As we approached the table, Maria rose with effortless grace. The evening sky held onto the last hints of daylight, casting a serene glow over the scene. The air was perfumed with the scent of roses mingling with tantalizing aromas of food.
In her hand, Maria held a champagne glass, lifting it with finesse, the soft clink against her butter knife drawing everyone's focus. Rhys squeezed my hand firmly, his aura of authority palpable. He looked different, transformed into a man unlike any I'd seen before. Dressed in his signature black business attire, sans tie, his coat featured intricate silvery thread embroidery, forming a striking V-shape across his chest, hinting at enigmatic tribal symbolism.
His piercing Prussian blue eyes held a captivating mix of danger and mischief.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a guest," Maria declared, commanding attention. Initially, all eyes were on her, but soon they turned towards me, fixing their gaze upon us.
Among the sea of unfamiliar faces, I couldn't shake the feeling of being out of place, like a fish out of water.
"Everyone, meet Dr. Kay," Maria announced with a wide smile, her enthusiasm infectious. I let out a small sigh, returning the smile to the gathering before me.
Yet, the subtle expressions of disdain on the faces of those unfamiliar with me didn't escape my notice.
"Kay, this is Rhys's extended family. Let me introduce you to Rya," Maria continued, directing my attention to a sophisticated brunette woman in her late sixties, who seemed distinctly uninterested in our meeting.
"And here we have Rya's husband, Frank. He happens to be the owner of Bin Maktoum oil refinery, the largest in Asia," Maria added, connecting me with a man who bore a vague resemblance to a Swiss gentleman but possessed more Middle Eastern features. I offered a courteous smile, which he returned with a feigned one and a slight nod.
Maria proceeded, "And last but not least, meet Rita, Royce, and Rita's younger sister."
Rita, another brunette, had piercing blue eyes like Rhys, and her unmistakable disapproval was evident.
Undeterred, I plastered on the most expansive grin I could ever muster.
Maria continued her introductions, gesturing towards a man named Albert, Rita's husband and the owner of Citadel Bank. He appeared to be of either Japanese or Chinese origin. It felt surreal to be seated alongside the chairman of the very bank where I had opened my first account almost 13 years ago.
Moving on, Maria said, "Lastly, we have Rhys's cousin, Fred, the son of Rya and Frank. He currently works directly with the Ambanis at Reliance Group and will soon be joining us at Volkner..."
Fred, a man in his early thirties, didn't beat around the bush, interrupting with, "Why the heck would I join you when there are opportunities everywhere?" Rhys tightened his grip on my hand, clearly upset by the exchange.
Tension simmered between them, palpable in the air.
To diffuse the situation, Maria cleared her throat, and Ralf, recognizing the awkwardness, politely interjected, "Please, take your seats. The food is getting cold."
Rhys promptly pulled out a chair for me, allowing me to take my place, and then seated himself beside me, still holding my hand.
"Hey there, Kaya! I'm Emilie, and this is my brother Emil. We're twins. It's awesome to meet you!" a bubbly brunette girl exclaimed, nodding towards a boy standing beside her. They seemed to be around 16 or 17 years old.
"These are my other two kids," Frank explained, as Rya continued to regard me with evident disdain.
"Kay, meet Jess, Rita's daughter," Maria introduced, pointing to a girl about my age. Jess didn't even try to fake a smile, so I responded with an even warmer smile of my own.
"And here we have Jasper and his brother Jim, both sons of Rita. Jim is an Olympian, bagging his first gold medal in the last Olympics in Javelin throw. Jasper graduated from Harvard at 14 in Computer Science just last year, didn't you? We're incredibly proud of him," Maria said, gesturing towards two young men in their twenties and mid-teens, respectively.
Jasper offered a friendly wave and a genuine grin, while his older brother in his early twenties gave him a sidelong glance. Rhys, looking somewhat amused, muttered loud enough for everyone to hear,
"Not a single person except Emilie and Jasper greeted her," Rhys's voice held a tone I hadn't heard from him before, addressing everyone at the table.
Jess made a derisive snort, clearly displaying her disdain for me as she sipped her champagne. The waiter promptly served us small portions of a vibrant green, creamy soup topped with a dollop of white caviar.
