MAD LOVE

Chapter 25

"And you know how to encourage others." Grinning, I closed my eyes. "I'll try to explain myself to Amanda and slip away unnoticed."

"I think that's unlikely to work, because you really stand out from this crowd."

His words made sense. As soon as I appeared in the foyer, I attracted a lot of attention.

"My dear, you look great!" Amanda Norton greeted me enthusiastically, offering me a glass of champagne.

We went out into the backyard garden, where soft music was playing. Sitting down on a bench, we chatted half the evening. She asked a lot of questions: Do I like university and what do I do in my free time? Do I want to go home and do I miss my parents? Then she remembered curious episodes from her student life, how she got married and widowed. But without warning, a velvety baritone interrupted our conversation, the owner of which had brought a lot of pain into my life.

"Good evening, ladies! You look great." Mark wore a black tuxedo, as if he just stepped off the cover of a magazine. The only thing that distinguished him from a cover model was his split eyebrow and lip. "A great evening and splendid music. Mrs. Norton, let me steal your guest interlocutor for one dance."

"I'm don't think so," Amanda said and looked disapprovingly at him. Of course, she knew who he was, because their families were on friendly terms, but the children were not. It was funny.

"Only one!" Ignoring Amanda, Mark grabbed my arm, but the woman held on with a death grip on the other side. "Mrs. Norton," Mark said through his teeth, "I won't hurt her," and then dragged me to a makeshift dance floor a couple of yards from our bench.

"You are indescribably beautiful today," Wood whispered in my ear.

"Mark, please don't touch me. Your touch brings nothing except pain." My voice faltered at the last word.

"We'll fix that, honey. Not touching you is like dying," he said, then I felt an electric shock from his lips on my skin.

"Mark, let's go, everyone's already here," a woman called out to him, and by her voice I knew who she was. "You! What are you doing here?" This was obviously addressed to me.

"She's my guest, Mrs. Wood. Any objections?" Amanda intervened.

"Don't ruin my son's life!" she hissed, and pulled Mark aside with a jerk.

There was a whole palette of emotions on the guy's face, from hatred and anger to contempt. And to whom? To his mother?

"Who's bothering who? Mark found us here in this garden, and this young lady was definitely not seeking him out." This situation clearly annoyed Amanda, knowing exactly what this woman was accusing me of.

"And you!" Mrs. Wood turned back to her son. "Just you try to contact her again!"

Not paying any attention to his mother, Mark smiled slyly and whispered to me: "I'll see you again." He then pouted his lips in a mock kiss. Since the official part of the evening was about to begin, Amanda and I also headed to the hall and joined her family. I was shaking from this encounter; even the champagne didn't help.

I'd rather meet Mike. Although...

"Alana? What a pleasant surprise." Nicole gently hugged me. "How nice that you came to share this event with us."

"Stephen, meet Alana Moore, a delightful girl. We talked about her," Amanda said as she introduced me to her son.

"A girl with a selfless soul and a pure heart," he smiled. "I remember. I'm Stephen Norton, nice to meet you, Alana. By the way, a beautiful name."

"Thanks. And I am very pleased to meet you." I was somehow embarrassed by his compliment.

He was a very handsome man, and it was clear from whom Mike inherited that heavenly shade of eyes.

"Let me ask you, how did you meet in Boston?" Mr. Norton continued.

"It happened by accident, in a park near Harvard University," Amanda replied.

"Are you studying there?" Stephen asked, clearly wanting to hear me, not his mother.

"Yes. I started Medical School this year. I dream of becoming a surgeon."

"What a noble profession. I love it. Mike's also studying at Harvard, only in business school. Have you crossed paths with him?" I didn't even have time to open my mouth, as a rather drunken voice interrupted me.

"And what the hell are you doing here, Moore?" I heard something similar just a few minutes ago.

Honestly, why did I come?

I closed my eyes in despair and sighed humbly: do I really deserve such treatment? Everyone except me looked at Mike. But he paid no attention to anyone, waiting for my answer.

"And how long have you been talking to her behind my back?" Mike turned to Amanda. "Have you been doing charity work for a long time, Grandma?"

It was very insulting, and I would not to take it anymore. I spun to the guy and looked into his eyes with hatred.

"Charity?" I was terribly offended because I had asked no one for help. Grabbing the pendant, I tore it from my neck and put it in the hand of him, who had recently given it to me. I don't need handouts.

Mike studied the chain he held with a predatory grin. Then he clenched that hand into a fist and raised his wild eyes to me.

"I'm sorry. I think it's time for me to go now." I turned to leave the room before it got even worse. And yet Alex was right.

However, Mike grabbed my arm and turned me towards him without letting go. Jessica and Alex immediately stepped closer. My presence astounded Jess, but she was ready to stand up for me, expecting the conflict that was inexorably brewing.

"Have you seen each other yet? They say you even had some fun in the garden, right here, at my house!" Mike hissed through his teeth, speaking directly to my face.

"Mike, it wasn't like that at all! I was there myself!" His grandmother tried to defuse the situation, but to no avail.

"I've been racking my brain all this time. Why are you rejecting me? Why did you break up with that bastard who still haunts you, and why do you despise my entire world? And then I understood... You're just jealous!"

"Player, stop, you're drunk!" Alex warned, but I raised my hand so that he would not interfere. I needed to hear it.

Everything in me was boiling with anger and resentment, because it happened in front of complete strangers. All attempts to calm the drunk guy were unsuccessful. The whole world narrowed down to the two of us, and his voice sounded like we were alone in the room.

"And since you reject the elite who could give you the whole world, then let the poor who have achieved nothing in this life please you!" That was it. That was the end of my patience. My last drop of pride evaporated from such shame!

The slap rang out through the entire hall. And just as he tried to jerk in my direction, Alex wrapped his arms around him, restraining him. I could not stay at this event for a second longer. I ran outside, quickly hailed a taxi, and left the Norton estate behind me.