The Cinderella Bride (NaNoWriMo14)

Chapter Nineteen

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Unedited, so excuse the mistakes.

“Merci, monsieur.” Diana thanks the waiter and grabs a glass of champagne, sipping it and sitting right next to me, “Hello, Ava.”

Since the little confrontation that happened yesterday, I haven’t seen nor talked to Diana. From her reaction yesterday, I assumed she wasn’t pretending to not know me and she seemed genuinely surprised that I knew both Carter and Sean.

“Hello.” I drawl, focusing on the people inside the building. I got irritated by the dirty looks Mrs. Henderson was shooting me (She still thinks I’m some kind of gold digger) and how she whispered stuff to the people she was talking to, earning me some dirty looks from them as well. So, I told Carter I needed some fresh air and went to the verandah and took a seat on the bench facing the inside of the building.

Apparently, there’s a huge dining area that is used during company dinners inside the building Sean owns and uses as an office and work area. “Please know, I did not know who you were when I met you.” she says looking apologetic.

“I know that, don’t worry.” I say still not looking at her but glaring at Mrs. Henderson who seems to be doing the same.

“Then why do you seem angry at me?” She asks, taking another sip from the champagne glass she has in her hand.

“It’s not you that has got me in a bad mood.” I say peering my eyes away from Mrs. Henderson, “It’s everybody else here that thinks I married Carter for his money. In other words, everyone who thinks I’m a gold digger.”

“Ahh, I see.” She slouches, “I’ve had my fair share of haters, so, one thing I’ve learned from them is, screw them.” She smiles, “They’re just jealous.”

I eye suspiciously and raise a finger to point it to her, “I remember Sean saying money not mattering to you, I don’t see why you would have haters.”

She doesn’t answer me. She just finishes the glass of champagne she’s been holding and takes a deep breath, “It wasn’t always like this.” she states.

I raise an eyebrow, “What do you mean?”

“It’s a long story, Ava.” She says muttering, “Probably not one you’d like to hear.”

I glance back to the inside of the building and my eyes finally find Carter who seems to be busy talking to someone with Sean by his side. I then look back at Diana, “Believe me, I have the time. Besides, it’s not like I would like being in here with those judgy rich people.”

She laughs, “Alright, you win.” She takes another deep breath, “Sean was never present in my life even when I was an enfant.” She takes the confused look on my face as a sign, “Child. Enfant means child. Anyway, he was never present and that made me grew up with my mother, one who had tried filling the hole my father left in her life with many other...lovers.” she says.

I understand what she means by that, “Okay.”

She takes my ‘okay’ as a sign to continue, “When I was in high school, my mother slept with one of my classmate’s father and he left her soon after but that didn’t stop said classmate, who didn’t like the fact that my mother and father had once had some kind of relationship from deeming me a  l'enfant de pute which in english means whore’s child.” She says. Her eyes filled with hurt, “They bullied me, they said that my real father didn’t want me because he didn’t believe I was his or that he felt I was an unfortunate accident.”

By this time, I notice her tearing up, “It’s okay, take your time.” I say trying to comfort her.

She quickly wipes away the tears brimming and takes a deep breath, “I am okay. Je vais bien.” she mutters. “I actually believed he didn’t want me at one point in my life, I almost took my life because I couldn’t stand it anymore. My mother seemed to be too absorbed with trying to fill the emptiness she felt in here.” she says raising her hand to hear heart, “My father wanted nothing to do with me, I knew this by the many phone calls I’ve seen my mother try to make to the man I called father and the bullying had gotten worse. It was ridiculous how all these kids, kids I didn’t even know hated me because of one unsatisfied boy whose father left my mother!”