THE CONTENT IS INTENDED FOR MATURE AUDIENCES. THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS DEPICTIONS OR STRONG IMPLICATIONS OF THE FOLLOWING:
. RACISM
. VERBAL ABUSE
Today.
It finally arrived; Angelina had been waiting anticipatedly and nervous today. Nathaniel has informed her about an anniversary event he was invited to, and it required him to bring a plus one.
Angelina wore a long black gown that was split from her mid-thigh. Her collarbone was revealed because the gown was off-shoulder, and the necklace Nathaniel gave her fell on the dress, complimenting the color.… Her hair was styled in a perfect French braid.
Angelina placed her hand on Nathaniel's stretched hand as he helped her out of the car. Nathaniel smiled at her before wrapping his hand around her waist as it perfectly fits his arm.
When they got to the red carpet, flashlights of the paparazzi and questions were thrown from right to left as Angelina gripped the side of her dress nervously.
"Look ahead and try to feel my hand," Nathaniel whispered but to people on the peripheral side, they would have thought he kissed her.
Angelina did precisely what he said, she raised her head, looking at the entrance, and she felt the warmth from his hand comforting her.
The security men greeted them at the door before a short, robust man came running.
"You came, Mr. Hugh,"
"Why won't I come?" he asked rhetorically, looking around the room before he spotted his friend with his lover. He nodded at the man, walking to his friend as the poor man followed him.
Nathaniel tapped Nicholas back, making him turn, and they bro-hugged each other while Bell went to Angelina's side, beaming at her.
Angelina had a questioning look on her face to inquire about Bell being here, "I was forced to be here," Bell rolled her eyes at Nicholas, "The tyrant boss of mine would cut off my pay if I don't follow him." Bell scoffed nonchalantly, but Angelina could see that she wanted to come. Bell was an easy person to deal with and what she hated most was someone forcing her to do something. Angelina knew if Bell didn't want to, she would care about her getting fired.
A soft melody was heard, and Both men and their plus one went to the dancing floor. Angelina tugged his dress to call for his attention as she lowered her head, mumbling in embarrassment, "I don't know how to dance."
She never took a dancing class or was ever interested in it because she never saw the essence in it and believed there was nothing she wanted to dance for but now, her husband wanted to dance with her.
Nathaniel raised her head to look at her eyes, using his hand to ease the wrinkle of her face, "follow my leads," he said, "and don't worry," he smiled softly.
He took her hand in his while the other was in the middle of her back, pulling her closer, making her head rest on his chest, listening to the soothing sound of his heart pounding as he moved gently to the soft melody of the music.
Nathaniel didn't rebuke or scold her whenever she stepped on her but instead caressed her back gently and kissed her hair. "You are doing well, Angie," he encouraged her.
After the song finished, everyone was dispensed to their seats as Nathaniel and Nicholas took their lady to an empty seat.
The robust man they met earlier came, talking to Nathaniel nervously as he shot the man a dead glare, turning to Angelina, who didn't understand what was happening. He sighed, motioning for Nicholas to follow before coming to her side, "wait for me. I'll be back soon," he pecked the side of her hair, hissed annoyingly, then walked away.
Angelina didn't feel she belonged to her, the place was overwhelming, and she had never been to a big occasion like this. Bell tasted the wine in the glass — wine, and food on the table. She gulped and flinched a little before she sighed, "it's sweet," she grinned, "have it—" then pushed the cup to Angelina. Angelina stared at the red liquid, swirling the glass as she raised it to taste, and four women sauntered towards them.
Angelina paused and put the glass down; she and Bell looked at each other before the ladies took their seats at their table.
A shabby man in a gray suit grinned sheepishly and sat at the only remaining seat, helping the women to pour the wine.
"Ils n’ont pas vraiment leur place ici," one of them started —the lady in green snickered while others giggled mockingly.
(They don't actually belong here.)
"Pouvez-vous voir les hommes avec lesquels ils sont venus?" The ginger-haired girl gushed out, "J’ai entendu dire que les deux sont le propriétaire du casino où nous sommes allés la dernière fois," she responded while others had a shocked look.
(Can you see the men they came with?) (I heard both of them are the owner of the casino we went to last time,)
"Woah, ces hommes sont beaux." the lady in green commented.
(Woah, those men are beautiful.)
"Alex, Lisa, arrête!" the blond woman cautioned, "You know dad's said to b—"
(Alex, Lisa, stop!)
"Elle a recommencé avec ses harcèlements. L’enfant obéissant," and three of the women laughed with the man.
(She has started again with her nagging.) (the obedient child,)
Bell pulled Angelina and asked in a hushed voice. The women came from nowhere and started talking. Thank God there were many delicacies for her to stuff in and pack for her brother, "Are these women okay?" When she didn't get a response, she sighed and continued her enjoyment.
"Regarde-la," she discreetly pointed her Angelina, "La saumure," she said, staring at Angelina, making others to nodded their head in confirmation, "Ne pensez-vous pas que ses yeux sont effrayants?"
(Look at her,) (the brown girl) (don't you think her eyes are creepy?)
When one of them noticed Angelina looking at them, she laughed nervously, raised her hand, "hello,"
"Son visage a l’air hideux parce que je n’ai jamais vu une personne noire aux yeux gris," Lisa— the lady in green shivered dramatically.
(Her face looks hideous because I've never seen a black person with gray eyes.)
"J’ai entendu dire que la fiancée de Nathaniel l’avait laissé à l’autel."
(I heard Nathaniel's fiance left it at the altar.)
"Moi aussi. Je l’ai entendu mais la nouvelle a été immédiatement tombée."
(Me too. I heard it, but the news was immediately brought down.)
