Chapter Three

Olivia ran to Eve's side and held her hands. "Are you okay?" she asked with her gaze fixed on the shattered glass that slipped out of Eve's hand. Eve's eyes were fixated on the stage.

Eve slowly lifted her hand, pointing toward the stage with her lips trembling. The people were engrossed in the speech still ongoing by the master of the ceremony.

"What is wrong with you Eve? Who are you pointing at?" asked a confused Olivia. Eve tried to speak but no words came out of her mouth.

Meanwhile, Devin and Eve had been dating for four months and Olivia had never met him. Whenever Eve fixed an appointment with Devin to meet up with her best friend, he always came up with an excuse that prevented him from meeting with Olivia.

He claims to be always on business trips and Olivia only got the chance to speak to him once in a while via Eve's phone.

"Devin... That's Devin." Eve stammered with two fingers pointing at the soon-to-be groom on the stage. Devin and his fiancee were exchanging smiles.

Olivia's eyes nearly popped out of their socket. "Oh my God!" she managed to say. "So this is Devin's engagement party?" she exclaimed. If she had known she wouldn't have pulled Eve in.

Eve nodded reluctantly with her eyes blurred by tears then she began hurrying to the stage while Olivia ran after her.

"Stop Eve. Where are you going?"

Eve didn't say a word but she kept heading toward the stage. Soon, the crowd noticed a lady wearing a torn red dress, looking like a piece of garbage steering to the stage and they began to exchange glances. Some were murmuring.

Olivia stood beside the stage in confusion as she watched Eve climb the stage and Devin's countenance immediately changed the moment his eyes met with Eve's.

"I just hope Eve doesn't try anything stupid," Olivia told herself while eyeing Devin with so much contempt.

Immediately Devin identified Eve, he turned his face away, moved closer to Isabel, and wrapped his left hand around her slender waist. Eve smirked and took more steps to the stage. Soon, she was facing the master of the ceremony who was looking at her, dumbfounded.

"Do you need anything miss?" he asked and moved his left brow but Eve smiled and before he knew it, she snatched the microphone from his grasp.

Devin glared at Eve, giving her the look that says what the hell are you doing?

Isabel tapped Devin and he bent over. "Who is this lady?" she whispered.

Devi lifted his face and while staring at Eve directly in the eyes, he replied. "I don't know her. This is the first time I'm setting my eyes on her."

After hearing Devin's reply, Eve shut her eyes in pain and took deep breaths. The master of ceremony tried to take the microphone away from her but Eve gave him a slight push, shocking the crowd. She moved toward Devin and Isabel.

Olivia could sense the tension between Eve and Devin. Eve is a stubborn woman so Olivia knew there was no need to plead with her to get off the stage.

Eve smiled at the couple. "Congratulations Devin. You didn't invite me but look, here am I standing before you."

The crowd began to murmur. "Who is this lady? Why is she looking so filthy? What is she talking about?

Eve turned toward the crowd and there was a pin drop silence. " It's okay if you guys don't understand the situation here but Devin does." She turned toward Devin and blinked "Right Devin?"

Devin lowered his head and lifted it almost immediately. "I don't know this lady. I've never seen her before," he told Isabel to everyone's hearing.

Eve giggled and swung her head from left to right. "You don't know me Devin?" she asked and tried to move closer but Devin held Isabel and they drifted backward.

"I'm your girlfriend." Eve blurted. She turned toward the crowd. "Devin Francisco is my boyfriend. We've been dating for four months," she screamed and stamped her feet.

Olivia sighed. "What are you doing Eve?" she lamented feeling sorry for her emotionally troubled friend.

"She's lying." Devin countered. He screamed so everyone could hear him and then he began to take steps toward Eve.

"I don't know you miss and, surprisingly, you know my name. Maybe you heard it from the master of the ceremony but whatever the case, stop creating a scene," he stated with his eyes fixed on hers without a blink.

Eve marveled at his audacity and deceitful expression. "Stop lying Devin. You are my boyfriend. You broke up with me a few hours ago. Tell them, Devin. Tell everyone how we've been seeing each other until you decided to break up with me this morning." she yelled.

"She's insane," Devin told the crowd and pointed at Eve. "Just take a good look at her. I won't be surprised if I'm told that she broke out of the asylum tonight." The crowd roared in laughter.

"Crazy bitch looking for love at the club huh?" the master of ceremony teased.

"I guess your little performance is over. Now, get off our stage." Isabel said to Eve.

"Devin is a son of a bitch. He is lying to you. He dumped me and I'm sure he will dump you too." Eve said to Isabel with her voice quaking.

"What are you saying? We are getting married in a week. What are you talking about?" Isabel asked in disbelief and flipped her hair.

Devin smirked. "That crazy bitch is talking nonsense." He held Isabel and patted the back of her palm tenderly.

