I'm sure the tension surrounding our table was becoming noticeable amongst our guests, and I knew their whispers were about us. I could feel their eyes staring at me.

"Paulina you should go change." Mother tells me and I nod, moving to stand to my feet.

"I will go with her." Carl states and they all nod. He gives to me his arm, and I smile taking hold of it.

We walked together towards the side door on the left side of the room, smiling and greeting individuals as we passed. Some smiling back, others continuing to openly gossip.

"Could she really be cheating on him.?"
"What a slut, if she truly is."
"I knew with the way she always helped those colored people, that she was a nig*er lover."

Carl suddenly stops turning to look at the table full of middle aged women, causing their eyes to widen in shock, each trying to play off their nervousness.
"It's truly so inconvenient to be a nasty human being, racist, and unpleasing to the eye, all at the same time." He says, making them all gasp, looks of utter disbelief on their faces.

"I b-beg your pardon?" The blonde lady to the center says, looking rather offended.

"You heard what I said." He tells her and continues to lead me out the grand hall.

He opens the side door for me and I walk out, turning to look at him as he closes it.
"Carl-"

"Where exactly is the room?" He dryly says, his face now blank of any emotion.

"Wait I don't understand." He walks off down the corridor, and I rush after him, grabbing onto his arm.
"Carl wait, please."

"I don't want to talk Paulina. I simply did my duty. Oh there they are." He says pointing towards the group of women standing just a short distance from us.

"I'll head back to the others now. You can go the rest of the way yourself." He tells me and turns to walk off but I grab hold of his arm again.

"Carl, let us just talk...please." I plead with him but he removes my hand from him.

"Such topics should not be discussed outside the house."

"You won't even speak to me at home, where else am I to talk to you?" He chuckles, folding his arms.

"Talking to me was already not a usual thing at home. We would always be about our own businesses because that was what you wanted. I am simply staying true to it, instead of chasing you down like a needy puppy as I use to do." I search his eyes for any sign of something, any agin of...what exactly was I looking for. I should be happy, I should be glad that he is finally accepting that I will never love him. Yet why do I feel to cry?

"Oh umm..." I look away from his gaze, wiping away the traitor tears that fell. His features softening.

"Paulina-" I hold up my hands to him, pushing him away.

"You are right. I wanted this and I should be happy you are finally accepting things. You can head back inside, excuse me." I walk pass him without another word, passing the girls and going into the room.

My legs give out as I enter the room, the feeling of my throat closing up and my chest tightening.

Why are you like this for him Paulina? This is what we wanted. We can be with Assad now.

"Mrs. Kingston!" I look up towards the girls, only now realizing I was weaving and gasping for air. Rebbeca kneels in front of me, pulling into a hug.

"You have to calm down Madam. Breathe in...Breathe out, in...out." I try with everything in me to do as she instructed, but it was so hard. Dammit, my throat felt like it was purposely not letting any air get to my lungs.

"I c-c-can't." I tighten my grip on her clothes, feeling myself panic even more as I feel myself desperately needing air. I fear I'll pass out.
"I c-can't. I c-ant breathe!" I pull away from her, grabbing at my throat as both panic and fear completely washes over me. I kept trying to breathe but nothing went in.

"Reb-beca!" I managed to say her name.

"What do we do?"
"She's going to pass out."
"You have to calm down Madam."
"Please calm down madam." The girls all worriedly say surrounding me.

Rebbeca stares at me for sometime, before holding my face and kissing me. My eyes widen in surprise, my entire body and all of my emotions freezing up.

She pulls away, looking at me with a determined look.
"Breathe in." She sternly says and I breathe in, finding myself taking in very big breath.

"Good." She folds her arms over her chest, still holding her face in its serious state. The girls surrounding me as shocked as I.

"I have worked for your family as the Beautician for many years Madam. From a babe next to my mother to an adult even after she has passed. During those years, I have seen and heard things that would make anyone act the way you have. I may not know what has occurred as of recent between you and Mr. Ignius-Kingston, but you are not going to let anyone make you lose your confidence." She takes hold of my hands, pulling me to stand.

"Fight for what you want Madam Paulina. Do not give up on him if he is what you desire, but most of all do not give up on yourself."

——

I sat behind stage, watching as each item was brought forward. The highest bid so far being that of £750 000, for a drawing of Pemberton's capital drawn from only pencil.

I always knew Hadassah was a extremely talented painter, but to draw in only pencil and have such accurate and precise detailing, she was on a journey to become one of Pemberton's greatest artists.

"And now for our final item of the evening.  Well it is not an item per say, but I do believe it to be highly valued. An exclusive all expense paid dinner at Lux's Fine Dining with the heir of the Kingston Empire." The auctioneer says, and I stand to my feet. Rebbeca making sure one last time that I was ready. As he continues to speak.

"This is an opportunity of a lifetime for any man and woman, who may have a dream, a business plan, someone who may require to here a word of wisdom, maybe asks some questions. All in all, this one dinner could be the life changing moment for one of you tonight."

