CHAPTER 3: FAKE PERFORMANCE

Lauretta's strong footsteps rang through the hallway and finally the living area. The women fell silent immediately, and their gaze darted across the room to where she stood. She laughed derisively as she strode into the lavish and beautifully decorated mansion that took years of painstaking effort for her to build. She shook her head, knowing well that these two interlopers had come specifically to squander it. "Oh, the prodigal daughter is finally back! What have you been up to? I'm sure you've been roaming around like a stray dog knowing fully well that I asked you to get back here by 8 am sharp! Do you expect me to serve the guests myself?" "They're your guests, not mine." Lauretta retorted, folding her arms. "You foolish girl! How dare you speak to me like this? You even had the guts to talk about a divorce, so you think you can find anyone better than my son if you leave him? Don't overhype yourself, a vain social climber like you would always be looked down upon by society. You'll have the same respect as a rag. So, get to work right now and don't piss me off, you must ensure everything is in good shape for my friend’s arrival and you dare not mess it up!" She added angrily. George struggled to put the family's name back on track, so his mother has always been determined to marry him to someone of equal footing to ensure the family would always have a connection and remain strong. Lauretta glanced over to the kitchen, bustling with activities. There would be at least ten guests present, and the women would make it their life's mission to criticize and ridicule her at any given opportunity. Whenever Ashley had her parties, no single servant was allowed to help, and she would run the heater smelter all night to please them. Any time she objected; Laura immediately translated it into an unwillingness to continue the marriage. Before Lauretta could object, Katarina jumped in. "Auntie, isn't that too much work for our dear Lauretta here? Let me lend a helping hand, you don't want your friends later to think I can't cook." "How dare you compare your beautiful self to this thing?" Ashley responded, shooting Lauretta with a look of disdain. "She was born a servant, to serve people like us. That's why these menial tasks suit her. She's not different from a paid enslaved person, so let her do the work." She added that she was pushing Katarina back onto the sofa. "But auntie, I'm not a guest here. I'm like family, so it wouldn't be right for me to sit and laze around while everyone worked their butts off." Katarina added, stroking Ashley's hands. "You're not a guest yet but I'd make sure that when you get married you wouldn't still do all these menial jobs, they're meant for her," Ashley replied, scoffing at Lauretta. It amused Lauretta, their little mother-daughter discussion. What amused her more was Katarina's ability to keep up the pretense of kindness in Ashley's presence. "Wow, this performance deserves a spot on Broadway," Lauretta said, clapping her hands. "What nerve you have! You're meant to be cooking not eavesdropping on our conversation!" Ashley spat at her "Oh, you don't know yet? George and I have finalized our divorce, meaning I'm no longer married to him, and you can go ahead and have your dream daughter-in-law! By the way, why not let her demonstrate her cooking skills since she's perfect." Lauretta replied, smiling sweetly. She proceeded to turn for the staircase; all she wanted was what belonged to her, nothing else, nothing more. She tried to get just her things, not minding the expensive dresses and jewelry they had bought. "So, you're still hell-bent on going ahead with the divorce? Do you know how much you would suffer without this family's wealth?" Ashley snickered. "We already signed the papers. There's no going back now." She brushed past her only to come face-to-face with George, who was red with anger and smelt of alcohol. He had rushed back when Katarina informed him of her presence in his house; he was scared she would come in contact with his freshly divorced wife. His eyes turned red upon seeing Lauretta. He shoved her aside, rushed towards Katarina, and sized her up. "Are you okay? Are you fine? Did she hurt you?" He said Lauretta let out a scowl. The shove had landed her back against the cabinet, causing her to fall. It was like her pain was paled when compared to Katarina's fake injury. "What has your silly self gone ahead to do now? Wasn't getting the divorce enough for you?" He screamed at her, not minding the pain she was in. "What do you mean by that? Has your hypocrisy blinded you to the extent that you cannot see the truth even if it slaps you in the face? Can't you see your lover is perfectly fine? You shoved me against a shelf you abusive prick!" Lauretta screamed at him. "Don't even think about getting upset you hypocrite! This exposé online, you sponsored it, didn't you?" George asked, showing her pictures on his phone. Lauretta froze as she looked at the pictures and story; they seemed vaguely familiar, even though she had nothing to do with it. She couldn't help but feel a spark of joy; she almost burst out laughing when she saw Katarina's stricken expression. "There's not a single lie told in this story though. It was that drama that shot her into the limelight or does the report state any lie?" Lauretta questioned with a wry look. "What do you mean by that?" George questioned angrily. "I swear if there's a single lie printed in that story I'd go out on the main road and let a car run me over. If you discover more lies I'd gladly get myself flattened by a car in the process." She screamed angrily at him. Katarina burst out in fake tears and pulled him closer to her. She helplessly sought him and hung on to his shoulders. "If you're so eager to take your wretched life go do it alone and don't do it in front of my house. I know you're just hurt about the divorce and I honestly don't care just stop your dirty plots and antics!" He added. "I lived three years with you, and you managed to hide your foolishness from me. You must reason with the sole of your feet, or you have a brain the size of a fowl!" She scowled at him before pushing past them and heading up. She turned around and flung the ring box in his direction.