"Listen to me," Eve said and attempted to touch Isabel but Devin pushed her away from them. She nearly fell to the floor but she managed to regain her balance. The crowd kept watching them like a show.

"He cheated on me with you. What makes you think he won't cheat on you with another woman?" Eve tried to explain.

"Shut the fuck up. I've heard enough of your nonsense." Isabel barked at her and took a proper glance at Eve's appearance. "You can't show up from nowhere and level false allegations against my fiancee." 

"If Devin is gonna cheat which we know he won't, he could do it with a sane person." the master of the ceremony said with his eyes fixed on Eve's messy hair. The crowd laughed.

The microphone Eve held slipped out of her hand. "We have a party to host," Devin said with his hands around Isabel. "Stop wasting our time and kindly return to the slum you came from," he said.

Tears began to roll down Eve's cheeks and she began to feel dizzy. She placed her left palm on her head and opened her eyes after shutting them. Olivia tried to climb the stage but Eve prevented her by placing her right hand before her.

"You asked me out four months ago on our second dinner together. You said you were going to spend the rest of your life with me. Why did you lie to me, Devin?    Is she the reason why you left me? Is she the new woman?"

Isabel was pissed so she went over to the chairs reserved for her and Devin and sat. "This lunatic wants to ruin my day," she mumbled.

"New woman? Isabel and I have been together for three years." Devin disclosed and Eve was taken aback.

"And this crazy lady here is saying you guys have been together for four months?" Isabel teased with a dry laugh.

So Devin had been cheating on Isabel with Eve then Olivia thought and placed her right palm on her forehead.

"I love Isabel with all my heart and even heaven knows I will never cheat on her." Devin declared. The applause was created by the crowd.

"If I didn't cheat on her in the past three years? What makes you think I will cheat on her four years ago?" he threw the question at Eve.

"For goodness sake, I don't even know you so get off my stage and get some shots probably it might help reset your brain because I think you just have knocked your head before walking here," Devin said.

Eve was astonished at the way Devin kept referring to her as a stranger. She wondered whether it was the Devin which she had always known, the one who showered her with gifts and vowed to be with her forever.

"Look, Miss. I don't have time for your trash. Just get out of here and don't you ruin our day." he concluded and moved closed to Isabel.

Devin kissed Isabel on the forehead and took her hand into his. "I'm so sorry for the drama my love. Crazy people everywhere," he said. Isabel nodded in agreement.

"Someone should take out the trash please." Isabel implored and soon two physically built men dressed in black were on stage.

Olivia immediately climbed the stage and held Eve by the hand. "You guys don't need to do anything harsh. We will leave right away." Olivia told them with a fake smile.

She pulled Eve but Eve stood her ground. "We must leave now," she whispered after turning Eve around to face her. "You have been nominated enough. I can't stand this."

After Devin noticed that Eve wasn't ready to move. He decided to intervene. "What are you guys waiting for?" he shouted at the two guards. "Get both of them out of this place and don't you let them in," he instructed.

Since Olivia was a petite weighing about forty kg, one of the men swept her off her feet and placed her on his shoulder. She kept kicking and slapping his back as he made his way outside.

His colleague moved to Eve and tried to forcefully drag her off the stage but she kept resisting with all her might. 

"Crazy people will always resist," Devin commented.

"I swear to God, I will make you pay for ruining my life, Devin. You will regret the day you humiliated me like this." Eve declared as the man pulled her down the stage.

"Take her out and shut the door." Devin barked. The man dragged Eve out of the club and threw her outside at the corner where Olivia was.

Devin heaved a deep sigh and turned toward Isabel "I'm deeply sorry for that drama. I don't know where that crazy lady popped out from."

"It's okay dear," Isabel replied and blinked. The couple shared a passionate kiss while the crowd clapped and cheered.

The master of the ceremony grabbed the microphone from the stage, stood before the crowd, and said. "That was quite a show."

He declared the event open and soon glasses were hitting one another sharing a toast. 

The manager of the club who had witnessed the whole Devin and Eve drama went up the stage.

"I'm sorry Mr. and Mrs. Francisco. I hope your party wasn't ruined." he apologized.

"My soon-to-be husband handled everything." Isabel boasted and smiled at Devin.

"That lady that accuses me of breaking up with her." Devin began. He was talking to the club manager. "Who is she?"

"I don't know." the manager replied. "It must be one of these random bitches seeking attention," he added.

"Next time, you have to be very cautious of the people that come in here. The crazy lady which I've never met nearly ruined our party." Devin alleged.

"I'm very sorry and I'm glad everything is under control now." the manager said and disappeared from the stage.

"And how the moment we've all been waiting for." announced the master of the ceremony.

"I'll now invite the soon-to-be wedded to move over here for their first dance of the night." he invited with his palm stretched forth toward the couple.

Devin and Isabel stood up and made their way to the center of the stage, hand in hand.