Devotion (3) ✔

3 - Mariana

The event was being held at the Grand Plaza hotel. It's roman pillars and lion statues boasted power. Only the wealthy could afford a night here. I got out of the Rolls Royce car that Santiago had sent for me. I knew Miss Caroline was there too, someone's plus one. The driver helped me out and my silky dress dropped to the floor. Everything was made of stone.

I showed up in a plunge v neck loose silver dress with thin spaghetti strap with a slit down my right leg. My hair was carelessly slung over my right shoulder, loose curls that I'd finessed for hours to look natural.

I felt like I was inside Madusa's kingdom. As I walked up red carpet stairs, I watched other men and woman scattered around the width of the entrance. Some people stood of to the side to speak before going in, other waited for someone. A group of woman hugged and spoke loudly like they were the popular group in school.

This is exactly what it was. The social ladder in real life. Miss Caroline had taught me to how to understand people from their body language. She taught me how to spot the men who are rich and are unfaithful. To understand what one's gaze meant or what one's smile meant.

At the top of the stairs, there were body guards one the other side of the red velvet rope.

"Invitation?" The man asked, looking at my cleavage.

I went into my little clutch, pulled out the black and blue invitation.

He didn't take it from me, just unhooked the rope from one side so I could enter. This was not my first rodeo. The hostess in the lobby would be taking down names. Rather, ticking them off the list. Everything was very exclusive and snobby, of course.

"Mariana Rodriguez." I said. She typed in my last name into her tablet and when she saw it, she smiled at me and asked me to follow the red carpet.

I carried on, two doormen on either side opened the door for me and I thanked them. They were surprised that someone even acknowledged them. Beaming, they told me to have a good evening in return.

Miss Caroline always told me to kind to be waiters, doormen and anyone who were serving. If something went wrong, someone decided to blurt out who we were, we would have a way out from the back or we'd have help from at least someone.

I was just kind to them because it was the right thing to do.

The ceiling looked like it was made of gold. There were streaks of wavy patters hanging from the top that covered the whole hall. It was either reflective or had light in it. Whatever the hell it was, I wanted one on my ceiling. It looked so beautiful. But I probably would get one that could change colours.

The chandelier in the middle crystals with light inside them. The rays of light scattered themselves around like a disco ball, moving every time the crystal felt a gush of air. I picked up my place card and found that I was near the middle of the hall. That was fine. If Santiago had put me at the back, I would have walked the hell out. If he had put me on his table, I would have done the same.

Tiago coaxed out certain emotions out of me that I'd never felt before. Jealous because he's married, annoyed that I don't get to be with him and a foreign feeling of want. I never want the men for myself but with him, I want him.

The hairs the back of my neck stood up and I know Tiago was there. I didn't know what it was but I knew it was him.

My heart hate picked and instead of turning back, I tried to find my table when suddenly an hand on my arm stopped me.

David.

Turning, I found beaming with happiness.

"I didn't know you were going to be here." He gave me a hug and took my place card from me. "Let me show you to your seat."