Chapter 12

Vienna thought Alan would return the same night, but when she woke up she was alone in the house until early in the morning, and she locked the doors.

George left the house the next day after making sure to stock it up with a variety of food items, leaving her alone in the house.

For the next few days, Vienna stayed alone in the house, and aside from visiting her mother in the hospital, she remained alone.

Three days later Vienna stumbled upon a blog revealing her relationship with Alan as his fiancée, and she tried calling him, but his phone was unreachable.

After her picture was revealed, it became challenging to visit the hospital without being noticed, and she decided to limit her visits.

Vienna started receiving multiple calls from Alan's extended family soon after that, and a number of them even dared to visit the house.

Vienna wanted to rudely shut them out, but she didn't want to raise any issues, so she forced herself to entertain a few, declining every one of their gifts and pretending to be grateful for their congratulations on the engagement.

But after everything, Vienna was left alone in the whole house by herself, with a cleaner coming in every two days to take care of the place.

After a week and two days, Vienna was very bored and lay on the bed feeling empty.

Since Vanessa and Nisan were busy with their exams, she didn't want to bother them.

She picked up her phone again to check if there was any news about Alan when she received a message from Sasha, Alan's mother.

The message was an invitation to dinner at one of the many hotels owned by the Clintons.

Vienna sighed as she closed the text. Knowing how Sasha had disliked her in the past, Vienna wanted to decline, but she decided to go and hear whatever it was Sasha had to say.

Picking a cool-colored dress from her wardrobe, Vienna wore low-heeled sandals and carried her green purse before heading out in a cab.

She arrived at the hotel's restaurant and met one of the staff, who directed her to the room reserved by Sasha.

Vienna was surprised to find Harley together with Sasha in the room as she stepped inside the large, exquisite room and slowly approached the table.

"Mrs. Clinton," she greeted, taking a seat. Sasha grunted a response while Harley furrowed his brow, feeling ignored.

"Did you not..." Harley wanted to lash out at her, but the door opened again, and Karen stepped inside with Benita by his side.

"Oh no," Vienna exclaimed quietly, realizing she had just walked into their trap.

"Vienna, hi," Benita greeted sweetly, coming over to her side and initiating a hug, which Vienna pretended not to see, simply nodding at her.

"This can't get any worse," she muttered instead.

Karen sat down, greeting Sasha and Harley, and pretending not to see Vienna, who did the same.

When they had all settled down, a series of seafood dishes were brought in and served on the table with drinks.

Sasha cleared her throat, dismissing the staff.

"I wanted us to meet today and have dinner so we can put the past behind us," she said. "It's been three years since the ugly incident, and I have decided to forgive you for your family's wrongs."

Vienna scoffed silently.

"Since you have agreed to marry Alan, then we should all get along," Sasha continued, as if she meant it, and rested her hand over Benita's.

"Benita only followed Alan's instructions before and did nothing wrong to you. You can also let it go now; after all, you two will soon become sisters."

She finished speaking, her eyes doting over Benita, and turned to Vienna with a look of dislike. If it weren't for Benita asking them for the favor, she would never have wanted to sit there and have dinner with such an eyesore. But Benita was too kindhearted and wanted Vienna to forgive her.

Vienna raised an eyebrow at her words, confused by the term "sister," and forced a smile.

"It seems you are not aware that Alan's uncle, Sanchez, adopted Karen as his son two years ago," Harley stated, and Vienna's eyes widened slightly. She looked at Karen for the first time since he sat down and shook her head silently, not believing he was now cousins with Alan. Such a ridiculous joke.

"Vienna, I'm so happy to become true family with you," Benita spoke up, her eyes lowered as she smiled sweetly again.

"You should be grateful to her for pleading on your behalf, or we wouldn't consider forgiving you," Harley said, wiping her mouth, and Vienna felt anger rise within her. She was the one whose family had lost everything and was cheated on, yet she was the one being asked to seek forgiveness from them.

Vienna could tell Benita had done this on purpose to provoke her, and she wasn't surprised that Sasha and Harley had foolishly played along. The two of them had hated her ever since she met them for the first time, displeased that she wasn't up to their expectations as a partner for Alan, and hadn't tried to hide it from her.

Vienna wished she could just disappear back to the house and regretted stepping out.

"I have to attend to a call," Karen informed Benita shortly and headed out to take it.

"Vienna, are you adjusting well? You're not having a hard time, right?" Benita asked, her eyes full of concern.

"What do you mean?" Vienna retorted, placing the food on her spoon.

"I heard some rumors that Alan has been away for a while, and you're staying alone. He isn't even concerned about your appearance," Benita replied, making remarks about her clothes, and Vienna sighed again in anger. She had been trying not to say anything and just let them spew their nonsense, but Benita was bent on infuriating her.

"Why don't you and I go shopping together this weekend? I have some time, and you can always come stay at our place if you're bored," Benita went on, pretending to care but purposely wanting to point out that being with Alan again hadn't changed anything about her. She was still below her.

"You must love shopping now that you're getting married. You used to call those who wear expensive clothes arrogant and hated them," Vienna said to remind her, and Benita was taken aback. She turned quickly to Harley and Sasha, knowing how much both of them loved to buy expensive clothes, and explained to them. "I never said anything like that; Vienna must have misunderstood me."

"It's fine. You were just being modest," Sasha told her, patting her hand. "Why do you have to speak so harshly to Benita when she's being kind to you? Also, you're one to talk when the only reason you're here is that Alan is now blind and has no choice."

Harley chimed in, her voice dripping with venom. Vienna laughed, sipping some wine, and pushed the plate away a little. Benita had said so many things to taunt her, but all she got was kind and modest, while she was being termed the unreasonable one for saying just a sentence.

"Without a choice?" Vienna repeated Harley's words, fuming with anger. "Am I wrong? You were discarded years ago, and yet you're back here, humbly serving him."

Harley went on, her eyes beaming with disdain.

"I'm sure that's not it, Harley," Benita said lowly, her hand reaching for Vienna's. "Please don't take sister's word to heart; she's simply worried about Alan."

"You talk as if Alan and I were ever in love in the past. It was an arranged marriage then, and it's still the same now," Vienna responded, ignoring Benita's whole existence in front of her and standing up.

"Is that why he wouldn't even touch you and ran away from the house immediately after you moved in?" Harley retorted, her eyes fixed arrogantly on Vienna.

"Mrs. Cyrus, you seem very interested in my relationship with Alan. Shouldn't you be more concerned about saving your marriage of five years?" Vienna blurted, and Harley's arms suddenly dropped.

Benita gasped in shock at her utterance, and Sasha was also stupefied.

"You've been married for so long, and there hasn't been any news of a child. Should I believe the rumors that your husband refused to touch you while having children with other women?" Vienna went on, acting oblivious to the impact of her words.

"Vienna! I'm going to rip your tongue out," Harley screamed, going berserk and launching herself at Vienna, but Karen returned to the room at that moment and stepped in front of them.

Vienna rolled her eyes, unfazed, took her purse, and smirked.

"I'm just trying to tell you that one mustn't believe every nonsense from others without checking the facts properly." Vienna made her way towards the restroom while Benita and Karen tried to keep Harley calm.

They had invited her to mock her, but they didn't expect her to remain composed till the end and even make Harley lose it.