"Elle est définitivement une remplaçante," the ginger-haired murmured while others nodded.
(She's definitely a replacement.)
"Je pense que Nathaniel l’a épousée à cause de l’humiliation," the man said while the women turned and glared at him, making him gulp and laugh awkwardly.
("I think Nathaniel married her because of the humiliation,")
"Comment un bel homme riche peut-il épouser quelqu’un comme elle. Regardez-la – elle est trop simple pour s’y intéresser – trop stupide aussi, regardez à quel point elle est assise seule là-bas comme un chiot perdu."
(How can a good-looking, wealthy man marry someone like her? look at her—she's too plain to take an interest in— too dumb also, look at how confused she is sitting down alone like a lost puppy.)
"Dieu sait combien Nathaniel lui a donné pour qu’elle vienne avec lui ou qu’elle enroule ses jambes autour de lui," Paul wetted his lips, putting the glass of wine in his mouth yet staring at her chest.
(God knows how much Nathaniel gave her to have her come up with him or wrap her legs around him,)
"So… how much does that necklace worth?" Lisa asked curiously. She knew all of them knew the necklace would be worth a fortune. She watched Angelina, who'd stopped eating, and tilted her head to the side before swirling the pendant.
"It was gifted to me by my husband," Angelina responded with pure adoration.
(It was gifted to me by my husband.)
"Voyez, comment elle a mentionné le mari."
(See how she mentioned her husband.)
"Je n’arrive pas à croire que je suis jaloux d’une femme noire," Rebecca groaned.
(I can't believe I'm jealous of a black woman.)
"Qu’est-ce que Nathan a vu en elle her?" Lisa pouted, "Elle est trop laide, je ne peux même pas la regarder sans vomir – Elle me dégoûte," The women made a gagging sound before all of them erupted in a fit of laughter.
(What did Nathan see in her?) (She's too ugly, I can't even look at her without puking—She disgusts me,)
"Ses yeux sont effrayants," Alex shuddered, before shooting a smile at Angelina.
Prick.
"Regardez comment son partenaire mange comme une fille affamée,"
(Look at how her partner is eating like a starving girl.)
"Tu ferais mieux de la laisser la remplir," Alex giggled, "Parce qu’on ne sait jamais quand elle pourra le manger à nouveau," she mocked, having a revulsion look on her face as she glanced at Bell which was using both hands to eat.
(You better let her have her fill.) (because you never know when she will be able to eat it again,")
"L’autre homme – l’ami de Nathaniel est un avocat réputé dans cet État," Rebecca sighed.
(The other man — Nathaniel's friend is a reputable lawyer in this state.)
"Quoi?!" the other girls asked in shock.
(What?)
"Je ne sais pas pourquoi les gars vont chercher quelqu’un comme ça!" Lisa huffed sadly, "Ses yeux sont minuscules et petits, et son front—!"
(I don't know why guys go for someone like this.) (her eyes are tiny, and her forehead—!")
"Tais-toi tous!" the woman that shunned earlier spoke out all of a sudden, "Vous ne les connaissez pas, vous ne savez pas qui ils sont et vous avez commencé à les dénigrer, par sa couleur et ses traits!" the woman shook her head in disappointment, "Ce n’est pas poli pour une personne de faire honte à qui que ce soit. Ils sont parfaits tels qu’ils sont! puis la dénigrer dans une langue qu’ils ne comprenaient pas, c’est très mal." the woman stood, straightening out her wrinkle dress.
(Shut up, all of you!) (you don't know them, you don't know who they are, and you started to bad-mouth them by their color and features. you don't know them, you don't know who they are, and you started to bad-mouth them by their color and features.) (It's not polite for a person to shame anyone. They are perfect as they are! Then bad-mouthing her in a language they didn't understand is very wrong.")
"I'm very disappointed in you guys, being among racist," the woman said in English, doing the frame of her glasses very well. "Mais ne reconnaîtrez-vous pas que vous êtes jaloux de leur beauté, au moins leur beauté est naturelle et non plastique," and she walked away in anger.
(But won't you acknowledge that you are jealous of their beauty, at least their beauty is natural, not plastic.)
(I'm very disappointed in you guys for being racist.) (But won't you acknowledge that you are jealous of their beauty, at least their beauty is natural, not plastic.)
Angelina couldn't take it anymore and pushed her plate forward, standing up while the booth scraped the tiles floor, making it screech.
She looked everyone in the eyes, and the woman who defended them licked her dried lips, "Merci pour vos commentaires," she muttered slowly, which elicited a shocked gasp from them.
(Thank you for your comments.)
Angelina returned in the foreign language, and they were gasping in shock. She stood up, fixing her cloth, "et pour correction, ce n’est pas moi qui courais après Nathaniel mais c’était lui. Eh bien, le sentiment de se rendre fous est mutuel."
(For correction, I wasn't the one running after Nathaniel, but he was the one. Well, the feeling —of driving each other crazy is mutual.)
"Même si sa tête est toujours entre mes cuisses, pas la vôtre!" Angelina smirked, took the champagne glass, filled it whole, took a sip, then turned her hand as she wanted to place it down, the red liquid splashing on them.
(Even though his head is always in between my thighs, not yours.)
She then banged her hands on the table, making them jump as every eye fell on them, but Angelina didn't care, "I don't mind you talking shit about me but talk about my family; you'll see the other side of me!"
She took a handkerchief and wiped the taste of the wine, and the wine was making her gag like she wanted to puke, but she controlled it.
Lisa tapped Paul to react as he stood, clearing his throat. As he raised his hand to slap, a cracking pain filled the room.
"Hey, what's—!"
Twenty Three