Chapter 60: Book 2: Chapter 2
The ballroom of one of New York’s biggest luxury hotels is decorated in the currently fashionable beige and gold color scheme, making it look expensive and bland at the same time.
An exhausted looking waiter stands at a champagne bar, handing glasses of the sparkling liquid to people that will keep drinking because it is free, not caring that it is the cheapest stuff the hotel can serve and get away with, while charging the organizers of the event an exorbitant sum.
The room is warm and overcrowded, even though it is still quite early, Zara shudders to think what condition people will be in later that night.
She studies the men in tuxedos and women in evening gowns passing her by, all part of the upper echelons of high society, all the while fervently hoping that none of them will stop and try to talk to her.
A lot of them are part of a new set that makes their money from modern businesses, mostly information technology and security.
They don't have generational wealth backing them, but that does not make them less snobbish or arrogant. Her uncle despises them, he calls them parasites, which is rich coming from a man who has spent all his life squandering money that someone else had earned.
Well, the man has neither manners nor an abundance of intelligence.
Zara grabs a glass of sparkling water from one of the passing waiters, more to keep her hands busy than because she is thirsty.
She slowly starts walking around the room, trying to keep an eye on her uncle.
For a moment that notion makes her smile, the one eye is all she has to keep on anyone.
She sobers up, thinking that this would be so much easier with Mila here.
They usually work on the principle of divide and conquer one of them keeping Samuel in their sight and the other making sure that they are never too close to any potential alpha suitors that her uncle tries to line up for Zara.
She slowly meanders around the room, keeping to the periphery and trying to attract as little attention as possible.
When she reaches a large artificial pot plant he can hide behind for a minute, she pulls her phone out again and sends Milla another text.
Zar: ?
Mimi: 👎👎
Zara swallows hard. The two thumbs down mean that Mila is in a lot of pain and probably not able to get out of bed at the moment. It will be even worse tomorrow.
There is no way of getting back to the house before her uncle is ready to leave, which won't be for hours, so for now she has to bide her time and just try to stay as invisible as possible.
She is just about to come out of her little hiding place when she hears a shrill voice from her right.
“Oh darling, you need to get me a drink, I’m simply too exhausted to fetch one.”
Zara tries not to wince, the voice sounds like nails on a chalkboard.
“Go on, run along and get something for yourself," comes the bored reply.
There is the sound of a kiss and then nothing for a moment until another man says: ”You sure got yourself a hot one there, very easy on the eyes.”
“I know, and she’s easier to handle than most omegas. Especially the ones that are seemingly very highly strung.” The man’s tone changes into something spiteful when he says the last bit.
Zara stands frozen in place, not knowing whether to keep quiet or make her presence known.
A faint but pleasant scent of chocolate starts permeating the air and she wonders fleetingly what time it is, if the dessert buffet has already been set up.
Before she can decide to check, the first voice continues: “They’re spoiled rotten divas, no ambition, no interest in anything other than spending their days shopping, especially the ones coming from old money. They say that the Storme heir is the worst. Treats people like they’re invisible and commandeers servants around all the time."
“I thought old Samuel had two of them hanging on to his coattails?” The second man’s voice comes again.“One is his daughter, they say she hasn’t presented yet, but by the way she carries on she’s gonna be an omega, too. No, I mean the other one, the Niece, Zara Storme. Goes around like she’s something special. Doesn’t talk to anyone, doesn’t even acknowledge it when you greet her.”
Zara knows that she should leave her place behind the plant and announce herself but just this once she has no strength left. The whole evening has been a nightmare, from having to leave Mila at home to facing the mob in the huge room on her own, trying to evade random alpha’s trying to strike up a conversation and now being talked about in such condescending tones.
“Have you ever seen the Storme omega before?” The first man asks.
“No, and I don’t particularly care to make her acquaintance either. As far as I’m concerned these high society omegas are a waste of time and I will not be getting involved with someone like her.”
Zara stands behind an artificial plant that has not been dusted in months and smells musty, rooted to the spot, her insides churning with anger and misery.
She’s used to being attacked - emotionally, physically and mentally. It has been her life since her parents died and so far he cannot see an escape from it.
Maybe on her own she could manage, just disappear somewhere and start a new life from scratch.
The thought scares her, because she has no skills that would help her get a job nor does she know how to live on her own, having been raised to be nothing but a commodity.
She knows that it’s only a matter of time before her uncle sells her to the highest bidder but for now she has to hope for the best and hang in there.
Until she and Mila can find a way to get their hands on some money she has to stay in her uncle's mansion. She will not leave Mila to her fate, just as she knows that her best friend would never abandon her.
But to have complete strangers, that she has never spoken to and who have never seen her, talk about her in such a callous manner, breaks something in Zara.
She needs to get away, she won't risk staying here, having to listen to more insults flung at her person.
Head held high and moving with calm purpose she walks into the room, knowing that the people who just spoke about her are on her right but not being able to see them.
She hears a gasp and ignores it, trying to focus on finding out where her uncle is and definitely needing to convince him that they have to leave early, for once.