Chapter 99 Don’t even dare
A few days ago, Delanie refused to heed Roger’s warning, determined to defy him in every way and bring enmity between him and Karen.
As soon as he walked out the door, she dialed Oriana’s number. “I need your help.”
Oriana was receiving acclaim from her boss for a job well done following all of Karen’s advice.
Within just a few days, she was already out of probation and being prepared to be roped into the mainstream. Delanie’s call was unexpected but was answered on the first ring.
“Lani, what’s up?”
“You remember that guy at Roger’s birthday party? He came with Karen, so you must know a few things about him.”
Oriana remembered that the man who had come with Karen that night was Wade. She had even joked with her mother and Joe that Karen was lucky to have caught the eye of someone like Wade.
Had Delanie not mentioned him now, she would have completely forgotten, as she had not heard anything about Wade since that night. Absence indeed makes the heart grow fonder, and it seemed so for Delanie.
“What about him?”
“Well, I need his contact, and you have to help me.”
Oriana went into deep thought. Wade had only greeted them politely that night, giving all his attention to Delanie after Roger stole Karen from him, so why didn’t she take something as simple as his number?
“I’m very sorry, I don’t have his contact, but Karen spoke about him before he met us at the airport. I think she mentioned meeting him in a club your father took her to.”
Delanie’s thoughts began to race as she asked, “do you have the name of the club?”
Oriana had spent the longest time with Karen during her stay with them, so they discussed a lot by then, excluding Roger.
“I think so, but if you are going there, then I want to tag along. It’s boring after work because Roger won’t let us host a party and invite friends. He treats his mansion like some kind of sanctuary, only Karen could do whatever she wanted, and during her free time, she would spend it at the orchid garden with Roger.”
The two lived as if they were the only ones in the mansion, though there were two more women with them. "Alright, Friday night, but not a word about it to Roger, do you understand?"
Oriana was nodding at the end of the line before remembering that they were speaking on the phone. "Yeah, of course."
On the night they agreed to find Wade at the club, the two ladies were thinking about the right excuse to give Roger when he sent them a text message that he was going to be home late, sending them a driver.
Oriana was super excited but did not expect Delanie to take the car after the driver arrived.
"Are you sure this is right? He will inform Roger," Oriana voiced her concern, but Delanie was too confident in her position as a Dawson, not understanding that things had shifted since her parents left.
"He wouldn’t dare. He owes me as much loyalty as he does Roger, so he has no right to snitch on me."
"Well, that sounds good. So how are we gonna find him?" Oriana asked. Delanie remembered something and informed her, "I don’t know yet, but even if we do, he mustn’t know my real name. Therese is what I told him the first time."
Though playing around, she had no intention of revealing her identity, and Oriana, knowing the rules about the Dawsons hiding their identity, found everything interesting.
Arriving at the club, they changed into the dresses they prepared for tonight in the car before joining the heavy dancers.
Delanie’s eyes were wide as she looked around curiously for a sign of Wade, but with the level of the crowd, it seemed impossible.
As they made their way through the heavy dancers to one of the VIP booths, they ordered drinks, amazed when the waiter refused payment. "It’s on the house."
“That’s impossible. We haven’t been here before,” Delanie argued, trying to speak above the music but the waiter smiled and responded,
“Exactly. This is our way of welcoming you so feel free. All your bills for tonight, are on the house.”
Drowned in confusion, Oriana downed one of the glasses and sighed, "I’m going to dance, and perhaps you can find your prince charming.”
Delanie blushed, feeling that Oriana was getting it all wrong. “What? Not my prince charming. I just…" she paused, unable to explain the details of her plans to her, but before she knew it, Oriana had already disappeared among the crowd, so Delanie went after her.
"Hello, beautiful," a drunken voice spoke in her ear, his sweaty body pressed against hers, causing irritation to fill her stomach.
Instantly, she pushed him away, but Oriana was nowhere in sight. "Oriana, where are you?" she screamed over the loud music, but the men around merely laughed mockingly, their glares seductive. "
“Come on, have some fun."
Delanie's teeth gritted together, but ahead, she caught sight of the blonde girl because of her glittering black dress when the disco lights fell briefly on her.
She had accepted a drink from a strange man, gulping it all down. A frustrated sigh escaped Delanie as she pushed through the sweaty dancers to reach Oriana, pushing the man away from her.
"Stay away from her," she snarled, but more men had surrounded them. Oriana looked unstable, and she feared the girl might fall into bad hands if left alone.
Perhaps her search for Wade would not be possible tonight. Grabbing Oriana by the shoulder, she spoke seriously, "we have to go."
"Sorry, you can't," one of the men blocked her way. Delanie's teeth gritted together, the Dawson in her taking over as anger burned through her like fire. "Move, or you won't have a mouth to use."
"And if I don't, cutie," the hunk said mockingly, the rest supported him with laughter which soon faded when Delanie landed a punch on his mouth. It was hard enough to break some teeth.
"What the fuck!" The man lifted his hand to retaliate, but a stronger arm caught it. "Don't even dare."