Chapter three 《The Devil's incarnate 》

Bottling up the wrong people do to you is like lightning a flame within, it will continue to burn until it finally destroys you.

Anonymous💕

|VELVETTE|

I was shortlisted for biannual 'which Jewel glamours' competition after restless uphill struggle, I've made it. Hurray! It was a dream come true, I've worked determinedly hard for this.

"Your smile is infectious, geez your excitement is radiating the whole city. congratulations." Kalinda's happiness pervaded voice sounded beside me.

Kalinda and I have been best of friends since the day I stood up for her in grade school when Lucas, the hot and popular guy in school tried to humiliate her infront of all the students. Apparently she had a crush on him, she wrote a letter to him which for the asshole he was and will continue to be decided to read it in the midst of all the students. I couldn't bear looking at Kally's teary face when she tried stopping him from reading it aloud, so I confronted him and put him in his place.

I was a wild one back then, I kicked his arse.

We have been inseparable since, she still cringes everytime the memory comes to mind.

'Which Jewel glamours' is an innovative competition for aspiring and talented jewellery makers. They select excellent participants every two years to compete, the winner gets the privilege of making a crown for the prince of England.

The finale jewel and any other jewels of the winner will be showcased to the world. Not only that, the winner's business will be sponsored with billion worth of precious stones, diamonds and pearls for five consecutive years.

There's more to it than just being exposed to important business personalities. Millionaires, billionaires, trillionaires, those are bunoses of being apart of the grand competition.

There's more to it than you'd ever imagine, it takes a miracle to get shortlisted among the other dexterous participants.

"Kally, all the other shortlisted contestants will be attending the party, I can literally feel the nervousness seeping off my body. What if they're better than me? What if I don't fit in? I don't care what any snobby chicken says about me but-."

"What if's are words of cowards and as far as I know, you're not near one," Kally interrupted my already confused head as she put a finishing touch of make up consisting of waterproof mascara that complimented my already long lashes and strawberry lip gloss to smoothen my plump and rough lips.

"There you go, you're looking as gorgeous as always. I bet tonight might be your night."

She chattered with a wink.

"Don't flatter me, look at you," I gestured with my hand, "beautiful is an understatement."

Kally has a nice body. When I say nice, I mean the ogling kind of nice. Her stunning lavender, fabulously knitted flowery dress which fitted her body like glove elucidating her spoon curves and it went with a matching long golden earrings and heels.

She looked appealing from her beeline honey hair, enticing chocolate eyes to her pink plump lips, full bust and curvy waist.

She was a goddess compared to my slender, olive skin and my peach knee length dress which I paired up with silver heels.

I'm not as curvy, hell I look like a ginger bread if juxtaposed to her mouthwatering elegance.

"Ya done checking me out," she uttered in a chucklesome, vainglorious masculine voice.

I rolled my eyes at her comment.

"You think."

Kally gave a lopsided grin and checked the time on the expensive golden watch her father gifted her on her birthday.

"We gotta go. We're five minutes and thirty three seconds behind time."

I checked my appearance for the last time and followed her out of the house.

Her driver was as usual waiting for us beside her luxurious Porsche Panamera which she's dubbed Felixa after her late Fiance Felix Hughes.

"Ms Coldwell and Ms Macmillan."

He acknowledged us with a nod and opened the door for us.

"Jeremy how's your daughter?" I asked after we got comfortable in the subdued cosy porsche.

"She was exceedingly happy when she heard about your audition. I say congratulations on her behalf."

Smile and adoration evident in his voice, he loved his daughter.

Claire is all he has now. Apparently from what he told us, his greedy and gold digging bitch of an ex wife divorced him right after she gave birth to Claire. She had no interest in taking care of her or whatsoever. To her, Claire was a delicious, delightful mistake. She stripped him off everything he had using Claire as bait.

Kalinda nudged me with her shoulders and I raised my eyes in question. It was then that I realized I hadn't replied.

"Thanks Jeremy. You look good, have you been seeing anyone offlate?" I questioned in a humor filled voice.

He blushed and looked away,

"Not really," was his short shy reply.

We got into a comfortable silence, the background huming an album of Taylor swift "Tim Mcgaw."

It wasn't long before we pulled into the driveway of the party Villa popularly known as the 'sexter Arena', who the hell would want to name their villa by that thoughts provoking title.

The place was crowded with the family and friends of the selectees engrossed in a festive mood enjoying their victory as well as motivating them in their new tough endeavour.

Kalinda spotted an old friend of hers and went ahead to have a chit chat with her.

