The Counselor » gxg [UNEDITED]

17.

Author's Note:

I reformatted the cover of this book. If you can notice, it is quite matchy-matchy with my other book: 'Lillie' since I followed its format for this.

What do you think of it though?

By the way, this chapter contains scenes and dialogues which may be disturbing for some readers. Consider yourself warned if you wish to proceed.

[!] Trigger Warnings: parent shaming, public humiliation

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3rd Person's POV (Narrator)

Justine and Alexa ended up sitting together with the Zuletas after some while of persuasion. Alexa sat on the chair next to Mrs. Zuleta. Justine sat next to Alexa which made her sitting in between of Alexa and Aspen. Aspen's parents were chatting with Alexa which kept her occupied. On the other hand, Justine was tensed the entire time. Aside from the fact that she is stuck into an awkward position of being in between her ex-girlfriend whom she pursues again, and her ex-wife who is still in love with her, there was something about Aspen that makes her feel this nervous.

Justine adjusted her chair, moving it closer to Alexa's. However, the latter seemed to be nowhere near to ending her conversation with the couple. Justine began tapping her fingers against the table, matching the beat of the song that was being played across the hall. This was her attempt to ease the anxiety that she was feeling. 

Soon, the hall became crowded. Each vacant table earlier was filled up by either a group of friends or families. From the way they look and behave, it can easily derive a common denominator among these people... and that is their socioeconomic class. You can easily know that they all came from the upper class.

A while later, the emcee finally showed up. She stood by the podium close to the slightly elevated portion of the hall where the set-up for Maurice and Alessandro can be found. She greeted everyone. Aspen straightened her posture and swallowed hard upon recognizing who owned that voice though. It was Karina.

Then, Aspen shut her eyes and pursed her lips, mentally cursing at Maurice for actually proceeding to have Karina take this role. She really thought that Maurice was just messing with her when she mentioned about considering Karina to be the emcee. Although she knows how much Karina's presence could help in executing the plan that she and Maurice came up with, she did not like the idea of having to see Karina again because she did not know how she would face her after all that she has done.

Little she did not know, Justine saw the way that she reacted. The former's eyebrows subconsciously furrowed upon seeing this reaction from Aspen.

"What's with that reaction? Did you two have something in the past?" The words came out from Justine's lips before she herself knew about it. 

This made Aspen look at Justine with her eyes widened. Well, even Alexa and Aspen's parents were taken aback by this. Her tone made her sound that she was jealous. That is when Justine realized what she has done.

"I-I mean," Justine stuttered while she was trying to explain herself. She quickly cleared her throat, desperate to sound articulate. "I was just curious on why you would react that way upon seeing someone, but you know... you do not have to answer. Besides, it is not supposed to be my business-"