Chapter 001: The Gala

It was past 7 pm, and the sun had since disappeared from the sky.

The gala party had begun to unfold slowly. The low murmur from the well-dressed attendees persisted. And once in a while, the laughter of an amused guest punctures the air in the decorated hall.

Waiters in black and white aprons bore different trays on their hands, holding their heads high.

Lyra Daniel was one of these waiters. However, unlike the others, the smile on her face was forced and plastic. She walked from one seat to the next nervously, serving the guests around. And sometimes, when they tried to call her attention to something, they would have to repeat themselves more than twice before Lyra would grasp.

"Are you deaf? young woman?" One of them even asked.

"I'm so sorry sir, pardon me, it's the music. Too loud." She pleaded, smiling sheepishly.

“Oh my God, can you see that? where on earth did Mr. Douglass, pick this Lyra lady from? She's so crude.”

One of the younger waitresses whispered to her colleagues while throwing a quick glance at Lyra, seething with muted disdain.

Another one chuckled and said;

“Wait, are you just noticing? The lady acts like she has got some nuts lost upstairs.”

“Such a loser. That's why it's not good to marry at a young age." The previous waitress muttered under her breath.

"Let's just hope the Cooper's family would continue to use Douglass after today's event. Look at her, too sluggish. “Another one added.

Lyra was still battling with that dissatisfied guest and had barely finished moving away from the table when a gruff voice from behind suddenly yelled her name.

She turned around with a quick swerve as she immediately recognized the voice as that of Kennedy Meyers; her boss at the pattern-making company where she worked full time.

His bloated face was staring at her with surprise and anger.

"So this is your so-called hospital, Hunh?" He barked, drawing the attention of everyone in the room towards her direction. Her colleagues were watching too, chuckling amongst themselves.

Lyra bowed her head in embarrassment, feeling like disappearing into thin air. She could feel the eyes of the other startled guests peering into her skin.

"Answer me! So you came to work part-time here, yet you lied to me yesterday, claiming that you're not feeling fine? Now tell me, has your husband's sickness affected your brains, too? Look, you better come to work tomorrow or get ready to kiss your job goodbye." Kennedy threatened.

Lyra, not knowing what else to do had fidgeted like a withering flower as she returned to her serving business, she held firmly to the rising tears burning up her eyelids.

"Hey." Another voice called again from a new corner.

Lyra turned once more in the same nervous manner she had done before, but this time around she saw Douglass, the boss in charge of that particular event center, he must have been around during the humiliation from Kennedy.

"Take a few minutes rest, I will ask someone else to stand in for you." He waved.

Lyra curtsied to show her thanks before she made to leave slowly, avoiding everyone's eyes.

Shame was not just all she was feeling this time, but also fear. She was afraid that she wouldn't get her full payment from Kennedy, not after his unexpected discovery.

And this was not the right time for all that, because she really needed that money. It wasn't like getting the full payment was even close to the amount she was trying to raise, but it was so much better than getting half or worse still, nothing.

She walked out of the hall and into the balcony, leaning against the wall lazily. Then, finally, when her emotions swelled to their breaking point, she gave up and let out the tears that had been building up in her eyes for the past few minutes. Lyra was still weeping with her face against the wall when her phone suddenly vibrated in her palms.

She sniffed and reluctantly checked only to see that it was her best friend Aria calling.

"Hello," She said with a croak, sniffing right after she answered.

"Your voice? Have you started shedding those tears of yours again?"

Lyra sniffed for a second time without answering.

"Lyra, I told you before that things are going to be fine. Felix will survive this. Just… Just have some faith." Aria stuttered out of concern.

"I don't know what to do, Aria. Felix is slipping away from me. I'm...I'm helpless." Lyra responded in despair, breaking into fresh tears.

"Oh my God, stop all these, Lyra." Aria's heartbroken voice came from the other end of the line.

Then, after a small pause, she said.

"Are you good now?"

Lyra nodded, forgetting that Aria could not see her."

"I think so." She cooed finally.

"Alright, wipe your tears now. I will bring you guys some food at the hospital later at night." Lyra promised.

"Thank you, Aria." Lyra thanked struggling not to break into another round of tears.

"Thank you." She repeated.

"Have faith, my dear friend."

Aria muttered before finally hanging up.

Lyra wiped her face with her palms after the call, feeling a little more encouraged.

She decided to take a little walk around the balcony area, in a bid to while away some time by feeding her eyes with the captivating structures littered all over the large compound that housed the center..

Lyra was close to the carpark when she started to hear the fervent voices of two men talking in the distance.

She stopped when she caught a glimpse of the people talking.

It was the popular billionaire heir, the most eligible bachelor in Silver City, Dante Cooper, and someone else she did not know. She instantly ducked and hid behind a wall. From that position, their conversation became quite audible.

"Are you saying she wants more money even after being offered a million dollars just to act as my wife for just two years? You know what, get me another person, she's too greedy. If not for my grandmother, I wouldn't even be in this mess." Dante's voice had complained.

"Act as his wife? Why?" Lyra reasoned with her brows furrowed. Dante could get any lady without having to pay one dine, let alone a million dollars.

"But what about Amara? Why not propose to her?" The other man's voice suggested.

But Dante's response was a short, dry laugh.

"Does Amara look like a wife material to you? Come on, man, that girl is too greedy. Can't play such games with her. She's too smart. And besides, my grandmother doesn’t like her." Dante added further.

"So you're saying we need a candidate that fits the earlier description." The man said.

"Exactly," Dante affirmed, his voice rising a little.

"Just like I said before. A poor lady. At most 24 years of age, it should be someone in desperate need of money." Dante emphasized.

Suddenly Lyra's phone rang out from where she was, making her jolt for a second before she quickly tapped on the silent button, turning around to hurry out of the car park area towards the balcony to answer her call before any of them could see her.

She picked up the call the moment she got there, and the next voice she heard was that of staff in the hospital Felix had been admitted to.

"Your attention is needed here urgently, madam. Your husband just went into shock."

"What? But.. but." Lyra stammered in agitation, but before the words could come out of her mouth, the call had been put to an end.

“Shock.” She murmured frantically.

Staggering about right after she hung up and had almost even stumbled against a stone. Then, in the renewed frenzy, she ran to where she had kept her bag on the balcony, grabbed it, and turned around to dart towards the gate, carelessly not bothering to take off her uniform.

"Lyra! Lyra!"

Her boss suddenly came out to yell her name from behind.

But she had not bothered to stop. Instead, she increased her pace.

"Is that it? Fine, then just kiss your entire salary goodbye!" He shouted again.