Walking through the large double doors of the massive mansion, Laila felt out of her element in the little tight black dress Chelsea picked out for her from the very back of her wardrobe, hidden behind other more "practical" and less flashy clothes.
She noticed the judgemental gazes of several people in the room, several of whom were famous faces in the industry and known to her. She looked around the large hall in which the party was being held for a spot to take cover and hide away from the party's host before the witch could sink her claws into her.
While her gaze lazily danced around the room, she clashed eyes with very dark ones already staring at her from across the room. They belonged to a dark featured olive toned man in an equally black suit standing at a few inches above 6 foot. He was in the midst of several other men, none as striking or intimidating looking as he.
Intense. That was the first word that came to mind when she clashed eyes with this man whose very countenance oozed power and his gaze which felt as though it could rip through her and uncover all of her secrets, the broken shielded parts of her she had never laid bare in front of anybody.
Laila almost reeled back at the intense way in which that man's deep dark gaze bore into her. She pivoted on her four inch heels, forcefully breaking eye contact with him and began to walk in the opposite direction, towards a more secluded area of the hall when that same annoyingly shrill voice she had just had an earful of earlier in the hospital's parking lot called her name quite loudly in undisguised glee from across the room.
Amber tore away from her clique of similarly haughty old money companions and walked swiftly towards Laila.
"Laila, darling, oh my. I cannot believe you really showed up. Regardless, I'm absolutely delighted by your presence here. Hope you're feeling quite better now?" She piped up, eyes blinking rapidly, obviously recalling the earlier coughing episode at the parking lot of the hospital. She was still quite weary of the other woman, and her standing a few feet farther away from Laila than she normally would proved that.
Laila chuckled in amusement and picked up a glass of champagne which was being served to her by a waiter who was passing by.
"Of course I had to show up, Amber dearest. After all, you clearly insisted that I be there," she quipped in reply, placing emphasis on the 'insisted'.
"And yes, turns out the drugs I got at the hospital worked quite quickly as you can see. No more coughing for me, fortunately. Oh, dear, I do hope the illness hasn't been spread to you," she continued, increasing her tone to the hearing of others nearby at the last part of her sentence.
The blonde was pissed off . She gritted her bleached white teeth, trying to fight off the frown which threatened to mar her perfect forehead.
"Oh, stop that, Laila. You can see I'm obviously not under the weather in any way. Anyway, I must go. So many other guests to welcome and all that."
She pivoted on her high heels, obviously in a rush to get away from the sharp tongued Laila as quickly as she could.
Laila watched the other woman walk away in obvious discomfort, her mind momentarily wondering why that scene seemed really familiar. She shrugged, no longer dwelling on it and continued on her way to the corner she had been walking towards before being disturbed, not knowing that a dark interested gaze was still on her, even during her brief conversation with Amber.
About thirty minutes later, the party was already halfway through, and although Laila had gotten there late, the ex actress had already managed to chug down one too many glasses of the strangely sweet champagne, as well as a few other drinks, all alcoholic.
Her eyes swept the room. There were now a larger number of people than before, when she had just arrived. Men and women, all dressed to the nines in beautiful and expensive designer clothing. She even spotted several famous CEOs, and other influential names in the business world. Regardless of her many faults and annoyances, Amber did know how to throw a party.
"They look so untouchable and definitely less troubled than I do on most days," the pecan skinned woman thought to herself, fingers tapping steadily against the stem of the almost empty champagne glass which she held in her palm.
Her eyes, now looking lazily around the room at nothing in particular, sighted the intimidating man with whom she clashed eyes with earlier. He stood alongside an older male and female, the older male looking a bit similar to him. There was also a pretty younger platinum haired female who stood with them. She shared mildly similar features with the mystery male who looked to be in his late twenties to early thirties. Laila figured they were all family due to the similarities in their striking appearances and the olive skin they all seemed to have.
They stood not too far away from her, and she tuned into their conversation, curious about what the older woman was so ardently saying to Mr Intense. Upon hearing something about relationships and grandkids, Laila let out a small cough in discomfort. And the dark eyed man, as though on cue, raised his face towards Laila, amusement apparent in his deep gaze. He nodded towards her direction and said loudly, to her clear hearing, in a velvety deep, deceptively calm voice, "It's not a lie though. There's my girlfriend, mom, dad. I was waiting for the right moment to introduce her to you both."
Laila turned left and then right, searching for the obviously fictitious girlfriend he'd just mentioned. Upon noticing that she was the only person who stood in that corner, her doe eyes widened briefly before she quickly schooled her features, thanks to many years of acting, and met six curious eyes. She paused for a bit to rethink her situation and glanced at the cause of her present predicament.
He smiled warmly at her, an expression she had thought impossible for the man after first laying eyes on him earlier in the evening. "Laila, love, why don't you come introduce yourself to my family? Don't be shy now, darling."
Laila almost let out a physical shudder. She felt like a little rabbit caught in the hunter's trap. How on earth did the Devil sent male know her name? She paused for a few seconds, tilting her head slightly to briefly consider her next move.
And, maybe it was the champagne, or the stressful day she had taking it's toll on her, or perhaps, the longing she'd long suppressed for the last two years to act out a role in something, anything. But Laila found herself, as though being controlled by an invisible force, taking sure steady steps towards the family of four. And then, her arms hooking through the solid ones belonging to the other male who appeared momentarily surprised at her willingness to play pretend alongside him, she eloquently said to the older male and female, a beautiful smile adorning her enchanting face, " Your son's neither joking nor lying . He's indeed in a relationship with someone. And it just so happens, that lucky woman is me."