Attempting to initiate conversation, Frank asked, "So, you're a doctor?" As I took a spoonful of the creamy green soup, I replied politely, "Yes, that's correct."
Curious, Rya inquired, "Where did you study?"
"Bangladesh," I replied casually.
"You're from there?" Rya asked, her demeanor slowly shifting.
I nodded, noticing the gradual change in her attitude.
"Bangladesh? Where's that? In Africa? She doesn't seem that dark to me!" Rita expressed disdainfully, causing me to nearly choke on my soup. Rhys promptly came to my defense, asserting, "If you had prioritized your education, perhaps you would have known that it's in Asia, South Asia to be exact."
Jess, finishing her soup, emitted another dismissive noise, clearly unimpressed by the turn of events.
"Now you're defending her?" Jess's tone dripped with irritation.
"He killed 6 men, 6 bullets to 6 heads. Don't become the 7th head, Jess," Ralf warned his granddaughter, commanding the full attention of everyone present.
Albert took the opportunity to ask,
"How long have you two been dating?"
Rhys tightened his grip on my hand, silently asking me to remain silent with this question and replied, "Four months."
"Four months! You're introducing a girl you've only dated for four months?" Rya exclaimed, directing her disapproval at her nephew. It was becoming clear that this situation was even worse than I had anticipated.
"Typical Rhys..." Rita sneered at me.
I couldn't help but respond, "Why, don't you believe it's enough time to get to know a person?"
Rita retorted, "You don't strike me as someone who should be trusted after just four months."
A surge of anger coursed through me, igniting my blood like someone had set gasoline on fire.
I decided to be my absolute fucking worst.
Maria noticed my gradual shift of personalities and she exchanged a meaningful gaze with Royce who were clearly entertained by the whole mess,
"Why? Do I appear to be a gold digger to you?" I asked, my tone also noticeably changed, eliciting a subtle exchange of approving glances between Maria and her father in law, Ralf.
Jess chimed in, "Well, your choice of dress with that cheap fabric and neckline certainly suggests it."
"Oh, really? Why don't you pay a visit to my boutique then?" Nina interjected from the other side of the table, her tone dripping with sarcasm. Jess responded with a forced smile, saying, "I don't wear so-called designer dresses."
"Kids, enough," Royce protested, attempting to quell the brewing tension.
As the servers brought a platter of vegetables and medallions of veal meat, I eagerly began to indulge in the meal, and Rhys released my hand so he could enjoy his food in peace.
Fred struck up a conversation, remarking, "You seem quite accustomed to these luxury surroundings." His voice eerily resembled Rhys's, and he appeared to be a more subdued version of him.
"What are you suggesting?" Maria inquired. I couldn't help but notice Marco, who seemed utterly engrossed in his meal, apparently forgetting that I needed some verbal support in this cat-fight.
Fred looked contempt, saying, "She looked... professional."
"A professional gold-digger?" I shot back at him without a single hesitation, my question hanging heavily in the air. The table fell into an uneasy silence, with Albert looking like his head might explode.
Rita, with a sneer, remarked, "So, you catch on quickly, don't you?"
Meanwhile, the waitstaff continued to serve us a variety of fish dishes, but my attention was too consumed by my simmering frustration.
Deciding to break the tension with a bit of humor, I said, "Well, sadly, I can assure you all that this is my first attempt at gold digging."
This comment elicited laughter from Royce and Rya, providing a much-needed moment of relief.
"Really? Aww. What did you dig before?" Rita continued to mock me, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
I placed my spoon back on my plate, looked her in the eye, and responded calmly, "Graves."
Rhys stared at me, his expression a mix of surprise and admiration. In that moment, I felt a rush of affection for this incredible guy. His gaze reignited my crush on him, stronger than ever before. Albert chimed in, saying, "Great, one will commit murder, the other will dig graves to bury the bodies."
"It does seem like a match made in hell," Frank added, sneering at me before bursting into laughter.
"Looks like we have different views on hell and heaven, then," Royce casually remarked.
Jim couldn't resist taking a jab, saying, "If you have so much experience with grave digging, doesn't that make you a shit doctor?"
