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I had been to my fair share of these types of events before, but this one felt different. This time, I was the host, and I had Maya by my side, which made all the difference.
I led Maya around the room, introducing her to everyone I could, and telling everyone who cared to listen that she was mine.
The wine was delicious, and the conversation flowed smoothly. When I introduced Maya to some of my key employees who gathered at the head table, she easily charmed them with her wit and intelligence.
As we took our seats an hour later, Maya sat right beside me. I couldn't help but feel nervous. This was a make-or-break moment for my company, and I didn't want to mess it up. I fidgeted with my tie and took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves.
Maya noticed my unease and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. Her touch was like magic, and I felt my anxiety melt away.
I stood up to give my speech. Maya looked up at me, a proud smile on her lips, and I felt a surge of confidence.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us tonight," I began, my voice steady. "I am thrilled to introduce you to our latest innovation in wearable tech."
Maya
I stood at Jack's side all night, my heart swelling with pride. Jack was in his element, gliding through the room like he had wheels for feet, and taking me with him. He was the CEO of his company, a man of immense power and influence, and yet he wanted me with him, wanted to show me off to the world. I had nothing to offer him other than myself, but he didn't seem to care. And that made me feel so special.
The banquet dinner was a grand affair, with tables stretching as far as the eye could see. There were glittering chandeliers overhead, beautiful music in the background, and gorgeous people all around us. Jack had spared no expense in making sure everything was perfect, and I could see the admiration in the eyes of those around us. They looked at us and saw a powerful couple, one that had everything going for them.
Finally, Jack got on stage to start his presentation, and I reluctantly let him go. As much as I needed him around me, I knew he had to do this. It was what the whole evening was for, anyway. As he spoke, I watched him with a mixture of pride and awe. He was such an amazing speaker, commanding the attention of everyone in the room. And he was mine.
But not everyone was happy for us, or that Jack was with me.
As I sat aside, watching Jack wow the crowd with the watch which promised to replace conventional trackers for phones and cars, and could also double as a GPS device pinging the location of its wearer to the police in case of an emergency, I heard the whispers behind me. They were coming from a group of women, all gorgeous and dressed impeccably, who were eyeing me with open disdain. I could hear them wondering out loud how Jack could ever want to be with someone like me.
“Ugh, just look at her dress.” I squirmed in my seat when the nasally high voice entered my ears. “It screams desperate new money. I wonder what games she played to get Jack to take her in.”
I turned slightly and met the eyes of a gorgeous redhead. I remembered her from Jack’s circuit through the room; she was the daughter of a rich politician. She scoffed, looking me up and down, and turned to the person who she had been talking to.
“The bitch is staring. No class, at all.”
The other person, a plain-looking girl with a splatter of freckles across her nose, laughed. “I don’t know why she’s looking so pale.” I turned away, blinking back tears. “We all know it’s just a phase. Jack never stays too long with anyone, not after the accident…”
I clambered to my feet, hearing their whispered laughter at the flush in my cheeks, and pressed my lips together as I rushed out of the hall with my shoulders slumped. I just needed fresh air for a few seconds, and I sure as hell wasn’t going to get it there.
I had no idea what twists and turns I followed, but after a few minutes, I was in a lonely hallway. I took a deep breath, rested my back on the wall, and slid down until I was sitting on the ground.
I took deep breaths until the tightness in my heart dissipated. I could do this. Even though this was a new world and everyone in the room probably had more in their pocket than I had in my bank account, I deserved to be here. I could face those girls and anyone else who felt like I was so easy to bully. Anyway, Jack was the only one that mattered.
I tried to will myself into believing what I was telling myself. I tried to steel my spine so I could handle whatever they threw at me. But it was hard when I didn’t even believe in myself.
Sticks and stones…
The saying is wrong though. So wrong.I thought, as I tracked the glow from the single light bulb in the hallway, marking where it fell and the patterns it made on the soft oriental carpet. Their words hurt more than I could ever bring myself to admit.
I picked myself up and made my way back to the banquet hall, giving a smile to a pretty couple who walked in just before me, and I caught the tail end of Jack’s presentation. The crowd was eating it up, and I could see a few exchange nods.
When he finished, there was thunderous applause, and I cheered along with everyone else. I could see Jack looking out at the crowd, his eyes scanning the faces, and I knew he was looking for me. When he finally found me, he smiled, walking towards me, and I felt my heart swell with love.
“How did I do?” he whispered in my ear as he hugged me.
“You were amazing,” I whispered back, patting his cheek when he pulled away from me. “They loved you. You had them all spellbound.”
Jack laughed, nudging me with his hip as he took me in his hand again and led me to the table.
“If you’re right, then they’ll give me all their money and I can start production soon.”
He stopped in front of a few people, accepting their congratulations and promising to contact them, and then he pulled out my chair for me.
