Only two more hours before the exhibition commences.
The team sprung to action, engaging in updates and conversations with their walkie-talkies and guests; affluent individuals that were exorbitantly dressed in suits and gowns that were no doubt tailored from lavish brands. Of course, it would be blatantly unacceptable if commoners like us were to be turned up in 'rags' for a night like this.
Tonight, was a rare night for me to be dolled up; donning an off-shoulder A-line dress that resembled a deep wine tone; an elegant yet modest outfit that paired perfectly with a French bun. Mom was in awe as soon as I made my big appearance, while dad being dad, forced me to cover myself with a shawl.
I glanced around the room, surveying every detail to ensure that all was going smoothly. It wasn't until I had my attention locked on someone, who too, had his gaze fixated on me. Although it has been days since we last talked, no matter what the hour was, there was no blocking him out; he occupied my thoughts.
The swarm of girls that flocked to him was anything but unusual. After all, he was confident and alluring, a daydream and fantasy for most girls. Yet, what baffled me was his reveal to the media; one which he had kept under wraps for many years.
Why now?
The cameras swarmed around him, pushing him into the spotlights and no doubt, the headlines for tomorrow. He was about to have his hands full with the heart of ladies he had unintentionally charmed. Not that that would bother me, we were over.
If only my feelings resonated with my thoughts.
"Hey, Dan. Cover for me." I tore my gaze away from him, plunging back into work while I spoke into the earpiece. Somehow it felt like I was in a movie, an agent undercover, or even someone who was about to commit a heist. That inside joke was quickly replaced by a sense of duty as I headed for the safe, to escort the star of tonight's show.
"You got it. See you later." The team leader affirmed before returning to her duties.
Taking light and quick steps, I reached the safe within a matter of minutes. A loud click was heard after impressing the passcode on the touchpad.
This safe is bigger than my bedroom.
In it, were rows of precious gems and jewelry that were sure to fetch a high price. Just one of these would set an individual off on permanent retirement. As much as I would like to stay here and continue this sightseeing, there were more pressing matters at hand. The red box, positioned in the center of the vault, stood gloriously as if it was persuading me to open it.
Gingerly, I took the velvet package, unlatching the fastener as meticulously as I could.
Maybe I should have went on to be an archaeologist.
However, the jesting was brought to a halt once the material came in view.
Blood raced through my veins before I soon felt my hands grow clammy from the cold sweat. The air was caught in my chest prevented my lungs from expanding. And before long, I could hear myself panting louder and harder.
The Crimson Solitaire was missing.
It took a little while to gather my thoughts and have my head grasped around the situation.
All that was left of the necklace were the diamonds and metal plating that was supposed to hold the red gem. But now, that was gone. Though it was lucky that the gems from the ring and earrings remained intact, it didn't help much as the necklace was the centerpiece of this collection.
I am in deep shit.
My knees buckled before my hands found their way to cover my face. Stress and anxiety engulfed me as I thought of a solution. Glancing at the time only intensified the pressure.
Only an hour left.
it wasn't until thirty minutes before the escorts arrive.
I was at my wits' end, pressed for a desperate solution out of this mess.
Activating the line to the team leader, I swallowed the nervousness, replacing it with a firm grit; prepared to shoulder the responsibility, even if it does mean that I could lose this job forever.
"It's gone." I said, hearing the faint noises of the guests in the background.
"WHAT?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S GONE?" I could feel Dan attempt to suppress her emotions.
"Only the gem from the necklace is gone. The other ones are still intact." I explained. "I hate to break it to you, but by the looks of it, it could a sabotage."
Somehow, I couldn't help but think that this might be sabotage. I mean, out of all the days where this jewelry has been sitting quietly and safely in this safe, it had to be on this night that it goes missing?
No. It is a sabotage.
"Are there any extra Crimson Solitaires that could be lying around?"
"What do you think these are? Candy?" Dan gave an exasperated sigh, "these stones are rare. Only the exact number of gems are shipped to the company, and it would take at least another day before the next one is shipped."
The line went silent as I felt backed up against the wall with no way out.
"Do you have any other solutions?" Dan pressed.
Just then, a light bulb flickered, causing my lips to curl as a face surfaced at the back of my mind.
She's the only one that can help me right now.
"There could be one." I blurted. "I'll take care of it. In the meantime, I need you to inform Mr. Crosby."
"Don't worry about Mr. Crosby, I'll deal with him and buy you as much time as possible." She asserted, with a hint of distress.
"In the meantime, the escorts-"
"There is no time to wait for them." She interjected.
"Alright. I will solve this issue, Dan." I assured, "I will bring it back in one piece."
"Don't let me down."
After the line went dead, I whipped for my phone and pushed in the name of my contact.
There is no choice but to find her.
"Ava?"
"Ms. Paisely. I need your help."
***
"Ow!" I cried, gnashing my teeth together and wincing in pain as I felt the ligament in the ankle tear.
Only three minutes left before the big reveal. And here I was, dragging my feet with every step I took; both that had been battered and bruised from all the running that was done in heels. The skin peeled from my heel, stinging constantly as it continued to rub against the leather; hurting intensely as I descended the stairs to the auditorium.
"You're finally here!" Dan let out a shaky breath, one that was both of relief and nervousness before quickly pushing a transparent box to me. "There's no time. They've just announced the Crimson Solitaire, you'll have to present it."
Biting the insides of my cheek in hopes that the pressure would fight against the pain, I silently prayed for courage before strolling onto the stage, holding the collection piece that was now secured in a glass box.
