Chapter 23: Sizzling Chemistry
Sophia sensed the panic on Annabelle’s face, her teeth gritting in frustration. She seemed to have collected all the useless people on this earth as her team. Turning to Zevian, she intervened, "It’s just a petty fight between sisters, Mr. Reign. Let’s not spoil the party’s fun."
"You don’t need to worry about such petty things, Mrs. Wright. I’m sure it will be the highlight of this party," Rosalind said with a sneer. The crowd agreed, their eyes gleaming with anticipation for the unfolding drama.
"We have retrieved the video, Mr. Reign," the event manager announced as his staff worked on their laptop. They transferred the footage to a tablet and handed it to Zevian. He shook his head, having a better idea to make the revelation even more exciting.
"Play it on the main screen," he instructed. His words erupted the crowd into murmurs, and Annabelle’s tears instantly stopped. It seemed like Zevian was overconfident in Evelyn’s innocence, and many couldn’t wait to see him proven wrong.
Evelyn looked up at him in surprise, her eyes tearing up slightly. She had never expected such blind trust from anyone, especially not after her father’s constant doubts. A warmth spread through her chest, mixing with the adrenaline of the moment. If her father had shown half as much trust, she would have exposed Annabelle and the mastermind behind her downfall by now.
As the event manager nodded and quickly headed toward the stage, the room seemed to hold its breath. The lights dimmed slightly, and the guests moved closer, their eyes fixed on the screen. When Zevian had asked to place hidden cameras in every nook and cranny of the venue, they couldn’t understand why. He is really what people claim him to be, the manager thought with a smile while directing his team.
Annabelle’s heartbeat increased with every passing second, and Sophia’s tight grip on her hand only made it worse. Messing up would cost Annabelle this precious job, maybe even her life if it caused too much trouble for her stepmother. But the video safely backed up on her phone gave her a little air to breathe amidst the drowning mess.
"Is this the first pin we’ll prick this voodoo doll with?" Elias whispered in Evelyn’s ear, making her chuckle. She nodded, relishing Annabelle’s distress as much as Annabelle had relished tormenting her.
The staff quickly played the video on the big screen, and everyone gathered in front of the stage. A few guests took out their phones to capture the drama, especially Elaine, who went live on her social media. Avery shook her head and smiled at Elaine, appreciating her unintentional help in spreading the video.