1 Ting Hun

Click clack clickThe deathly sound of stilettos hitting the hotel's marble floor was ominous. The haunting sound scared the hotel staff that stood guard by the ballroom hall's door but what made them pee their pants was the lady who was dressed in black, smiling before them.Meanwhile, beyond the door was a Ting Hun luncheon—an engagement ceremony celebrating the union of two aristocratic families. The symphony from the orchestra filled the air as guests flocked in the venue and were welcomed by the bride's parents who wore a smile on their faces, shaking hands with every visitor that entered the ballroom hall.Upon entering, one could tell how lavishly decorated the place was for the occasion: the smell of fresh flowers tickled everyone's noses, and the tastefully curated floral arrangements were a feast for the eyes, giving a feeling like one is entering a forbidden forest. Silence ensued as the emcee started to introduce the couple and their lineages. However, not everyone was interested in those facts as gossiping aunties at the back talked in whispers about all the troubles the groom had to endure from his crazy ex-girlfriend. They all nodded in agreement that it was a lucky decision for Lance Go to leave that girl and tie the knot to the love of his life, Selena Lee.Thunderous applause filled the room, a signal for the double doors to open and reveal the back of a maiden. Selena walked backward from the entrance to the stage where her groom awaited her, a tradition to avoid the negative energy in the room. Her smooth milky white back earned both a sigh of jealousy and admiration as she traversed the red carpet with a 'lucky lady' guiding her along the way.Across the hall, Lance wiped the beading sweat on his forehead and blew out a nervous breath when he saw how Selena's back shook from a mixture of anxiety and anticipation, just like him.Upon reaching the stage, the 'lucky lady', someone who came from a successful marriage and a living example for the bride to emulate, turned Selena clockwise three times—looking every bit like a fairy in a forest as her tea-length skirt danced with every twirl. Selena almost lost her balance in her 4-inch heels, and like a true knight, Lance caught her in his arms, which earned laughter and applause from their guests. Side by side, they faced their audience and bowed. What a perfect pair, the guests thought.Lance Go looked dashing in every angle despite the clear nervousness on his face. His custom-fit royal blue tuxedo and black bowtie added more charisma to the smoldering gaze of his coffee brown eyes.Beside him, Selena Lee looked ethereal—a fairy who graced Earth with her presence. Everybody said her smile was her greatest asset, what with that sweet smile which could send fluffs of clouds to lighten up a person's day.Side by side, the couple faced each other with giddy smiles on their faces. Finally... Here they are after months of fighting for their love.The engaged couple was in the midst of exchanging their gifts that came in pairs: necklaces, bracelets, and watches. However, all the attention inside was stolen when the double doors opened again. Lance stood on guard, ready to fight for his love and life, while Selena, on the other hand, clutched on the sleeve of his suit."Olivia Lin! Stop this madness!"Pffft! Olivia scoffed as she eyed the golden Sanghee backdrop, a double "happiness" character, behind Lance and Selena. What a joke. Double happiness? Well, let's double the fun. She motioned her security details to bring in her gifts: dozens of standing spray arrangements of lavender daisy poms, white roses, and lilies – perfect for the day's funeral.Olivia pulled her sunglasses away revealing her face. The guests turned their gaze to her face, sizing up the notorious ex-girlfriend of Lance Go. Her naturally tanned yet flawless skin and hazel brown eyes that pull your soul made her stand out from the rest of the elites. One would question why Lance broke his engagement with a woman like her in the first place. But what bothered them the most was that nobody knew her identity except for the little fact that she was his university day's sweetheart from England.Everybody snapped their heads back and forth between the couple and Olivia as the lady in black started to walk forward. She stood before Selena and whispered something in the bride's ears."You schemed your way into his bed… now scheme your way out of debt… or death. Whichever comes first." A smirk full of disgust beautifully complemented Olivia's face as she pulled away from the engaged pair.Olivia gracefully placed a folder and recorder on the table along with the rows of jewelry that were yet to be taken out of their velvet boxes. She tilted her head to the left as she bit the tip of her sunglasses' hook, before saying, "Enjoy my gift. Best wishes!"The villainess turned on her heel and left, her hips swayed like a model in the catwalk with her every step. Her insidious laughter lingered across the room, raising the hair of every guest's skin.Across the room a father and son duo who just arrived instantly left when they saw the scene. The Lee's were an old family friend and their attendance was their way of showing respect to the family. However, they don't have time to watch a circus unfold and just left.Taking the folder on the table, Lance saw for himself a prenuptial agreement between him and Olivia Lin. Highlighted in green, Olivia's favorite color, was a clause which stated that should a breach in engagement arise, the non-performing party would be liable for all the damages incurred.One by one, her security details took every piece of jewelry in the ballroom hall, and the beautiful face of Selena was now covered with streaks of black, her mascara ruined from all her crying.But wait, there's more.Selena picked up the tiny recorder on the table and pressed play.~Lance, stop. You're getting married. Remember that.~~Olivia, now don't be jealous. You know how only you can excite me on bed...~Selena stopped crying in an instant, her face paled when Lance's words sunk in, stabbing her heart repeatedly with pins and needles. She knew she cheated her way to Lance's heart and this was her karma. Anger fueled her to grab the Sanghee porcelain teapot, ready to break it on Lance's handsome face yet a hand beat her to it."You can't break the teapot, madam. We have to collect it."Snapping her head towards Lance, she asked, "How much do we owe her, Lance? How can you be so stupid to sign that contract!" Selena's fury erupted like wildfire, setting the whole venue ablaze. She easily forgot how Lance cheated on her and went to assess their newly acquired debt."10 million dollars for damages," Lance replied like a zombie as he shuffled his hand on his perfectly gelled hair."Ok, then let them have those pieces of jewelry.""And 1 billion dollars for breach of contract."Selena slumped on the floor, her skirt crinkled from her tight grasp, her knuckles turning white as she mumbled, "But that's your total net worth, Lance."In one fell swoop, Lance Go's company crumbled at Olivia Lin's palm.Once Olivia's inside the car, she took her sunglasses off along with her pretentious façade. She let a tear fall on her cheek and forced a sob to make her feel better yet that sob slowly turned into a burst of spine-chilling laughter.Uncle Jin, Olivia's personal driver, shook his head and smiled at his boss's antics. Another player was driven out of the board game, he thought as he glanced at the rearview mirror. He saw the serene smiling face of his boss as she propped her elbow on the middle console, drowning herself with the passing sight of the busy metro on the car ride home.Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.Hell hath no fury like Olivia Lin.