Hi Future, I'm Back

“It's okay Mr Clarkson, you can always send in your congratulatory gift, Ms Vivienne Castleworth will still be pleased with you”. Fannie Halt ended the call abruptly, she walked faster from the curtain she hid, sensing her boss’s facial expression, screaming dissatisfaction with the makeup and its artist. “Fannie, whose idea was this glamor?” Vivienne asked. “Ms Diana, Ma'am” Fannie answered with no further details, Ms Vivienne's happiness tonight will not be affected, not even by her and she made sure of that. Vivienne sighed, she understood her best friend wanted her to look her best for her birthday. Most importantly she's about to step into a bigger shoe and she always had Diana's support. She smiled “It's okay Fannie, I told you to always call me by my name when we are alone.” Fannie looked up at the makeup artist, back at her boss. “Oh Fannie, no need to get worked up. Well, judging from the numbers of calls you have received per arrival and non-arrivals, Diana arranged the whole thing, right?” Fannie lowered her head, she sighed, ‘it was supposed to be a secret’. “Fannie, no lies,” Vivienne stated firmly. She raised her head with a muffled laugh, “Ma'am, no one can outsmart you” Fannie's phone rang again, her conversation quickly ended, short and rushed unlike the others. “Ms Castleworth, it is time, Ms Diana will be waiting at the entrance of the hall, Shall we?” Fannie assisted Vivienne with her dress. The same dress her mother, Eleanor Castleworth wore on the day Castleworth Enterprises became the first company in the city to hit Thousands of Billions in the space of two years, all this success came from the efforts put together by Vivienne and her mother. Vivienne appeared so elegant tonight, she stepped into the room, matching the magnificence of the decorations, the beauty of the chandeliers 'Diana put in so much effort for just a birthday and an announcement' she appreciated her friend's extravagance. She curved her nose, the scent of champagnes and colognes hit her nostrils. Vivienne's interest in dinners like this had always been poor, even though her life revolved around it for the past ten years, just before she became bored, her eyes landed on her best friend, Diana Holton. “Birthday girl, over here” Diana called out to Vivienne on sighting her. Vivienne rolled her eyes at her, they were supposed to meet at the entrance, walk in together, rather champagne in hands talking to all these big shots in their world, 'a typical Diana’ “Tonight is for my best girl, isn't she beautiful?” Diana charged the men before her, they all complimented Vivienne's beauty and wished her a happy birthday. She walked over to the group, picked up a drink, and noticed a shiny diamond ring on Diana's engagement finger, “Girl, this is huge and beautiful” “Spill!” Vivienne couldn't contain her excitement. “Come on Viv, let's not lose focus, tonight's all about you,” Diana smiled back. Vivienne grumbled “You owe me an explanation after tonight”. Diana gazed at her with loving eyes, pulling her into a hug. While they continued conversing with the group, Vivienne remembered she previously worried about her boyfriend. She whispered to Diana “Have you seen Ryan?” She hasn't heard from him all morning, no calls, nothing. “He was here with us, maybe he headed for the bar, you know he always needs a drink or more at every party” Diana's eyes searched the crowd if she could spot him. Vivienne walked closely to the bar in hopes of finding him. In a sudden, she felt a hand pulling her into a closet, grabbing her waist forcefully. “Hey babe, miss me?” He casually mentioned it. She playfully hits him with a fist on his chest “You scared me”. Ryan laughed at her “You should become adventurous, learn from Diana”. She dismissed his jokes “Where have you been? I didn't hear from you all day” Vivienne lamented. “Come on babe, it’s just some hours and I have a surprise for you tonight” he winked at her and pulled her into a kiss. She kissed him back, she can't be mad at him for long. Perhaps his surprise could be a proposal, her dreams were manifesting. ‘My best girl and I with chunky diamonds on our fingers, we could have our wedding on the same day’. She kissed him harder with her imaginations running wild. As the night came to a close, Vivienne's father Richard Castleworth, took the podium, in his right hand, a woman he held closely. A week after Vivienne's mother's burial he introduced her as Sarah Bolton, his new wife and yet he didn't fail to bring her here. Vivienne's face fell flat, she lunged to move forward but Ryan held her back “Ahn, ahn, don't do anything stupid, remember his announcing the new CEO of Castleworth Enterprises tonight.” He gave her a quick peck on her shoulder “On your birthday my love, just hold it in, you don't want to regret your actions later”. Vivienne knew Ryan was right, she's about to be announced as CEO, she shouldn't get him angry now, he could change his mind, Afterall he acquired the largest shares in the company which belonged to her mother, after her passing. On the podium, Mr Richard