[4] Surprise!

ASHLEY

The large hall was filled with the elites, business allies, his friends, and some other people whom I couldn't recognize. Honestly, I barely recognized half of the people in the room.

“Congratulations to Mr Alex Montgomery for his latest accomplishment, he has risen to the second spot on the ranks of the best construction companies in the country after his latest major contracts…” A deafening applause filled the room before the man could complete his words.

I used to swell in pride and happiness over this kind of announcement, but I felt indifferent as I stood there beside him.

"Smile a little, honey,” his voice drifted into my ear, and my heart constricted in rage.

I forced my pursed lips to stretch into a smile, then clapped along with the guests.

“Oh, we all know that this all wouldn't have been possible without the help of my gorgeous wife, Ashley Montgomery." Alex’s voice broke through the ovation, and silence fell in the room.

My hands clenched around each other, and I took a deep breath, then raised my head and smiled at the guests whose eyes were all fixed on me.

“A cheer to the most gorgeous woman in the hall, Mrs Ashley!” The MC howled, and ovations filled the hall again.

A sickening feeling rushed into me as he clasped his hands around my waist and pulled me closer, smiling down at me.

I stared into his sparkling eyes in disbelief, terribly shaken.

I used to believe those warm eyes held love and that smile was true, but now, I realize it was all a pretense with no originality whatsoever.

"Smile,” he whispered as he leaned closer and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

I wore the mask again and slowly wriggled away from him, giving him an excuse to attend to the guests.

I moved from one guest to another, exchanging pleasantries and waiting for them to chant how they envied me.

I could feel Alex's eyes on my back as I moved around the hall with a false smile on my face.

I was sure he must have caught up with something, but I couldn't place it.

Lilian was still not in the hall, and I wasn't allowed to use my phone when the party was still going on.

“Mrs Montgomery?" A deep, dark voice called out, and I spun around.

My eyes dimmed as I ran my gaze over the tall, athletic man towering over me with dark grey eyes that burned into mine.

He didn't have a smiling face like the others, nor did he have a welcoming spirit around him.

“How may I help you? Are you having fun?" I asked cheerfully.

His moist, full lips twitched up, and I saw disgust flash across his eyes.

“Fun cannot be in the same sentence with this lame party!" He spat, and the smile on my face dropped.

I drew closer to him, frowning deeply even though I felt immensely amused by his response.

“You can't say that about a party you were invited to. You need to show respect to the host at least," I muttered.

His cheekbones raised, and his shoulders squared as he leaned down to my height.

My heart skipped, and I flashed my eyes around the crowded hall. No one seemed to be minding us, but Alex had his eyes on me as always, a deep frown on his face.

“What a shame, that tasteless man doesn't deserve a beauty like you,” he muttered, and my breath ceased for a moment.

I stared at him in shock, wondering who he was and why he said that.

People had always voiced out their desire to have my marriage as theirs, but no one has ever said Alex didn't deserve me.

"Ash!” Someone called, and I turned around to answer whoever the person was.

"Here!” 

The smile I was about to pull into my face disappeared when I saw Alex's younger sister waving at me.

I sighed loudly, and I turned to face the stranger again, but he was already gone.

My brows narrowed in confusion, but I shrugged the feeling off the next second and turned to get more champagne, but stumbled into someone.

“I'm sorry!" I gasped and looked up to meet a pair of sparkling ocean blue eyes.

“Alex's wife?" The man that I had stumbled into asked, and I nodded.

He had a slim figure but a face that many could kill for and a jawline so sharp that you would think it could cut a stone.

“Ashley," I stretched out my hand, smiling lightly.

“Beautiful name," he muttered.

“You must be a friend of my husband," I muttered. It felt weird to call him my husband after what had happened between us.

“Friend?" He chuckled, throwing his head back.

“No way, I'm not a friend…” The smile on his face faded, and he stepped closer.

"I'm rather a foe.”

The smile on my face faded again, and I huffed.

"Then why are you here?”