I responded clamly, "I'm a surgeon. Unfortunately, in surgery, not all patients make it. Although I've never experienced a patient dying on the operating table, I have witnessed deaths resulting from post-operative complications."
Jasper, with wide-eyed innocence, asked, "Really? You're a surgeon? Have you seen the da Vinci robots used in vascular surgery?" Jim swiftly intervened by giving his brother a smack on the head to silence him.
"Shut up you idiot!" Rita yelled at Jasper.
To my absolute horror, I watched as the light of enthusiasm drained from Jasper's face, replaced by a somber shadow that overtook his once-contagious joy. Emily, clearly angered by her cousin's mistreatment, abruptly threw her napkin onto the table and stood up. She walked over to Jasper and said, "Jas, let's go.
Jasper remained seated, his head bowed, his eyes meeting Emily's with a profound sadness. He eventually rose and left with her, holding her hand tightly, leaving me with a sinking feeling in my chest. It was painfully clear that their parents held significant sway over their actions. Despite their eagerness to engage in friendly conversation, the toxicity emanating from Rita, Frank, and Albert proved too much for their goodwill.
Emil, shooting Rhys a meaningful glance, stood up to follow his sister. Strikingly beautiful and handsome for his age, there was no denying that he would grow up to be a heartbreaker like his elder cousin.
Rhys began to rise as well, but I squeezed his hand firmly, silently urging him to stay put. Confusion flickered in his eyes as he glanced at me.
"I apologize for my children leaving the table," Rya muttered, Rita sneering in her sister's direction. I decided to divert my attention to Rya, hoping to bridge the gap.
"The saffron from your garden was absolutely divine. A gardener brewed some tea with it yesterday, and the flavors were exquisite! I had many Kashmiri friends back in med school, and I always missed the authentic Kashmiri saffron," I exclaimed, genuine enthusiasm lacing my voice. Rya's expression softened, genuine pleasure flickering in her eyes.
"That saffron is from my garden. I have a small cottage in Kashmir with a few acres of saffron gardens. Why don't you and Rhys come and visit sometime? I'm sure you'll enjoy it," Rya suggested, her soft-spoken manner causing Maria to turn her head in surprise. Nina shot me an impressed look at Rya's change in behavior towards me.
Fred, unable to resist another dig at his mother, sneered, "You're quite the expert at wasting money, mother. That cottage in Kashmir was an entirely unnecessary purchase."
She appeared visibly worn down by their behavior.
"How did you two meet?" Albert inquired once more, as the waitstaff continued to serve fish dishes that I could hardly focus on anymore.
"Italy, Lake Como," I replied, my enthusiasm waning as he seemed more interested in my connection to the Volkners.
Maria chimed in, "At my wedding venue."
Albert pressed further, asking, "When did he introduce her to all of you?"
"We all met together at Como," Royce explained.
Rita, never one to miss an opportunity to sneer at me, questioned, "So, it's a family affair? Who impressed whom first, Maria or Rhys?"
I shot back, "Which one do you prefer?"
But Rita persisted with her insinuations, saying, "Seems like Rhys wouldn't lift a finger without his stepmother's approval. I'm sure Maria gave you the green light before Rhys even spoke to you."
Jim, dripping with disdain, chimed in, "It's quite peculiar, this closeness between a stepson and stepmother. They seem unusually tight! Don't you have any concerns about this relationship dynamic, Uncle Royce?"
The derogatory tone in Jim's remark was unmistakable, and Ralf audibly gasped at his grandson's audacity. No one at the table was oblivious to the hateful insinuation Jim had made about Rhys and Maria. I clenched my hand so tightly that I could feel my freshly manicured nails almost piercing my own palm.
"Oops," Jess mocked the entire situation, and I noticed Marco starting to bristle with anger. Nina reached over and held his hand to try to calm him down.
Rhys's anger was palpable; he closed his eyes, and I knew I had to act swiftly to defuse the situation before he lost his temper again.
"Woah...! Ya'll fucking hate each other." I exclaimed, raising my voice and injecting a venomous tone that made everyone at the table give me horrified looks. Undeterred, I continued to let my words hang in the air.
"Rita, you are fucking disgusting! You sit on your crusty ass, assuming you have butt implant or you did Brazilian Butt lift, but seriously you need to learn how to talk with people who literally pay you billionaire lifestyle! Yet yo managed to fuck up your face with cheap fillers and botox."