Castleworth, in his speech never mentioned Vivienne's birthday, he only thanked her and congratulated the company for achieving this much over the years. “In no other matter, in agreement with the board of directors, this individual is capable and has shown great efforts in the making of Castleworth, I hereby announce the new CEO of Castleworth Enterprises, Diana Bolton, please step forward” Vivienne believed she heard wrongly, but applauses were coming in, she got out of Ryan's arms. She caught a sight of Diana making her way to the podium. She ran towards Diana, clinging on to her shoulders “What are you doing?” “To meet my father, he called for me” She shrugged Vivienne's hands off her. Vivienne's jaw dropped, her face became pale, she forced out her words “but you're my best friend, not, my…” Diana glared at her “Sister? Uh? I thought so too until you stole Ryan from me, Little miss perfect, all self righteous." Vivienne froze at Diana's words, they were unbelievable “Diana, what are you talking about?”. Diana brushed her hand away “Wake up, this is reality, You were busy being adored, you never saw what was happening around you “I vowed to take back what belongs to me and more of it. I have always been around, you have always been aloof and your mother knew.” She walked further to the podium. Vivienne's knees became weak, her mother's words echoed back at her 'Viv, my love, I don't think your friendship with Diana should continue, there are things you don't know, once I'm out of the hospital I'll tell you everything' but she never made it out. She tried to grab anything to hold, there was nothing, everything felt surreal. ‘They are Boltons? Sarah is Diana's mother? This is crazy!’ She tried to scream but nothing came out. She walked towards her father. “Dad, what is going on here, I am supposed to be the next CEO, I was supposed to carry on with mum's legacy, yet you brought in outsiders, They're not Castleworths but Boltons” A hard slap ran across her face “watch your tongue young woman, no outsider is here, you're not fit for a CEO, you're a drop out and your mother agreed to that” “No, Mother will never," She went on her knees holding her father's leg. “When Castleworth nearly collapsed, I left college to fix everyone's mistake, you know it all, please Father” she mumbled. He took her by the hand, lifted her to her feet, facing him “it's good you acknowledge you're a drop out, that's why Diana, your sister is here to keep that family image, with her Masters in Business Administration, Castleworth will fly higher, support her” She yanked herself from her father “No, you all are full of deceit.” “Suit yourself,” Her father said to her and continued with his speech. “Everyone, I'm sorry for what you just witnessed, Vivienne is just disappointed because her sister got to be the CEO and since we don't tolerate disrespect in this family, she needed to be disciplined.” He further embarrassed her “Vivienne is a drop out. I always insisted she completed her college degree, but she was adamant, Diana is soon to complete her Doctorate in Business Administration.” The crowd began to murmur “oh who thought they were actual sisters, they fooled us with the besties identity.” “Oh, and Vivienne did so well, she must have gotten her business skills from her mother.” “A certified business pro over a college drop out, Richard chose wisely”. Vivienne tried to be calm, she knew they were prepared for this drama, no wonder the media was uninvited, she walked down, her heels failing, she stumbled most times trying hard not to fall flat and be laughed at. She gasped for air searching the crowd for Ryan. He was the only person she could trust at this point. Just at that moment her eyes landed on Ryan, she tried calling out to him, but his eyes were not on her, not searching for her or concerned about her. Those eyes that comforted her now fixed on another woman, on Diana Bolton. Shortly she heard “My daughter was engaged recently, by the love of her life, Ryan Beckett, come take your spot”. She watched as he walked and smiled towards the podium. In a minute, the moments she shared with Diana and Ryan flashed through her eyes. Tears flowed freely, not holding back. Her position stolen and her dreams robbed Ryan stepped beside Diana, smiling proudly like he belonged there. She held her chest tightly, crouched to the ground in the midst of the crowd, she felt air leaving her. In that instant, Fannie crawled towards her with an inhaler, spraying it into Vivienne's mouth. “Viv, we need to get out of here, fast”. The effect of the inhaler did little, Vivienne still breathed hard, clutching on to her chest. Fannie hurriedly carried her petite boss on her back and took her through the back door in the closet which was by the bar. Immediately they stepped outside, a refreshing breeze blew, the air was clean. It hit Vivienne's nostrils, she inhaled hard like this was her lifeline. She jumped off Fannie's back, ran towards the streets full of fast speeding cars. A jam A loud horn Fannie's voice in panic and fear “Vivienne, No!” but it was too late.