Survive

Chapter 14 - The Ball 2

'Even the most broken items can sometimes be put together.'

Star's P.O.V

"Have you met my daughter Zoe?" Mr. Semando introduces his daughter to Manuel.
And I hope is not what I'm thinking.
"I did see her at the gala." Manuel says with a strict face.
He doesn't smile and Zoe clings to his arm already as she sips on a glass of wine making me annoyed.
Before Mr. Semando could speak Ceaser speaks.
"I've been wanting to speak to you ever since the business dinner but you've been unreachable"
"I've been busy" he answers in his thick Mexican accent. I just like it.
"Oh okay but I just wanted to cement our deal"
Everyone was silent looking at him.
Manuel cocks his eyebrow and asks "how?"
"My daughter" he smiles like he's achieved something big.
He wants to give his daughter off to someone when the person she likes is right Infront of him.
I see Jacqueline bow her head in disappointment.
"What has she done?"
Manuel asks like he doesn't get it.
"I'm giving her out to you. Marriage" Ceaser still grins.
"Ohh Mr. Smith, I must say you've beaten me to it. My daughter has told me about how she likes and admires Dr. Gonzalo so I was thinking we could set them up and here you also are" he says with a mysterious look.
"I think mine will be more beneficial" Ceaser tries.
Manuel grabs a wine from the tray of one of the men passing and sips listening to their conversation.
"Mine will be an alliance for the future" Semando says.
Ares just keeps looking around like someone bored already.
Manuel clears his throat.
"If Ares want help from me he sure can come to me himself, we go way back and he knows that. I don't need your daughter" Ares nod in agreement.
And there was a look of disappointment on Zoe's face but Jacqueline was tense that Manuel might have chosen her instead.
I am also worried.
He shouldn't choose any of them. I don't know why but he shouldn't.
Both seem to be men of few words.
"And Mr. Smith. Our business is still in the process. It will be cemented when I want it to. I don't need your daughter. "
I see Jacqueline relax and try to hide her smile.
The two were now quite.
"People say you're gay Mr. Gonzalo. Is it true?" Zoe asks in annoyance and I wonder.
Her father gave her a warning look so did Ares too.
"Let them say" he shrugs and chuckles.
"Bu-t"
"I want her" Ares interrupted.

.....

It was Jacqueline.
Ceaser seems taken back but the man did not say no.
His dad didn't look quite happy but Ceaser was.
"Of course" he pushes his daughter towards Ares and Jacqueline is sure happy.
Just like that.
It's like I'm bad luck. Meant to be never happy.
Ceaser could have rejected me too right?
But no- bad luck!
Zoe scrunches up her face and walks away and so does Ares and Jacqueline.
Mr. Semando kisses me on the back of my hand before walking away and just as Manuel could leave, they appeared.
My ex- father and Neymar.
Yess...ex-father.
My heart's drops.
It reminded me of everything.
"I want to visit the washroom" I murmur and tried to escape the moment but Ceaser held me back with a devilish smirk.
"Not now, Amor"
I stood by his side like a dummy refusing to look into their eyes.
Manuel must have noticed because he gives me a worried look. But not like he can do anything so he shows me the signal I need. Which was removing his handkerchief from his pocket and left after.
I have to really escape this.

They acted like I wasn't there. As they spoke about business.
Ceaser held tightly unto my waist making me feel  disgusted all over again...
Reminding me of the pain he inflicted on me that night...
When they finished talking he went around greeting people with a fake personality before going to join everyone only Jacqueline was absent as she was with Ares.
It was boldly written on the tables cover cloth - ' SMITH ' with something that looks like a mini microphone or something.