Rita was visibly taken aback by my sudden outburst of anger.
However, Fred, unable to contain himself, yelled at me, "Bitch, shut your mouth!"
I retorted, "Aww, look who's talking! The delusional boy who works with Ambani and thinks they can work anywhere that Volkner Corporation hasn't invested! Even I know that Volkners are one of the biggest stakeholders in Reliance Group, you fucking twat!"
Fred was left speechless, and Maria had to press her mouth with both hands to stifle a burst of laughter. Rhys gave me a look as if he had never witnessed such a miraculous comeback in his life.
"You fucking dare to......" Jess yelled at me.
"You seem to have a crush on your own cousin, Jess! This isn't 'Sweet Home Alabama'! Leave my man alone. Rhys is your brother, you jealous fucking tart!" I sneered at her, exposing the root of her jealousy. Jess's jaw dropped in shock at my audacity.
In her fury, Jess sprang to her feet, clutching a champagne glass, and lunged towards me. However, before she could reach me, another man intervened, swiftly seizing her hand. It was evident what she was about to do—Jess wanted to toss her drink at me.
"Don't you even think about it, Madame!" The man, Ju, spoke with a distinct French accent as he materialized seemingly out of nowhere to halt Jess in her tracks.
Jess couldn't believe that Volkner Security personnel had dared to lay hands on her, leaving her momentarily speechless.
"Disrespect her again, and we will promptly escort you out of the premises, Madame," Ju declared politely but firmly, relieving her of the champagne glass.
"Go to your room, Jess," Royce commanded, his tone brooking no argument. Jess glanced helplessly at Ralf, but it was evident that her grandfather had resolved to put an end to her behavior.
"Go to your room and stay there," Ralf demanded sternly.
"But, Pop..." She attempted to feign distress, hoping to plead her case.
"GO TO YOUR FUCKING ROOM!" Ralf scolded her, his voice raising enough to make Jess almost whimper. She left the dinner without a single protest.
I couldn't contain myself any longer. It was clear to me that Ralf's leniency had allowed this disrespect towards Royce's family to fester.
"It's your fault, Ralf. I'm sorry, but you've allowed Rya and Rita's children to become miserable," I declared to Ralf, my voice trembling with emotion. He cast me an apologetic glance.
Trying to match my intensity, Fred interjected, "What do you even know about us?"
I shot back, "I know enough to see that all of you harbor disdain towards Maria and Royce. I used to think this kind of absurd family drama only existed in Indian or Bengali families. I was wrong, so wrong! You all are utterly disgusting!!" My frustration and anger rang clear in my words.
"If you're so perfect, so highly educated, so pretty—as you think—what are you doing here, with us? Why don't you leave?" Rita hissed at me.
Without skipping a beat, I retorted, "Why don't you leave?"
"Why would I leave? This is my family!" She screeched at me, her voice dripping with irritation. I silenced her with a hushing gesture, pressing my index finger against my lips.
"It's mine, too! And it seems like you hate my very existence, Auntie!"
"Yes, because you're a slut! We don't harbor sluts in this family, and you are not a Volkner!! That one slut already ruined everything for us," she said, pointing her index finger to Maia, "We're not letting another slut ruin our lives," she spat out.
I couldn't help but burst into laughter like a hyena. While Rita had called me a slut, the fact that she had referred to Maria Fucking Volkner as a tramp was beyond belief. I was certain that if Maria weren't her sister-in-law, she would have blown Rita's head off by now. Perhaps Rhys was just waiting for his parents' approval to remove Rita from the face of the earth.
Rya couldn't contain her anger either and yelled at Rita, "Rita, how dare you!"
In response, Rita lashed out, "Oh, you old whiny bitch, don't take the side of that Hispanic hooker!"
Jim, in an attempt to correct his almost illiterate mother, whispered, "She's Latina, not Hispanic."
"Rita, she's your sister-in-law. How can you talk about her like that in front of outsiders like hers?" Frank vaguely protested and insulted, seemingly fishing for more drama to unfold during dinner.
"Say sorry to Maria, Rita," Ralf commanded his daughter.
