"Not very long," he said with a coy smile. "I was just getting a drink when I noticed Little Miss Brat make her way over to you with her puppeteer. Wanted to see what she was up to."
There was a twinkle in his eye as he raised the wine glass for Alia to see, as though to prove his word. Then, he brought the glass to his lips.
"I must say," Aiden said, "I did enjoy the show. You’re finally growing a backbone, Lia."
Alia wrinkled her nose at the nickna, her distaste apparent. However, she did not comnt on it. Instead, she turned her gaze down at the rest of the party.
There was a roar of laughter every once in a while, and as the hosting family, Horace Hawthorne made sure to make his rounds with the guests who were invited. Emline was by his side, and occasionally, she would also greet the guests with a demure smile while exchanging so words. So investor Alia couldn’t recognize from this distance offered her a drink, which she declined.
"Aren’t you afraid that she will steal all your credit for the charity’s success?" Aiden asked, his voice pulling her back to the present.
"As long as she doesn’t sabotage the charity, there can be nothing more I hope for in this aspect," Alia said with a huff.
Yes, the credit would be nice. That was especially after how Emline had abandoned it and Alia had to work through many sleepless nights to organize everything up until today. She and Danielle deserved every bit of recognition for this. However, what was more important to Alia was that Carlo and the others had a secure future.
If Emline taking credit for it would an she was putting herself publicly responsible for the charity’s success and failure, Alia wouldn’t mind stepping back and working from the shadows. At least that ant that Emline wouldn’t dare to do anything to the Hope for Scholars Charity now that her na was riding with it.
However, if Emline tried to ruin whatever progress had been made, she would be in a world of hurt, promises to their grandfather be damned.
Aiden clicked his tongue. "Tut tut," he said, "And to think I just said you were growing a backbone. That crazy bitch and her equally deranged mother will always be one step ahead of you if you’re always giving way to them."
"I am not giving way," Alia said. "I am just operating as per my grandfather’s intentions. Emline is still his granddaughter, and he watched her grow up for a longer period of ti than he had known for."
Co to think of it, Horace Hawthorne had probably spent more ti with Emline Hawthorne than he did with Elaine Hawthorne. Alia’s mother had run away from ho when she was in her younger years― she couldn’t have been older than Emline was now.
"They will trample all over you in that case," Aiden said with a roll of his eyes. "Kelsie Friesent sure isn’t holding back, at least."
"Are any of them?" Alia shot back rhetorically, smiling grimly. However...
Her eyes searched the crowd before landing on Kelsie. She stood in a corner and was debating animatedly with her father. While Alia couldn’t hear what they were talking about, she guessed it was most likely about the news she had just learned about W&W’s ss.
Kelsie Friesent was a smart girl. Alia would not pin her for a woman who would go down with the ship in the event she had to abandon it. If Caleb was a bigger liability than he was an asset, she would ditch him without turning back.
Then, Alia straightened, her eyes widening significantly.
"You referred to Kelsie as a puppeteer," she said.
Aiden’s lips twitched. "Did I?"
Alia raised an eyebrow. "What was it that the little bird told you? What did you hear from the vine?"
"Nothing." Aiden casually shrugged. "But I wouldn’t invite Emline or Kelsie to your wedding if I were you. Or Caleb Walton, if you’re into that sort of play."
A wrinkle crept its way onto Alia’s nose. "I can try to scrape the Friesent and Walton families out of the list," she said, "but Emline will be difficult. She’s family, and your wife-apparent. Unless you’re suggesting that Matteo and I elope, that will be impossible."
A boisterous laughter ripped from Aiden’s lips. "Oh, trust , Emline wants nothing to do with and everything to do with Matteo. If you thought that she gave up, you’re in for a treat."
"I didn’t think so for even a second," Alia muttered bitterly under her breath. "She’s as tenacious as a roach creeping around a dilapidated kitchen for scraps."
"I’ll drink to that," Aiden said with a twinkle in his eye. "She probably wouldn’t. Apparently, she doesn’t drink these days anymore. Strange."
He shrugged dramatically, finishing the glass of wine he was holding onto. With an exaggerated sigh, he placed the glass on the surface nearby before tucking his hands into his pockets.
Aiden leaned closer to Alia, and while he wasn’t close enough for her to instinctively draw back, it was enough for her to sll the fruity alcohol clinging to his breath as he whispered.
"I wonder why that is."
Whistling a rry tune under his breath, Aiden all but sauntered away, returning to the party.
Alia stood watching from one side, her eyebrows furrowing at Aiden’s cryptic words. It seed almost as though he was trying to warn her of sothing. Alia wasn’t too sure what it was. However, she imdiately searched for Emline through the crowd.
As though she felt Alia’s gaze on her, Emline turned and looked, their gazes clashing. Even from such a distance, she could see the fierce determination clinging to Emline’s eyes. She held that gaze for several seconds before she turned back to the guests, returning to their conversation.
Alia straightened up.
Aiden was right. This was her night. This was her hard work. She would be damned if she let anyone steal anything else from her from under her nose. If they did, they should be prepared to pay the price.
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