I wandered aimlessly, boringly waiting for Kally's arrival so we could go inside the bar to have best time of our lives, sway our hips to the music and drink alcohol till we get wasted and hook up with three faced men.

Not that I could even seduce a man, but hey a girl can dream. I facepalmed at my own silliness.

I deserve some break, I've worked hard for this. it's a dream come true and it's time for me to have some fun before the main course of the competition will be devoured.

Just when I thought I could have a peaceful uneventful day,

I caught sight of the devil's incarnate. The one and only Tiffany Morgan.

I almost forgot she'd be here, of course she was shortlisted as well. I'm still wondering how she managed to pull that off.

She's never taken liking to me from the first time she recognized my not so impressive face. She despised me like I held the keys to the blazing flames of hell. Mind you, If I had that power, she'd be buried in the pits of hell with witty noodle like animals crawling all over her skin by now.

It got worse when she discovered that I was into jewellery making and hailed from one the most prestigious family in the country with immense history in jewel making and mining of precious stones.

She always makes an attempt to make life like hell for me, I try my best to avoid her as much as possible. Nope, call me a coward but I don't really like to bring attention to myself.

Habitually, she was alluring a hot but shy red haired guy.

She lowered her bust offering him more access to her cleavage and sucked on her red lipsticked bottom lip in a seductive way.

She went ahead to lift his hands and guide it to her tits massaging it alongside, she let out a breathy moan in acknowledgement.

Typical of Tsiff, I rolled my eyes in distaste and decided to walk away before she noticed my presence and went on to create a scene but I guess it was too late.

"This isn't gonna end well." I mumbled under my breath.

I ignored her call and moved away from her line of sight, feeling hot of a sudden, I walked farther to the pool side where the cold air was dominant. Obviously, she followed me.

"Hey look who we've got here," she whispered in vexation careful not to draw attention and eyed me from head to toe.

"You're not pretty nor talented, you're boring and plain. I still have no Idea why they chose you. Wait, just wait I'll see to it that you don't make it even to the quarter finals."

She threatened with venom and hatred oozing from her lips.

It stung and hurt to hear someone talk about you as if you're just a cheap paper roll use for nothing other than the time of convenience when they want to release the undigested food substances inside of the body.

I couldn't let her win so I masked an expression of indifference.

I'm tired of taking in all her verbal assault every freaking time, it's about time someone put her rightful place and I'm the one who's gonna push that through.

I gave a cruel laugh pretending not to be affected by her outburst and folded my hands on my chest.

"I may be slender and ugly and not as curvy as you happen to be or should I say the curvy body you happen to acquire after several unsuccessful plastic surgeries.

Real talent is what's significant here, that's why I was enthusiastically selected because I passionately have the skills and as far as I know, you have none, Zero."

She glared her eyes in fury but I continued anyways,

"Well it's not my fault that you were desperate to compete with me that open up your legs wildly for the director. I knew you felt intimidated by my talent but I never expected you to stoop that low.

I don't know who's next. The organiser? Presenter?" I mimicked in a deriding manner.

"I feel sorry for you."

I think I hit a nerve because the next thing I knew I was fighting for my dear life in the swimming pool.

I forgot to inform you that I'm waterphobic, a water freak.

I almost got drowned when I was little girl of about five years old.

My parents and I went for a holiday in Hawaii, while we were enjoying ourselves at the beach. I heard clearly when my parents forbid me from going near the water but as curious as I was, the water was calling out for me, Velvette just a little bit closer.

That's how I almost died at the beach, if not for the timely intervention of my parents I'd be six feet under those wretched cemetary grounds.

Since that incident I've never gotten closer to water. It reminds me of my darkest moments. I had panic attacks and nightmares consistently for seven years.

¿¿¿

I made unending efforts to regain my balance, I really did.

I screamed on top of my lungs but the water muffled all my noise.

The water entered my nose making it unbelievably hard to breath.

To be sincere this wasn't how I envisioned my death, no time for a proper goodbye.

Mum's gonna be devastated, Kalinda, the competition, my dreams.

I wasn't even able to say goodbye to my adorable pet 'sunshine' and I wasn't able to flaunt my latest Lamborghini veneno Mum gave me.

How sad, I hate water now more than ever.

"Hey listen to me, you artificial reflection of water. I hate you, you're my mortal enemy." I shouted to the unresponsive water.

As if I could survive to ponder over my premature hatred.

Just when I was about to completely give in to the consuming rage of the water, two strong hands lifted me from the water. I opened my eyes to witness two brooding majestic ocean blue eyes staring down at me in concern.

I struggled to look at him, to even breath out a little thank you but my vision blurred until total darkness eveloped me.