A jarring and unexpected reunion

Ashley’s POV

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I humbly and warmly welcome you all to the fashion excellence awards. I would like, on behalf of the CEO, to thank each and every one of you for participating in this contest. It has been an activity-packed week, and we have a series of awards to hand out this evening.” The host says.

He lists out a series of awards that would be won, and everyone, including me, is impressed. At least, the CEO didn’t provide an opportunity for only his girlfriend to win something.

Maybe I would be able to win something as well, even if it isn’t cash. I listen to the host drone on and on, almost absentmindedly.

Soon, I have the unmistakable feeling of eyes on me, and I look sideways, only to find Claire Anderson on the row beside me, staring at me with an unsettling and piercing gaze.

I know who she is, because I've seen her before on television, and once during a meeting we had with the organizers of the program the day after we got here.

The day I saw her at the meeting, I could sense that she passionately disliked me for reasons best known to her, even though our paths didn't directly cross.

Now, she's staring at me with the same unfriendly and smug look, as though she's got a personal beef with me, and knows something that I don’t.

I’m certain the smugness means that those women I heard gossiping earlier were right, and she knows fully well that she’s the winner of the grand prize.

Well, congratulations in advance to her, but I can't help but wonder why she’s so fixated on me when there are notable fashion designers here, like Cyndi Garcia.

If I didn’t know better, I would say that she’s insecure and jealous of me, judging by the way she has been behaving towards me since yesterday, but that is just plain absurd.

“And now, ladies and gentlemen, before we reveal the winner of this contest, I would like to welcome our esteemed CEO and leader of our group of companies, Wilson Ventures International, to the stage to announce the winner of this contest. Kindly join me to welcome him with a thunderous round of applause.” The host finishes.

Claire is still glaring at me, but now, she tosses her head with an exaggerated air of self-importance and finally faces forward. Shaking my head and wondering what her problem is, I face the stage as well to see the much-talked-about CEO.

The crowd is clapping enthusiastically as requested by the host, and I join them, but after I’ve clapped four or five times, my hands pause midair of their own accord as I stare stupidly, with my mouth wide open, at the stage and the man who has just come on it from backstage.

“Oh, my goodness. That man is handsome and hot as fuck! I can’t believe that’s the CEO. I was convinced that he was going to be a much older man. This guy is most likely in his early thirties!” One of the women who was gossiping earlier says in surprise, and the other one agrees with her immediately.

My heart tightens in my chest as I continue to stare at the stage. It cannot be … my eyes have got to be deceiving me, or perhaps, I'm dreaming. 

There’s just no way on earth that this is possible, but as the seconds pass, I realize that I'm not dreaming, and I'm in fact, staring at Jeff Wilson right this minute.

As though he can feel my gaze on him, he looks into the crowd and straight at me, and I flinch as though he has landed me a solid blow. Tears well in my eyes immediately, but I blink them back furiously and finally remember to drop my hands onto my lap.

He does not show surprise or any sign that he recognizes me, but he keeps staring at me as he gives his speech, so I suspect that he knows exactly who I am.

I wonder how he can he can be so outwardly calm, whereas I'm fairly certain that for my part, I'm shaking like a wet dog. I watch his mouth move as he speaks, but I don’t hear a single word of what he’s saying because my ears are ringing loudly.

Reminding myself to focus and pay attention to what he’s saying, I shake myself a little, just in time to realize that the audience is now listening with rapt attention and bated breath to Jeff.

He’s still staring at me as his lips move, but he doesn’t show any signs of surprise or recognition, and I begin to think to myself that maybe he actually doesn’t recognize me.

Maybe he isn’t even looking at me like I think, but at someone in front of me, or behind me, after all, the stage is quite a distance from where I'm sitting.

Maybe this person isn’t even Jeff. Maybe he is just a really good look-alike, because there’s no way on earth Jeff managed to become the CEO of the biggest group of companies in the country in the space of five years.

“I … I know this guy keeps a low profile and all, b … but do you know his name?” I turn to ask Janet dumbly.

“Of course, I do. His name is written right there on the events program.  Jeff Wilson. What’s wrong? You look incredibly pale. Are you alright?” She replies, showing me her program. I don’t bother to look at it, because there’s no point.

My heart starts slamming hard against my ribcage the moment I hear that name and confirm that it is indeed him, but I can't for the life of me figure out how on earth that is possible.

Now, I'm seriously regretting participating in the competition, and I'm thinking of the best way to convince Janet that we need to leave, and immediately, too.

“And the winner of the grand award is none other than ... Ms. Ashley Hunt! Congratulations! We’ll be presenting the grand award, as well as other awards, later this evening. Before then, however, I’d like us to take a moment to recognize the winner of the grand award, none other than Ms. Ashley Hunt, who is present with us here this evening, for her incredible feat. ” I hear Jeff say, as though from far away, and the crowd erupts in a thunderous cheer.