WEIGHTED 24

THIRD PERSON POV

The clock barely hit 7:00 pm when people started swarming in the hotel, elegantly dressed to the awaited event of the year as reporters like to put it. They wanted to fit the standards of their hosts.

Children of all ages were escorted to join the Roberts’ on the games and theatre floor that was well secured with bodyguards, and even though the reason children were invited along with their parents was in order for the Robert siblings to socialise and learn how to interact with others instead of only being in their tight circle where no strangers are allowed to come in, the youngsters couldn’t bring themselves to break that habit. They both the Second House’s kids and Ethan and his siblings were gathered together in a corner of the games room, creating their own little circle away from the others.

Despite them being a bunch of kids, the oldest being a 9 year old, they still look as intimidating as their parents. They appeared untouchable with the finest of suits, and a stone cold attitude to outsiders. Especially Ethan, Jacob and Eden, it was obvious they would grow to be heart breakers. Even with the last tow being orphans, it seems they don’t feel like that, they’re acting as if it was their family they’re living with.

A little girl approached them, her pony tails bouncing up and down adapting to her bright and cheerful personality. She seemed to be 6 years old, ’Wanna play with me?’ She asked Ethan who in return looked at her as if she’s out of her mind. Wasn’t obvious that they wanted no contact with others.

‘No, go find somebody else.’ He told her.

Her cute grey eyes glistened with new formed tears. ’BB - but I wanna pppplay with you.’ She sobbed quietly.

Ethan was alarmed when he saw her tears, and went to her side before he started comforting her. ’Hey, it’s okay, I was just joking. We’ll all be playing with you.’ He said looking frantically at his friends, silently asking them for help. Eden was dumbfounded, he still wondered how was it possible for a young boy as rich as his friend to be so soft-hearted. He thought all rich kids were brats, neither they nor their parents ever showed them any mercy when they were in the streets. They started acknowledging them only when Ethan and his parents found them, took them in, announced to the whole world that they are part of their family now, and provided them with the world’s best care, without expecting anything in return. Those two - faced hypocrites wanted to have a good relationship with the Roberts’ even if it meant they have to deal with the dirt poor orphans.

Not even their real parents would be meaning anything next to their current parents, their Saviours. They may be young, but they knew how to be grateful. They knew how to show gratitude and recognition to those who helped them when everyone else turned their backs on them.

‘Sure, little girl. We’ll be glad to play with you.’ Jacob said smiling while patting her head gently.

Her face instantly lit up when she heard that, and took each of Ethan and Jacob’s hands in hers before dragging them to one of the princess games. The boys followed her lead even though they weren’t fans of princess games, but they knew how to play them thanks to their baby sisters.

Elize and Tyrone were having a conversation with some of the guests when Elize’s phone rung and she excused herself to take it.

‘Hey, Cuz! Where are you?’ Elize answered the call when she was in the lobby.

‘We’re trapped in the traffic, but we’ll be coming soon.’ He replied.

‘Okay then, I’ll be waiting for you.’ She said before hanging up.

A tiny pair of hands tugged at her dress, asking for her attention. She hunched to meet the little girl’s height. ’What’s wrong, Daisy?’ Elize asked worriedly while caressing the toddler’s cheek.

‘Ena, cry, momma.’ She informed about to cry herself.

‘Shhh, don’t cry, baby.’ She wiped the tears that escaped her eyes. ’Where is she?’ She asked. Daisy took her hands and started guiding her to the far end of the ballroom where a crowd were assembling around someone who was shouting.

‘LOOK AT WHAT YOU’VE DONE. DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THIS DRESS COSTS?’ A woman questioned who seemed to be Linkie angrily. ’WHERE THE HELL IS YOUR MOTHER YOU DAMNED BASTARD?’ When the girl didn’t answer, the woman lifted her hand in the air to slap her.

‘I fucking dare you.’ Dared a calm voice that caused the woman to turn around alarmed.

‘MMM - Mrs…’

Elize ignored her pathetic attempt to talk, walked towards the frightened little girl, and bent down to her height. ’Are you okay, Honey? Did she hurt you?’ She questioned in gentle a voice. Linkie shook her head crying hysterically while clinging to Elize’s neck.

However Elize noticed the little girl’s dishevelled hair that was in a neat pony tail, and glared at the woman viciously. ’Are you sure, baby?’ Elize looked at her in the eyes.

‘Yes, momma.’ The girl replied shocking the whole crowd. Elize nodded, and started fixing her messed up hair, shocking their audience even more. ’Okay, honey I want you to take uncle Lee and do whatever you wanted to do, then take your sister and go with him to your siblings. Can you do that for me?’ Asked Elize in a motherly tone after finishing what she was doing.

‘Yes, Momma.’ The girl nodded.

Elize signalled to Lee to do the task. ’Don’t let them out of your sight until they reach the kids, and tell the guards to guard them well or I’ll have their Balls for dinner.’ She said. Lee nodded before going with the girls.