We all took out seat as a woman in bold red floral dress took the stage.
"It's a beautiful night with beautiful people. It's a pleasure having you all here tonight" she bows slightly and smiles so brightly.
Her smile is breath-taking. She is very beautiful- her golden locks held up high, big pretty eyes, cute nose and plumb pink lips. She had a heart-shaped face.
"I am Nixy Lordel and I will be your host for tonight"
"It's an important night filled with the world's important people and we bring to you the first chapter as you know. "
"Let invite the world best Orchestral manoeuvres,right from South Korea. Seoul."
There was a sounding round of applause which I didn't join in.
And I begin to see what rich people enjoy.
The place was silent as everyone listen.
I have to admit it is good and nice.
When they finished playing the woman - Nixy appeared with her beautiful smile.
"And here are the bookings made just now fifty thousand dollars by the Mr. Wood for them to play at his son's birthday party next week
Seventy thousand dollars by Mr. San to play for his wife.
One hundred and fifty thousand dollars by Mr. Ares Semando to play for him just at the comfort of his home." So this how things work.
Ares must be really rich. He had no reason, just for his relaxation he paid one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
What do I have?
Nothing.
Yet I come from a millionaire family where my grandmother , my mother's mom is a billionaire yet she doesn't even know I exist. She may even be here but I won't know her. Will I? I don't even know my mom's last name to look for her family members.
I'm lost.
 
There is an applause and she continues.
I turn to see Jacqueline sitting at the Semando's table with content. Ares attention is on stage as she stares at him like a statue. She must be obsessed or something.
Manuel also sat with the Semando's. It seems he came alone. I stare at him wondering if this the man I talk to every night. The man I'm trusting...
What if he does worse things to me?
His eyes caught mine and immediately look away.
"Next here...." Some men in black walked on stage positioning something covered on stage and left as immediately as they came.
Nexi smiles.
"We have a painting by Naphtali Hood" she pulls the black cloth from the painting and it was nice. Not nice as I expected.
"This year the auction will be different. You can all see the mini microphones on each table. You'll use that to call your figures and it should be at your own difference. We'll like to hear the voices of biders bidding.... proving their well aware of what they've intended to donate to charity.
Now it starts from a hundred thousand"
"100 thousand dollars!" Some bursts out coolly.
"150 thousand"
"200 thousand"
"280 thousand"
Silence
"So it's going...."
She says slowly like she's waiting for others to come up with higher prices.
"1....2......3.....4.....5....!"
"280 thousand, it goes to Mr. Francisco Tera!"

She must know everyone's name then. Did she have to learn it?

After, a musician called Sofia Carson comes to sing a song.
The song is nice so as her voice. She was praised and congratulated on her platinum something on Netflix or something.
I definitely have no idea what's going on in the world.
But I love the lyrics.
“Come back home”
I wish my mom will come back...come back to her physical home. My life won't be the same.
Another painting comes up after.
"This person dropped the art a few minutes ago when we all didn't expect. It's been ages we've set eyes upon her but she instructed all money go straight into charity" she removes the cloth and I watch in awe.
It's a family painting. There is a  pregnant woman holding a young boy in her hands. The father kneels before her with his head on her stomach I guess trying to hear the baby's heart beat or maybe it's kicking. But the smiles on their faces... Pure Bliss. The background is green with a bright sun lighting everything beneath them. It looks almost real.
" This by Miss. Nadel Gonzalo"
Gonzalo??
My eyes snap to Manuel and it locks with mine.
His sister?
"Starts from a 300,000"
"350,000 dollars" that was Ceaser" he seems to want to impress Manuel.
"400,000 dollars" that's Zoe.
"400,500 dollars" Ceaser again.
"450,000  "someone  shouts .
"460,000" Ceaser goes on.
"800,000" and that's Mr. Semando himself.
Ceaser is silent.
I guess he doesn't want to waste any money then. But I think it'll be worth the painting because it's very beautiful.
"1,000,000"a woman says
There is silence.
Seems no one wants to spend more than a million on a painting.
"5, 4, 3, 2...."
"5,000,000" all head spin to his direction.
5 million!
"Dr. Gonzalo! Wow! Her brother" Nixy says with joy yet trying to maintain her professionalism.
"5....4....3, 2,...1!"
"It goes to Mr. Manuel Izan Gonzalo!!... but she has a message for whoever gets the painting."
She reads. " As you can see, it's a family portrait. Love and cherish your family. Time and circumstance knows you not."
And I can feel it. I for a reason understands it. Neymar catches my eye but I ignore it and rather meets with Manuel's eyes. He's happy he gets his sister's painting but I didn't know he is this rich.

He spoke about this like he's not interested. But to what extent can he also go to get what he wants?
5 million?

Who's this man?

~Jackie