"Head held high Madam. You are the prize." I give her a firm nod.

"About the.." she smiles.

"Don't worry Madam. I have no feelings towards you. It was the only thing I knew would completely make you freeze up. Trust me I am wholeheartedly am in love with my boyfriend's tantalizing eight inches."

"Only the eight inches?" I tease and she laughs.

"Don't tell him." I nod, giggling.
"Off you go. Show them who you are." I grab hold of her hands.

"Thank you." She smiles.

"Anytime." I am not one to have friends. It's much easier without them, you can't trust many people, but there are sometimes those few, who I show great potential.

"Please welcome, her esteemed presence herself, the heir to the Kingston Empire's throne...Madam Paulina Kingston." The curtain pulls open and I step out onto the stage, a loud applause ringing through the room as I take my place left center of the stage-the spotlight shining brightly on me through the dimly lit room.

"Isn't she breathtaking indeed." I look towards my family, my father smiling brightly at me, making me smile as well. My eyes meet Carl's and he smiles at me, mouthing to me that I look beautiful.

All for show Paulina. I tell myself, yet I smiled back at him.

"This evening of luxury is truly an opportunity one cannot give up. For having the chance to have a one on one conversation and dinner with the heiress, is like a gift from God himself." He states and I see many eagerly awaiting him to start the bid.

My eyes meet those of Assad as I scan the room, a look of determination on his face; Mr. Kelivin next to him, his smirk only making me want to punch it off his face.

"The bid starts at £50 000."

"Fifty five thousand!" A dark skinned woman raises her paddle immediately.

"Sixty!" Assad raises his paddle, before the auctioneer could even speak. His paddle having the number 289 on it.

"Sixty thousand for the man in the cream suit, do I hear Sixty five?" I watch as a man in the back lifts his paddle.

"Sixty five for number 179! Do I hear Seventy?" Another man in a black tux responds at the same time with another woman on the other side of the room.

"Sir how much do you bid?" He asks the man.
"Seventy five." He replies.

"Well I bid, Eighty." The beautiful brunette in the maroon dress says, her husband or partner I believe sitting next to her, because he was matching with her and his arm was possessive my behind on her chair.

"Amazing, do I hear Eighty five?"

"Ninety!" Assad raises his paddle again. Making a few of the guest gasp, Mr. Kelvin cheering loudly next to him.

"One hundred and five." The woman in the maroon dress says, causing the room to go off in gasps.

"One hundred and five! Do I here Two hundred?"

"Two hundred!" An older man in the black tux says.

"We have two hundred, do I hear two hundred and fifty thousand?"

"Four hundred and fifty pounds." Mr. Kelvin suddenly raises his paddle, making Assad glare at him. I look to father, and he gives me a firm nod and I look forward again, keeping my smile on my face.

Just keep smiling Paulina. Do not let your countenance fall. I tell myself.

"Four hundred and fifty thousand pounds from Mr. Kelvin, do I hear five hundred thousand?" I look to Assad, watching as he glared at the man that sat next to him.
"Four hundred and fifty thousand going once-"

"Five hundred thousand." The older man in black raises his paddle once again. I could not make out his face, simply because of the lighting of the room where he sat and the shades he wore on his face.

"Five fifty." Assad raises his.

"Six Hundred and ninety five thousand." The woman in the maroon dress's partner raises his paddle, making her stare up at him in awe.

"Seven hundred thousand." I see mother's left eye twitch as Assad bids again. The murmurs as well was once again was starting around. Even Carl's mother seeming to be talking to her son, but he just stared intently at me.

"Seven hundred thousand going once-"

"One million pounds." Man in the maroon raises his paddle again, glaring in Assad's direction as if to challenge him. Gasps and sounds of awes ring off through the room.

"Seems we have a two way battle." Mr. Kelvin jests, causing many to chuckle, but I knew he did it on purpose. He wants to rouse the crowd, I just knew it.

"One million pounds going once. One million pounds going twice." He looks to Assad.
"This is the last call. Do I hear 1.5 million pounds?"

I stare at Assad as well, watching as his face furrows in determination and he raises his paddle.

"Two million pounds." Assad suddenly declares and the crowd begins to applaud him. I look back to Carl watching as he applauded along with the others in the room.

"Our highest bid for the night!" The auctioneer says happily.
"Two million pounds going once. Two million pounds going twice..."

"Last call folks." He raises his gavel, looking towards the man in maroon, who rests down his paddle when his partner tells him to stop.
"Alright then, it's sold-"

"Five million pounds." A voice suddenly declares before he could hit down his gavel, my eyes widening as well as many others; each of us looking towards the entrance of the hall, finding an anonymous white male in a navy blue tuxedo standing there.

"Sorry for being late. Traffic tends to be such a hassle as I remember in Pemberton." He says looking to me with a bright smile.

——

Well who exactly is this new guy?👀

See you in the next chapter✌️
Next release on Christmas🎄✨.