"And to Kay, as well," Royce added, sipping juice through a straw from a glass.
I had reached my limit with the Volkner family drama.
"Leave,"
I commanded, my tone carrying an air of authority. Everyone looked at me with a mix of confusion and astonishment. Rhys promptly emptied his champagne glass in one big gulp.
"Leave," I repeated, and Rhys looked at me as though he were on the verge of having an orgasm.
"Are you... telling me to leave?" Ralf asked with such adorable innocence in his senile voice that I almost burst out laughing. But I managed to compose myself for the upcoming wraiths,
"Rita, your time here is over. Leave," I commanded Rita, my tone brooking no argument. I saw a look of horror in her eyes, as if she had never been commanded in such a manner before.
"What?" Rita asked, addressing everyone at the table in disbelief.
"You heard her," Maria chimed in, giving me a nod of approval.
"But... you don't have the right to disrespect my mother like this," Jim managed to say from his agitated state.
I snorted at his accusation. "Oh, really, Sir Gold Medalist? Have you forgotten what you said to the people I love just a few minutes ago? Or should I remind you?"
Jim's face turned pale, but he mustered up the courage to sneer at me.
"Who the fuck do you think you are?" Jim hissed. I met his challenge with a stern gaze, holding it for a few seconds.
"Marco, give me a pen and paper," I demanded. Marco promptly produced both items and placed them in front of me.
"I am..." I began writing on the paper, "...Dr. Kaya FUCKING Rashidi. Junior Consultant, General Surgery Department, National Health Service, United Kingdom," I continued to scribble on the paper.
"And I just referred you for a psychiatric evaluation for baselessly accusing people of sexual misconduct. I'll ensure this letter reaches the Olympic authorities," I concluded my "prescription" with the cockiest grin I could muster.
A wave of fear washed over Jim like a tsunami as he realized the potential consequences for his athletic career. Although my letter was somewhat of a bluff, I knew that Jim was delusional and had been acting out of fear of disappointing his mother.
"You won't do that," his voice trembled.
"Oh, I can... and I will," I falsely assured him. Then, I turned to Ralf and added,
"I took your advice, Ralf. Torture first, then kill slowly." A smug grin appeared on Ralf's face; he understood what I was doing.
"I will not tolerate such disrespect!" Rita screeched from her seat.
"You saw it coming, Rita," Rya commented, clearly siding with me.
"I already told you to leave," I commanded Rita once more.
"Who the hell are you to tell me to leave?" Rita hissed once more.
This time, Rhys stood up from his seat and picked up an invisible piece of lint from his jacket, flicking it away with such exaggerated disgust that it seemed like the most atrocious thing to happen all evening.
"Alright, the kitty party is over, ladies. John, Giuseppe, follow Kay's orders. Please escort Rita, Albert, and Jim out of the vicinity. Kick Jess out of the palace as well. Jasper will stay with us until the weekend," Rhys commanded. Both John and Ju with few other guards, appeared as if from nowhere and approached the guests they were tasked with removing.
I could see Rita's nostrils flaring up and down from sheer anger and hatred. Albert wiped his mouth and shamelessly remarked, "Happy birthday in advance, Ralf and Royce. We'll send the gifts."
Royce put on a fake smile, and that's when I noticed his attire: a blue pair of shorts with a pink Hawaiian shirt adorned with flamingo prints. I nearly burst into laughter, but I managed to control myself given the gravity of the situation. He was the only person at the table who couldn't take this dinner too seriously.
"I can hardly wait for the gifts," Ralf replied with disdain as Albert leaned in to hug him.
"I will remember this disrespect," Rita declared to the crowd.
"And I will remember how you called me and Maria sluts," I replied.
"Who are you? Maria's latest henchman?" Rita spewed her venom at me. I responded with a hyena-like laughter to her remark.
As Rita was being escorted out of the Marquee, she stopped in my path and shot me a venomous look.
"You are worse than Maria," she hissed.
I wish I could convey how much this compliment meant to me. It was almost enough to make me forgive her and hug her. However, the satisfaction on my face was evident enough to let her know that I appreciated her comment.
Jim and Albert didn't miss the opportunity to send me disdainful glances as they left.
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