****

A FEW DAYS LATER

The Michael Villa was decorated beautifully from inside and out, and it has been lit up brightly for the occasion of Michael Villa’s second daughter, Sandy's engagement.

The theme of the party is white as all the guests were requested to wear white. Plain yet classy.

While the whole villa was filled with people in white, a young woman wearing a knee-length dress with a round neck stepped down the stairs taking everyone’s attention.

Not because of her charm but because of her dress which is black. She looked outnumbered by the guests but she didn’t care about it at all.

Her black dress is sleeveless and it has a flowy effect on it the black ribbon on her waist that is wrapped as a bow at her back made her slim waist more visible to people’s eyes. To add to her rebellious look, she has been wearing black lipstick too.

Completely ruining Sandy’s white fairytale theme engagement.

Noticing all gazes on her and the ugly face of Sandy, she smiled triumphantly and then walked towards the bar. She knew at this moment her father couldn't scold her no matter what and also she has to take her revenge on Sandy and this occasion is the perfect choice to do it so.

Hazel took a seat at the bar and immediately a handsome man approached her, “What would you like to have, Miss?”

“Vodka shots, please,” Hazel replied without any hesitation and the bartender looked at her, stunned.

This is not an occasion to have vodka shots clearly.

“Uhmm, Miss,” He hesitated and soon a voice came over, ordering the drink on behalf of her, “A dry martini for the lady, please.”

The voice brought bitterness to Hazel’s heart as she frowned unhappily, “Why the f**k you are here?” She asked, her tone giving no manners at all.

“It’s my engagement, you are forgetting,” Bennett reminded her as he took a seat beside her.

The Bartender placed the dry martini in front of Hazel and she took a sip from it, “How’s it?”

Bennett asked expectantly while Hazel replied with a look of disgust, “Pathetic.”

“You look beautiful,” Bennett complimented her with a smile and Hazel looked at him with deep hatred in her eyes, “Buzz off, or I’ll do something that would make me regret later.” She warned.

“Why are you so angry with me?” Bennett asked cluelessly.

“Huh… Do you think I am a fool, Bennett? I know clearly what you have done to help Sandy to get into good books.” Hazel sneered in disdain.

“I have done nothing,” Bennett tried to explain but Hazel wasn’t in the mood to listen to him at all. She finished her drink and then stood up to leave. Her mouth felt bitter and sour after the drink and soon she spotted the chocolate fountain placed neatly on the menu.

While she was walking towards it, she didn’t realize that Bennett was following her and Sandy’s eyes were following them both intently.

She reached the counter and then picked the marshmallow from the stick as she dipped it in the chocolate fountain and then took a bite of it.

She was busy savoring the deliciousness of marshmallows and chocolate when her hand was held by someone in a hard grip, “Hazel, listen to me.”

Bennett said anxiously as he held her hand and his intimate action took everyone’s attention but he didn’t care about suspicious gazes on him at all.

“I don’t want to,” Hazel snapped as she pulled her hand out of his grip, “Let me talk.” Bennett requested desperately but Hazel seemed to turn a deaf ear to his requests as she kept pulling her hand away from him and more people started to gather to watch them.

The atmosphere started to get tense and between this intense moment, Hazel’s half-eaten marshmallow dropped and her jaw dropped open in disdain.

“What the…” Before she was able to curse Bennett a voice took both of their attention, “Bennett, son, Leave your sister alone, Sandy is waiting for you at the stage.” Betty came over and then took Bennett away.

While Hazel was still in a daze, she started to boil in anger as she looked down at her marshmallow and then at the chocolate fountain. She turned and looked at the back of Bennett and Betty.

A half-smirk appeared on her lips as she thought of something and then dipped her hands in the chocolate fountain and strode towards Bennett.

“Bennett…” She called out loudly and as Bennett turned around, she rubbed her hands on his white three-piece suit that he was wearing for his engagement, “Let’s talk.” She said with a smug smile and then heard gasps from a few people around them.

Bennett’s whole suit was ruined by chocolate marks but he looked unbothered as he looked at Hazel with deep interest. Hazel’s smirk remained and when she noticed the ugly faces of Betty, Sandy, and her father. Her smirk widened in accomplishment.

She knew that in front of everyone, her father is helpless and he won’t do anything that would harm his image neither Betty would allow him to do anything that would make his image bad.

Hence, they both have to tolerate her at the moment but deep inside she knew that tomorrow’s sun would bring many difficulties for her but tonight. This night is glamorous and full of satisfaction for her.

Nodding gently to Bennett and other people she slowly slid away from the chaotic scene.

Before leaving, she caught her grandmother’s eyes, she looked shocked and then closed her eyes dejectedly as she murmured unhappily, “Hazel…”

*****

BANG… BANG… BANG

A woman was banging on the door but no one budged to open the door at all.

The old woman groaned and then scolded the maid, “Didn’t you eat a meal three times a day, huh? Still, you don’t have the power to knock on the door??”

She then pulled the maid aside and then raising her crutch she started banging on the door, “Hazel come out immediately or I’ll tell Michael that you are hiding here.” The granny threatened and quickly the door of the washroom opened wide revealing the flushed faze of Hazel.

“What…? What are you scared of now, huh?” The granny questioned sarcastically and Hazel pouted looking frightened.

Hazel had thought that Michael would beat her in the morning but no, Michael and Betty both were searching for her as soon as the guests left, and to her bad luck, the guests left pretty quickly after she had spoiled the occasion deliberately.

She had no choice but to hide from her father in her grandmother’s room’s bathroom.

“I didn’t want to create a scene, granny. That Bennett… He deliberately came to me and pissed me off.” Hazel put all the blame on Bennett and her granny scoffed in response.

“Bennett hasn’t even said a single word against you.” She told her and Hazel rolled her eyes in annoyance, “He didn’t have to, granny. He had already done what he wanted to.”

“Hazel…” The granny sighed in frustration as she looked at her granddaughter's stupidity.

“Take these keys and spend the night out, Michael is mad at you. This time there is no way to save you, Hazel.” The granny threw the keys to the new garage lock to her and taking her hint she walked towards the door hurriedly but Granny’s voice stopped her.

“Stupid girl, not from the door. Jump out of the window,” She told her in annoyance, and nodding her head, Hazel opened the window and then cautiously jumped out of it.

Granny’s room was on the ground floor so she safely landed on the ground and then suddenly something hit her back, making her wince from the pain. “OUCH..”

She turned and scowled furiously, “Granny…”

“Pants, young woman,” Granny said knowingly and when Hazel looked down she realized that her dress isn’t appropriate to ride the motorbike hence she needed pants but Granny could have handed them gently instead of throwing them on her mercilessly.

“Thank you.” She picked up the pants and then thanked her granny even when her back was burning from pain.

“Be Safe.” The granny said worriedly to her.

Hazel knew her Granny was worried for her and also helpless because of her son at the same time. She has got old and in her old-time Hazel is always distressing her with multiple worries.

She hoped one day she would be able to achieve a place in her life where she would be able to take her granny away from Michael’s villa and fill her life with peace and joy.