"To keep your enemy down, you need to have him right beside you, you understand what I mean, right?” He chuckled, and my eyes dimmed.

"Why are you telling me this?” I asked. He shrugged and parted his lips to reply.

"Honey!”

My heart sank when I felt his cold grip wrap around my wrist.

"Who are you?” He asked as he faced the guest.

The man straightened up, his eyes sparkling again.

"A friend,” he muttered and didn't waste a second more before disappearing into the crowd.

"I should have the security tightened more,” Alex muttered.

I narrowed my eyes, not saying a word.

His hand snaked around my waist again, and my fist clenched.

“Let's dance," he muttered. I wanted to say no, but I couldn't, not with the number of people watching us closely for faults.

If only Lilian would be faster with the revelation.

“Smile and be a good girl, my love,” he whispered as he led me to the dancefloor. My heart ached, and anger burned me up as I forced a smile onto my face and pretended to be happy.

His hand wrapped firmly around my waist and pressed my body against his, smirking.

I was burning with rage and pain, yet kept smiling.

“I've told you not to leave my side ever. When did you get so stubborn, huh?" He muttered as we swirled around the dancefloor, moving to the tunes of the Waltz drifting over the hall.

My hands dropped onto his shoulders, and my eyes glared into his.

“Don't act so cheeky, Alex, the contract hasn't been signed completely,” I whispered, and he scoffed.

"You don't even have any proof I'm cheating,” he muttered, and my heart tightened.

"I might not need proof to make your company's stock crash,” I muttered.

His grip on my waist tightened, and pain shot across my body.

"We'll see about that,” he almost sneered out.

I chuckled lightly.

Yes, we would see who would laugh last.

Just before the music stopped, the doors pulled open, and Lilian walked in, her stiletto hitting the glass floor so gracefully.

All eyes turned in her direction, and her star aura filled the hall.

Her red dress, which was split up to her mid-thigh, flowed behind her in a lazy train, and her beautiful face wore heavy make-up that made her stand out among the women in the hall.

That was how famous she was as an actress wherever she stepped.

I chuckled, ready to end it all.

“Is it true, Mrs Ashley?" I swung my head to the side when Alex's best friend addressed me with his phone in his hand.

It has been exposed.

I pulled off a shocked expression, acting clueless.

“What are you talking about?" I asked.

The corners of his eyes wrinkled in disgust, and he pushed the phone towards me.

“You are cheating on Alex?!" He snapped.

My heart dropped, and I felt my head swing as I staggered back in horror.

“What… what do you mean?” I gasped.

I looked at Alex, and my belly knotted at the sinister smile on his face.

I grabbed the phone from him and scrolled through the pictures on his phone. The article accusing me of cheating was already viral, with tons and tons of nasty comments under it.

A clear picture of me kissing Lilian's boyfriend and holding hands with him on what looked like a date glared at me in the phone.

Alex… he did this!

The phone dropped from my hand, and I staggered back, my head swirling at the glaring eyes targeted at me.

The hall suddenly felt hot and air-deprived.

Everywhere I turned, there was an eye burning me alive and eating me up. Murmurs filled the air as I stood in the middle of the hall, confused, horrified, broken, and scared.

Alex was faster than I was. He made me the cheater and him the victim.

How was he able to do this?

I looked up at him with eyes filled with tears. How could he be so cruel?

“Is it true, honey? I wanted to doubt it, I wanted to," he said in a quivering voice, acting shocked.

I wanted to spit in his face, but I was too dumbstruck to move an inch.

I felt helpless and naked in that hall with no one to save me aside…

“Lilian!" I gasped, spun around, and rushed towards her.

I grabbed her hands with eyes full of tears and my head shaking.

“You need to tell the truth, you need to expose it," I blurted out.

Lilian's smile widened, and she tilted her head to the side.

“I have," she muttered, and my head shot back.

“What?" I gasped in confusion.

She tore her hand out of my grip and grabbed my shoulders, leaning forward with an evil grin on her face.

"Do you love my surprise, Ash?”