Vindicated (Camren)

Chapter 10: Intruder

• • •

Stan Cabello grinned at his reflection on the mirror as he neatly secured the navy blue bowtie around his neck, and then reached out for the comb sloppily lying on the table to fix his messy hair into place. For the final touch, he picked up the expensive perfume Dinah gave him for Valentine's Day and sprayed the fragrance all over his atmosphere. Typically, on regular days, the process of dressing up for him would only include putting on a shirt, a pair of faded blue jeans, and a pair of shoes. With just a little bit of the perfume and after a playful shake of his wet hair, he would have been good to go. However, this particular night was a little extra special. It was the night which Normani Kordei's dad was throwing a birthday party, so he needed to put on that little extra effort to make sure he was presentable for the occasion.

Not wanting to be late for the party, Stan straightened his suit one last time then retrieved the invitation card from his bed as well as the bouquet of flowers he planned to give to the beautiful Hamilton heiress. Before long, he was heading out to the door. The night was indeed starting off in a very good light, but right when he pulled the door open, Blue and Red were there to prevent his exit.

"What is this?" Stan questioned, but received no response. He took a step forward to assert his right of way, but the two bald men further blocked his path. Annoyed, he threw dirty looks at them and firmly ordered, "Get the fuck out of my way."

"You seem too dressed up tonight, Stan."

Stan's fierceness suddenly disappeared upon hearing his father's voice. The sharpness in his eyes instantaneously softened as the two men in front of him parted away revealing the presence of Alejandro Cabello himself.

"Where are you off to?" asked the old man.

The young man lowered his head slightly and muttered, "Just some party."

Alejandro pursed his lips together as if contemplating the idea, but then he slowly shook his head and fixed an eye on his son. "No, I don't think so. Not anymore."

"But-"

"There's something more important that I need you to do," was all Alejandro's statement, but it was enough to keep the younger Cabello from speaking furthermore. Stan simply nodded his head in submission. "I'll see you at the Green Room for the briefing."

Blue and Red left the young man with an adequate amount of 'We're keeping an eye on you' look before following behind their master back to the Green Room leaving Stan at the door to pull himself together and stare at the bouquet of flowers and the white envelope clenched in his hands.

• • •

The Hamilton home may not be as gigantic as the Jauregui Manor, but it was definitely just as grandeur. It had a wide driveway made out of cobblestones with a well-maintained modern garden rock fountain in the middle of that mini roundabout. If that wasn't extravagant enough for a regular person, at the door entrance stood four Corinthian columns as a foundation. Moreover, a number of usherettes elegantly dressed up for the occasion were lined up at the door to welcome the guests and show them the way to the banquet hall where a boring classical music was playing. Camila reminded herself not to stay near the mini orchestra at any point during the night or she'd probably doze off without even meaning to.

"Are we late?" Lauren frantically asked her best friend who met them up by the door. "We had to stop by at 7-Eleven."

Normani shook her head, "Just in time, but your father is already here."

Then, the Hamilton heiress nervously turned her eyes to the shorter woman standing behind her best friend. Camila didn't say a word, and so Normani threw her hands in the air and gasped in frustration.