CHAPTER 5_ Lies

Everything they told her was nothing but a lie. Every act, every care and affection. People she once considered friends and relatives joined hands to betray her.

Olivia dabbed the white handkerchief under her eye bag. The unique scent on it had her freezing for a second, she raised her head looking around her to spot who might have handed it to her but the club was bursting with a ton of sweaty people.

“Mrs Ashford.. you left in a hurry..”

Taking a glance up, she spotted Mr Miller rushing up to meet up with her. Meanwhile, her fingers brushed on the embroidery crafted at the bottom part of the piece of material in her grip.

A.A

She assumed that it was the initials of the person who gave this to her. She carefully folded it and placed it into her purse.

Sniffing softly, she met her attorney's gaze.

“You said this process can take two weeks to be completed, I think we need to get to work..”

Mr Miller gave a nod and walked away with her towards his car. He stopped for a second when his phone buzzed with a notification. He sighed on reading the text message.

****

The last few weeks have been a living nightmare for Olivia, after finding out about the clown mask her husband and the rest of her friends had on their faces, she has been extremely nauseous whenever Kelvin is near her.

How can one be so crafty and manipulative like him? He was too good with his game, almost good.. until he slipped up.

But their day of reckoning was here. Today was the day she planned to be free.

Olivia stared at her reflection in the mirror, she was seated while a make-up artist stood behind her. Today, she wanted to wear her makeup by herself with no one's help.

“Why don't you try out the nude lipstick? It will give you a very innocent and pretty look..”

Olivia snickered at the lady's remark. She had no intention to look innocent at tonight's party. The whole country will be watching her, after all it was her wedding anniversary.

She reached for the bright red lipstick and ran it over her lips. It rather made her look ravishing and deadly at the same time. Her hair was packed up into a loose bun, and a crystal earring dangled on both sides of her face.

Satisfied by her look, Olivia pushed her chair back calmly and unstripped herself of the white bathrobe she had on to reveal a strapless red gown which stopped a little below her thigh.

The silk material shimmered in the light, she looked drop dead gorgeous.

“Ma'am this isn't the dress the boss got for you..”

The make-up artist reminded only to be ignored by Olivia.

“Your boss can't tell me what to wear..” She snorted and walked out of the room holding her silver purse to her chest.

She wasn't a fool anymore. The simple ash colored dress bought by her husband was just to dull her in the eyes of the public while Nancy gets to shine.

The event was to be held at a grand hall in the outskirts, just a twenty minutes drive from home.

****

At the venue, luxurious cars and rides were parked up and the entrance was bubbling with different elites dressed to the nines. All of them were excited to witness such a grand event of the most famous couple in L.A.

A black maybach rolled up and it got the media's attention, they were quick to flash their cameras as the pair emerged from the car. Surprisingly, it wasn't the couple they expected it to be.

It was Kelvin and Nancy.

Kelvin was dressed in a black tuxedo and a white crisp shirt underneath coupled with a black bowtie around his neck. By his side was Nancy dressed in an extravagant emerald green gown that had a long tail. She no doubt looked way too dressed up for this event..

“Mr Ashford.. where's your wife? Is she going to be here tonight?..”

There was a slight frown on Nancy's face at the question thrown at Kelvin. This was all her idea to come with Kelvin together in his car, she wanted to pass the idea of suspense to the crowd.

“My beautiful wife will be here anytime soon, I'm a gentleman and I want to be the one to hold her hand as she steps out of the car. The suspense must be killing you..” He cackled at his butthead joke.

A black limousine pulled over and instantly, the media surrounding Nancy and Kelvin diverted their attention to the car to capture every fucking moment of Olivia's arrival.

Kelvin left Nancy's side and approached the car, he opened the backseat door with a large beam on his face which was obviously for the cameras but as soon as Olivia stepped out of the car with her hand placed in his, his smile froze for a few seconds.

The dress was completely different from the one he chose for her to wear.

“Mrs Ashford.. how does it feel like to be married to a wealthy man like your husband..”

Olivia didn't respond to any of the reporters questions, all she did was to smile and wave at them until she got into the hall, she caught sight of Nancy at a distance who was fuming at a corner.

As expected, Nancy stood out more in that dress compared to the dull one Kelvin got for her. But sadly, tonight is all about Olivia and no one was gonna steal that shine from her.

Her red gown was the brightest outfit in the hall and the way she carried herself with grace added more to her aura.

“Olivia, what happened to the gown I gifted you? You're standing out too much..”

Olivia groaned a little, she pouted her lips feigning hurt.

“What do you mean honey? I should be the one to stand out the most here..just take a look at Nancy for example, she's looking too good and her outfit would have outshined mine if I wore it instead..”

She noticed the long eye contact he had with Nancy and the way he acted very uncomfortable.

How could she not see the signs earlier on?

“It's fine.. let's get you seated, it must hurt standing on those stilettos..”

Olivia gave a nod. All smiles were for the cameras flashing on them anyway. Tonight will be the beginning of their misery.

Once seated, Nancy walked up to her smiling from ear to ear.

“Oh bestie, You're looking so good that I'm suddenly feeling so insecure about my looks..” She said which should be taken as a joke but deep down Olivia knew the underlying meaning to her words.

"Oh dear!” Olivia cackled in fake laughter.

The sitting arrangements in the hall were just four or five chairs around a table in different parts of the hall. According to the invite sent out, at least hundred were sent out and it was also a plus one event. No one could miss it even if they wanted to because it was an opportunity to meet with other business moguls. So the hall was pretty packed up but had more than enough space for the guests.

From where she was seated with Nancy and Kelvin, she spotted her lawyer at a particular table, they exchanged glances and smiled a little to acknowledge the other.

Her attention was drawn to the entrance where a slight commotion was going on, her mother-in-law and father-in-law were here.

“Very good..”

They didn't like her from the start and they'll probably end up murdering her in their minds after this night is over.

Tick Tock! Tick Tock!