. “Pretending you don’t know me will not wipe off your shamelessness, Layla.” His jaw clenched, and his voice turned stern. “Tell me… how much do you charge? You must be so cheap that tens of men are all over you.”
For the first time since the conversation started, I finally comprehended what he had been saying, and for f**k’s sake, I really wanted to break his head. Did he just indirectly regard me as a slut? A prostitute?
He saw me at an elite party, and the first reason he could think of was that I came to entice men?
I scoffed, fanning myself with my hands as though that would cool off the anger stirring within me. Gosh! It wouldn’t look good on me if I let hell loose at this party. f**k! I hated that there were a lot of restrictions.
Without saying a word, I picked up my clutch and glass of wine and strolled away.
“Oh! Mr. Gideon!” I waved to one of the men I had become acquainted with a while ago and rushed to his side. I didn’t spare Bastian another glance. That was the best I could do for myself—move away from him before I actually lost control.
•
Soon, the award ceremony began, and companies that won one or two of the awards were called to the podium one after the other to receive their prizes.
“Now!!!” the host said, garnering everyone’s attention once more. “The most anticipated moment is here. It’s time to present the Best Industry Award of the year,” he announced, and there was jubilation in the crowd.
Everyone, including myself, was truly anticipating the award. Aside from meeting the CEO of BOA, I also wanted to witness the winner of this year’s award. My grandfather won this award for three consecutive years, but everything changed when the BOA company suddenly rose to fame, and for another three years, they had been the ones hijacking the award from everyone.
This year, no one was expecting a different company to take it because the fame of BOA was higher than it was the previous year… so obviously, we already knew who owned this year’s award.
“The award for the Best Industry of the Year goes to…”
A guest shouted, “BOA Companies!”
The host laughed. “Y’all failed to guess right,” he mumbled.
Gasps went round the hall, and everyone exchanged surprised glances. Murmurs followed afterward.
I was calm. I didn’t expect the plot twist, but I was down with whatever.
“The Best Industry Award goes to…” Silence overwhelmed the atmosphere as everyone held their breath. “Starlight Group of Companies.”
There were gasps, and a few seconds later, they were accompanied by screams.
I was shocked.
“Let’s welcome the representative as she comes to accept the award.”
Still, I didn’t budge. Everything seemed like a dream.
- Writer