Elize turned to the trembling woman, and slapped her hard on her cheek with the back of the hand that has a ring that seems to have some artificial sharp thorns surrounding the Diamond. Drawing blood out in the process, yet the woman’s previous courage seemed to vanish, for she kept her head down, afraid of angering her more. The slap seemed to attract the whole ballrooms’ attention.

‘How fucking dare you to come to my party, and treat my family like that. That too is my little ones.’ Elize raged. ’Cat got your tongue? Weren’t you asking for Linkie’s mother earlier?’ Elize mocked. ’FUCKING ANSWER ME.’ She boomed making the woman jump at the sudden outburst.

‘I’m sssorr…’

‘Whose wife are you, anyway?’ She asked, knowing that the woman wasn’t someone known which means she’s here with her husband.

‘I…’

‘More like Mistress.’ Someone from the crowd shouted. ’She’s Mr Smith’s mistress.’ The same woman elaborated when she saw Elize looking at her as if asking her to continue, while she regarded the other woman with disgust.

‘So you’re a family breaking Slut?’ Elize asked with venom, if there was anything she loathed, it was a 'family breaking bitch' and child abusing monsters, and the woman just committed both offences in her presence.

Elize looked at the direction the slut was looking at, there stood a man with his head hung low, and a woman glaring at him with tears spilling from her eyes. ’No help is coming from there anytime soon, Dear, so I suggest you gather what’s left of your pathetic dignity and vanish from my party before I make you regret ever opening your eager legs.’ Elize said coldly.

The woman sprinted away from the ballroom, bawling her eyes out like a pathetic bitch. ’Skin her alive for all I care, just make sure I never see her again.’ She silently told Lee who just came from his previous task while glaring at the woman’s empty place.

Lee nodded and went about his new task. Elize looked up to see everybody staring at her with a hint of admiration and respect before the crowd dispersed.

The woman who disclosed the bitch’s identity approached Elize with an admiring glint in her eyes. ’Hi, thank you so much for that.’ The woman smiled. Elize looked at the woman confusedly.

‘For what exactly?’ She asked.

‘For standing up for my friend like that, her husband’s is a real douche bag, He keeps on cheating on her, and she always believes his empty promises when he says he will change, and that it will be the last time he does something like that. She never learns, and even though she is my best friend and I love her, but she needed a little shake to see reality.’ The woman blabbed.

‘First of all, I didn’t do it for your friend, and secondly your friend needs to know to appreciate herself and her dignity more. No man deserves that we give ourselves up for, no matter how much we love them. Least of all not a cheating bastard.’ Elize said before walking away.

‘The name is Martha, by the way. I hope we can be friends someday because I really like you.’ The woman said to Elize’s retreating back.

‘Sorry, Honey. I don’t do friends.’ Elize informed without flattering her footsteps.

She needed a breath of fresh air as a change from that stuffy room. When she walked out, she heard someone sobbing while crushing their fists on the wall with blood running down their wrists, and cursing their lives away. She approached the sound until she noted that it was the same woman from earlier.

‘It’s not worth it.’ She didn’t know why she had the urge to comfort the woman, maybe because she saw a glimpse of the old broken her. She wanted to make it up for herself, even if it was through another.

‘It hurts, the pain is too much to deal with.’ The woman said still not looking at Elize.

‘Fight it, deal with it, and win. That is the least you own to yourself, no one is worthy enough of us destroying ourselves. Show them how strong you are, how easily disposable he is.’ Elize advised. ’Don’t give him the satisfaction of seeing you hurting because of him, let them have him if they want.’ She continued. It was like she was saying that to her old self, to a damsel in distress that had her life snatched away from her.

‘How? No one will ever want me.’ The woman continued her self - pity.

‘Who says we need someone to complete us. You’re worthy of all the happiness in the world, and you have your daughter, that’s more than enough reason for you to fight for. Learn to never compromise on your dignity. Then when you heal, burn them with the fire they drowned you in. Make them feel tenfold what exactly you felt.’ Elize said before walking back in. ’Determination is the key.’

‘Thank you. I’ll forever be grateful for your words. They’re just what I needed, not an empty ’Everything will be fine.’ The woman said.

‘Remember to never bow down to anyone, worthy or not. Always keep your head up, for your sake as well as your daughter’s.’ Elize said before disappearing in the hotel.

The woman was still in awe at how could a stranger’s cold and wrathful words could light her mood up, could open her eyes up. She felt a new burst of energy like never before. One that was urging her to go out there, fight, and live. For herself before all, then for her daughter. It was like Elize’s words were the cure to her broken heart.

Tyrone watched the whole thing from when Elize slapped the woman until she comforted the poor lady, and he couldn’t help but feel proud of having the privilege of being her husband. He was proud how strong, kind, and companionate she is.

He made his way into the hotel, following her, and was about to catch up to her when an unfamiliar voice called her.

‘Elize..’