Taking two glasses from the tray, she approached me with a polite demeanor and asked softly, âDebra, would you like a glass?â
Just as I was about to refuse, Shirley added with a smile, âLet this drink be a symbol of our reconciliation.
It would be wonderful to bury the hatchet after all the disagreements.
I hope you wonât turn it down, Debra.
â
Politely, I declined, âApologies, Iâm not accustomed to alcohol, so Iâll pass.
â
But Shirley persisted, insisting on offering me the drink.
âDebra, please take it.
If you refuse, itâll mean you havenât forgiven me.
â
Her unusual persistence raised my suspicions.
Was there something wrong with the drink?
I found it hard to believe that Shirley would suddenly confess her fault and alter her behavior.
Given her history, this seemed like a potential new ploy to ensnare me.
So, I refused more firmly, saying, âIâm sorry, Shirley, but I really canât handle alcohol.
And since I have social commitments later with Andrew, it would be inconvenient if I were to become intoxicated.
â
âItâs fine; you wonât get tipsy!â Shirley insisted, pressing the drink toward me.
âSee, itâs just a touch of champagne; itâs quite mild.
Surely, you wonât refuse this kind gestureâ¦â
Before she could finish, the champagne spilled onto my dress, sending an instant chill down my spine.
âAh!â I let out a small cry and stepped back, but it was too late; my exquisite dress was drenched.
âIâm so sorry, Debra!â Shirley exclaimed, appearing apologetic, yet I caught a brief glimpse of
regret flickering in her eyes before it disappeared.
Feigning fluster, she apologized, âDebra, Iâm so sorry.
Itâs entirely my fault.
I shouldnât have pushed you to drink, causing your dress to be ruined.
I feel awful.
â
It wasnât clear if it was deliberate, but her voice was loud enough for nearby guests to notice us.
To avoid further embarrassment, I mustered a strained smile and replied, âItâs alright.
â
Shirley then suggested, âWould you like me to take you to change into another dress? I always carry a spare one for emergencies at events.
Youâre welcome to use it if necessary.
â
Without hesitation, I declined Shirleyâs offer.
âThat wonât be necessary.
â
Who knew if this was another one of her traps?
I stepped back and responded coldly, âShirley, Iâm capable of changing by myself.
â
Without affording her an opportunity to argue, I turned to locate Andrew and inform him of the incident.
However, he was nowhere to be found in the banquet hall, and despite my thorough search, he remained elusive.
A sense of unease crept over me.
Where could Andrew have disappeared so quickly?
Debraâs POV: