23 A Genius *

The day of the party arrived.

I was nervous in the taxi, my feet kept tapping the ground with my high heels. My parents and siblings would be there, as well as other special guests, maybe the Davis family, Ethan, and the Evans. 

Even though I looked very different, I was afraid they would find out it was me.

"You'll be fine," Maya told me on the phone.

She hadn't been able to attend, she had business with her family to finish, but I think the main reason was Vin, it was obvious she was avoiding him.

One of these days I'm going to sit them both in front of me and make them confess with a polygraph. This not knowing what happens with them is killing me. I am so curious and concerned. If they... fight. I'm not sure which side to be on. They are my best friends.

"You only have to act like a shy scholarship student going to a rich party."

"And what is that like?"

"..." a silence of several seconds made us uncomfortable. She didn't know what a shy scholarship student at a rich party would be like.

I should hide myself in a corner for a few minutes and then I would sneak out of the party. I only had to be present during the announcements and eat at the table that they had arranged for me and the other scholarship students.

It was a table in the lonely corner of the event, although it was a nice corner, said grandfather.

"Good luck, Eve… I forgot it's Miss Cote now."

I walked to the hotel where the event would take place. It wasn't a red carpet or anything like that, it was a private event where the Lark family met together with the most important CEOs in the city and a few other important families.

In the past, my parents always made an excuse not to take me to the family reunion, they said I was sick or studying abroad. After all, out of all the Larks in the family, only I was the least outstanding, even idiot James was a star player on his football team and got better grades than me in high school. I didn't understand how he did it being such an idiot.

My other cousins, as well, were outstanding, in business, in sports, or had other talents, music, art, science, anything that caught the eye of old Peter Lark.

Now that I knew him better, I discovered that he was a flirt. Although he never had relationships with other women and never had another wife since Grandma Lark died.

He must have loved her very much.

Anyway, I entered the impressive event. As expected, it was a magnificent place, even more than the Davis' party.

Sculpted ice fountains, diamond trimmings, centerpieces with their own chocolate fountains, and perhaps gold silverware. Extravagance screamed at the place.

"Your invitation, miss."

An assistant in a red dress, more expensive than perhaps mine, told me with an elegant smile. As expected of someone hired by the Lark family, polite and cordial.

I handed her the invitation that my grandfather had sent me that same day, it had my new name Eva Cote engraved on it.

"This way, please," she told me and led me to my table.

As my grandfather said, the table was right in a corner, but near a balcony with flower decorations and a spectacular view of the garden and the pool. And right on the other side, the dessert table.

It was perfect. At least I should thank Grandpa for something.

At the table, there were already three more people. Two men and two women. All dressed in their best outfits, suits, and dresses, but still, they didn't compare to those of the powerful and wealthy families of the place.

"What is your name?" one of the young women asked me.

"You are Eva Cote, right?" The other girl continued. "That's your seat."

She pointed me to a place but the attendant who guided me frowned. "I am afraid you are wrong, Miss Hans."

The girl was startled. 

"Miss Cote's place is right where you are sitting. I hope you can move."

"It doesn't matter where we sit, right? It's the same, I don't think there's a problem, is it?" She looked at me with a smile as if daring me to say something.

I guess my acting as a shy student must have been like this, someone easy to tease.

The attendant continued to smile cordially, paying no attention to her. "The rules of the event are like this, I'm afraid if you don't follow them I may ask you to be escorted out. All guests follow and respect the order of seats, even members of the Lark family, Miss Hans."

The young woman blushed and got up immediately. However, the assistant spoke again, noticing what she was carrying in her hand.

"The gifts are specific to each person, Miss Hans, please return the gift to the indicated seat. If you don't, I will have to report it to the scholarship committee. Such acts of thievery are not allowed at the event."

The young woman now looked like a tomato, she left the small box on the spot and glared at me, but she didn't dare look at the assistant in the same way.

"Miss Cote, this way," the pretty assistant led me to my seat, and ordered my plates and cutlery to be replaced with new ones.

That was the worst way to embarrass the young lady Miss Hans. I could only try to control my laughter. 

"This is a special gift for Miss Cote from the Lark Family Foundation, we hope you like it."

I took the small box and opened it, there was a bracelet of gems and diamonds, engraved said, Eve.

I nodded to the attendant, "please thank him," I whispered.

I think the attendant knew my identity because she didn't question me further. Instead, she made them serve us something to drink at that moment and made sure that a waiter took special care of me.

"You must have a very special relationship with someone on the committee to receive something like that, all the rest of us just got only a pen..." Miss Hans looks jealous.

I smiled, "I'm just a genius. Are you too?"