Chapter 52: VINEGAR
The both of them didn’t move from their chairs even when some business men came forward to talk to Ethan. He didn’t want to leave Erika alone because he has already sighted some men who were eyeing her but a glare from him made them turn their heads away.
The names of Adrain and Felicia were announced and the crowd didn’t even bother to pay attention to them as they walked inside the villa. Adrain puffed up his chest while Felicia raised her chin proudly as they walked hand in hand.
Erika only gave them a glance and looked away not realizing that Adrain saw her. He frowned when he saw her sitting with another man and he was about to go confirm if it was really Erika that he saw but someone stopped him to talk about something. He let go of Felicia’s hand to go to the other side but not without giving her a warning look first.
Many people came to talk with Erika and she politely entertained them. Ethan was called over by Mr Gustavo, a fifty year old man who was a business friend to him despite their age difference. Ethan never really came to events like this but he always made sure to send gifts. He reached into his suit pocket and brought out a small, well packaged gift and handed it over to Mr Gustavo.
"Thank you," Mr Gustavo thanked Ethan. "It’s a miracle that you came for this year’s celebration. By the way, who was that lady that came in with you?"
"A special someone", Ethan replied while looking at where Erika was seated and the old man grinned at him.
Felicia was hanging around on the second floor, eyeing the handsome hunk who were below. They all look super rich, she thought to herself.
Felicia’s eyes spotted a man who was talking with Mr Gustavo and her eyes sparkled, he was so handsome. She wanted to go to him but needed to be discreet, everyone there knew she was Adrain’s wife. She looked around hoping not to see Adrain anywhere until her eyes landing on a familiar figure. The smile on her face fell and was replaced with a frown.
Felicia immediately climbed down the stairs and rushed towards the person and without a second thought she blurted out loudly,
"What do you think you are doing here?!"
Everyone’s attention was directed towards her as they all looked at her in confusion.
"Excuse me?" Erika asked Felicia who was glaring at her like she offended her. "If I may ask, why can’t I be here?".
"You are just a po....? Felicia was about to finish what she wanted to say but then, she remembered that people were still staring at them. She smiled at Erika and whispered, "You are just a poor girl from the slums, people like you are not supposed to be here. You are just going to stain everywhere with you dirt."
Erika smiled and replied calmly, "And you think people like you are the ones who are supposed to be here? Well, let me enlighten you. I was personally invited here by Mr Gustavo himself and I believe he knew what he was doing when he invited me. If you believe he is wrong, then you may go and talk to him about it".
Felicia’s furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. How could Mr Gustavo have invited Erika personally when she is just a nobody, she asked herself.
"Listen here...." Felicia was about to loose her cool.
"Felicia!" Adrain called her. He had been looking for her, hoping that she has not caused any trouble for him. Tonight was bad luck for him because non of these mega business men were willing to partner with his company because of his scandal three years ago. He needed to find the CEO of the Walters corporations. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh hubby, look who I found sitting here like she is someone important," she said as she linked her arm with Adrian’s and Adrain looked at Erika who had no expression on her face and it made her look cold and distant. "Shouldn’t she be on the street, begging?" Felicia sneered.
Erika didn’t even pay attention to them and got up to greet a woman who was walking towards her.
"Miss Walters, so nice to see you here. I have been speaking with your brother lately to ask if I could meet you personally but he always said you were busy with the company’s projects" the woman said.
"I am so sorry about that. I have been busy but am here now and we can talk", Erika replied politely and the woman nodded. The both of them went to the table she was sitting with her husband to discuss, totally ignoring the couple standing there like they were air.
Company? Brother? The same question raced in their mind. Could Erika be related to the CEO of the Walters corporations? Adrain thought to himself.
Ethan who was with Mr Gustavo smiled when he saw the whole thing. Erika was not a weak woman anymore she could totally handle herself.
Everyone chatted some more until it was time for Mr Gustavo to say his speech. Ethan and Erika sat back at there table together to listen to him. He started by giving a thank you to everyone who was able to attend the celebration and then he followed on with how the company started until it reached its highest peek of success now.
The whole time the speech was going on, Adrian’s eyes were on Erika. He saw the man who was sitting with her and it didn’t sit well with him. Did she move on? He asked himself. He never thought that she could possibly move on from him. He would need to ask her about it.
"Once again, thank you all for coming", Mr Gustavo ended his speech with another word of appreciation and everyone clapped their hands for him. And the cake was cut and served.
Ethan handed Erika a plate of cake and then took his own. Everyone else started eating as well. Erika excused herself to go to the lady’s room.
After she was done, she opened the door to leave but someone blocked her way.
"Excuse me, can you move out of the way?" She said to Adrian who was staring at her like he has never seen a woman before. Because of the lighting in the hallway that was way brighter that the one at where everyone were, he was able to clearly see her beautiful facial features.
"Who was that man?" He asked her.
"Excuse me?" Said Erika looking at him confused. If it was other times then maybe her heart would skip a beat to see his handsome face but now, she was totally immune to it.
"I saw you sitting with a man and from the looks of things, you both intimately know each other", he blurted out. "He is the one whom you seduced after we divorced, right?"
"You have been watching me? Also, I don’t think I need to explain anything to you. Just like you said, we are divorced. So I don’t own you any explanation", Erika said and was about to leave by Adrain grabbed her hand and pulled her back.
"So what mother said was true, you were cheating on me while still married to me", he spat out in distaste.
Erika laughed out loudly which made Adrain frown. She flung her hands away from Adrain’s hold and replied, "I was the one cheating? You were the one who cheated on me countless times but you still don’t see it. You know, I think I should thank you for that because if not for your countless cheating i wouldn’t have signed the divorce papers and I wouldn’t have met the man of my dreams". "Man of her dreams?" That thought didn’t suit well with him at all but his next words were interrupted with a sudden voice.
"Erika", Ethan called Erika. He had been waiting for her to come back since she left and it was taking minutes so he went to look for her only to find her ex husband hovering around her.
"Ethan, am sorry that am late". She apologized before she smirked at Adrain.
Adrain looked at the man in front of him in shock. This was the CEO of the Anderson Corporations. What was he doing with Erika? He asked himself. The Anderson were not people he could afford to offend so he politely greeted Ethan,
"Good evening, Mr Anderson", he raised his hands forward for a handshake but the glare pointed towards him from Ethan made him subconsciously retract it back.
"Is there a problem here? Why are you blocking the path for my girlfriend?" Ethan questioned him.