The oohs and ahhs that were clearly heard made me break into a relief and smile, knowing that the pain and efforts that I had went through was paid in full.
Just when everything was going my way, the piercing pain tore through my sprained ankle, prompting the weight of my body to give way and topple; sending me falling head-first onto the carpeted ground.
The crowd went wild, some gasping and others standing to their feet. It would seem as though they were worried for my safety, rather, it was for something else.
-Flashback-
"This is the closest that you'll have to make do." Ms. Paisely said, placing the red spinal over the indent of the pendant. Though it did not sparkle nor shine; its clarity grades lower than the crimson gem; it was a decent fit; a temporary countermeasure while waiting for another replacement.
"It'll do," I responded.
"Alright then. But just know that it will not be a tight-fitting, so be careful not to make any huge movements that might displace the spinel."
-End of flashback-
Crawling on the floor, I rushed to retrieve the rolling gem.
When I had finally secured the spinel in the palms of my hand, I caught sight of Nathan rushing into the scene with another woman behind him; whose features were strikingly beautiful and no doubt another individual of an esteemed hierarchy. Somehow, it felt as if I knew her before.
In the mean time, murmurs of the crowd grew louder. And the whispers quickly turned to angry grunts and scoffs.
"I-I apologize. This is all my fault." I stuttered, quickly getting up despite the injury to make a deep bow towards the audience. I was under immense pressure and excruciating pain, where only thing that was supporting me was my left leg, still shaky and sore from the sprint up and down the stairs. However, my deed only seemed to stoke further unsatisfaction.
"Ava."
"Nathan..."
SLAP!
The impact sent me backward before I came tumbling down.
The hard strike that not only sent a sting to my cheeks, but the pain from fall too, shot upwards as I felt it course through my spine, causing the nerve endings to reverberate.
And the throbbing prick that struck the fiber in my head, sent forth endless tides of visions; it was as if I was watching a movie in my mind.
"So, have you come to terms in confessing your likings towards me?"
"But now that I'm with you, everything is different. My hands are tied, Ava, and I want to make things right, not just for my parents, but for you as well. So, please believe me when I say that my heart belongs to you. I'm sorry if I haven't been living up to your standard and for not being able to tell you and your family the truth. I was afraid that you would abandon me when you knew my background and the dangers it came with it. But I promise that I'll definitely do better. So I beg of you, please don't leave me."
"I am in love with you, Abbey. And it all started with you catching my attention ever since that close encounter in the market. Since then, I have had eyes for no one except you."
"Stupid girl, you have eyes, but you do not see. He loves you. And just that fact has almost compelled him to ruin my plan countless times. Oh well, he still gave in eventually; that is when his family is at stake."
"I've come to tell you that I'm breaking up with you."
"Why settle for a man that betrayed you for his family."
"I got tired of you, that's all."
"Wake up, Abbey! He has never loved you."
"Do not mistake this as me caring for you."
"You were just a pawn for him to uphold his family name!"
"Trust me, Ava. I'm yours."
Now, it was clearer than ever. This was no illusion, this was my life, and it was rushing back to take its place.
"I remember everything," I gasped, cupping a hand over my mouth in disbelief. "Nathan, I remember everything." I stared wide-eyed at Nathan who seemed to appear stoic, too stoic. It was not quite the expression that I reckoned he would possess.
"Get out!" His roar silenced the crowd as he displayed his anger towards me, a fierce rage that startled and horrified me.
"Nathan?" I croaked, feeling the tears drip from the side of my eyes as his gaze was void from any form of love. The love that he once possessed for me.
I was hurt. Tremendously hurt that he would use his authoritative power to bring me the shame of not just to this audience, but to the world.
"Why are you doing this? I thought you-"
"You thought I loved you? Ha! The person I love is Aurelia." He pronounced every word mockingly, grabbing ahold of her hand before stretching it up to the air. "Why do you keep pestering me with your feelings? Is it money that you are after? If it is, just name your price, as long as it will stop you from bothering Aurelia and I ever again."
"What about this?" I asked in desperation as I held out the necklace that was gifted by him. Praying that the ruby would somehow trigger his memory, that somehow, everything I was encountering was just a hoax.
"Have you forgotten what you have promised me?"
"May this stone seal my devotion and faithfulness to you. Not just in this life, but in the life to come."
As he approached closer and closer to me, my hopes lit up from the thought that he would bite back on his word, to say that everything that was between us, was real.
How naïve was I when I felt his fingers latch on the necklace, ripping them from my neck; the sting burning into my skin.
"You were just being delusional. It was a statement, not a promise."
And just from that statement, made me realise one thing.
Blow after blow, spear after spear; be it the past or the present, nothing will ever change. I was just an idiot who thought that I could be happy. No, I wasn't an idiot, I was a pathetic soul. Because, at the end of the day, the only thing that I could truly earn was the pity of others. It was a truth that was long known, yet challenging to acknowledge. And now, it was slowly sinking in.
My lips trembled and twitched from the overwhelming sorrow, knowing that a barrage of tears was soon to follow.
"I understand. I won't bother you again." I breathed, sniffling, before showing a tight smile. "I wish you two all the happiness."
Turning to the audience, I bowed down like a low working-class individual, long enough for the cameras to take snapshots that would serve as a reminder of the humiliation that I would have to suffer for the rest of my life.
"I apologize for everything that I have caused. Please forgive me."
With that, I turned away from the audience and limped out of view.
What a pitiful girl.
Were the words that rang consistently in my head; words that I knew would too, remind me of just how pathetic I was and always will be.