"What the hell are you doing here, you hags?!" Montez bellowed, eyes narrowed in silts as the music was turned down and the small talk was minimized to murmurs upon the arrival of the Stelley women. "You know damn well that you all weren't invited. In fact, that attorney made it clear that you are banned from the premises."

"We know, we know," Mariah replied smoothly, batting her eyelashes. "We couldn't help ourselves but check in and give Chapman and Romavalati a warm Southern welcome."

Alyssa and Gio glanced at each other. "If she didn't look coquettish or cartoonish before, she does now," Alyssa said sotto-voce.

"Glad you dumped her like a hot tomato," Gio agreed.

"Ah, there they are," Candace cheered as she and her family brushed past the livid Montez before they approached the couple. "You two look...well, model-worthy to say the least."

"Thank you," Alyssa said, putting on a performance as she stuck with her alias. "And you and your sisters and mother look especially beautiful."

"Thanks," Therese remarked. "Anyway, we were also wondering if either you or your beau have heard from Andrew, my sister's ex-boyfriend, as well as his new love Gianna. I'm sure that you might've gotten a call or two after the last time we've met."

"Sorry," Gio said apologetically though the steely gaze he gave her said otherwise. "It's mainly radio silence for the moment. And besides, Mr. and Mrs. Thomaston as well as Mr. and Mrs. Coleman instructed us to not have any contact with them since they didn't go through with the Adam/Eve Project or something like that."

"Come now," Delores said as she and Mariah approached them with matching mouse-eating grins. "I'm sure that you two might have heard something about their whereabouts and all, my dears. Be a pal, won't you?"

"I'm sure that we can be good friends," Mariah purred. "And besides, it's never a good idea to keep anything from me, not when I can open any doors that can lead you all to greatness...yet can also keep them locked if you spurn me. So, all I ask is that you tell me where Andrew Thomaston and Gianna Coleman are so I can bring them home."

Alyssa took a deep breath, ready to cut her losses. "No," she said firmly.

The smiles on the Stelleys were instantly dropped. "What did you say?"

"I said no. And for the record, Mariah Stelley, Andy was right when he said that you were nothing more than a stuck-up, clingy, and downright spiteful old hag who can't keep a man even if Jesus paid you a million dollars to do it."

Gasps were echoed as Montez fought to keep his laughter in.

"I beg your pardon, my dear, but you might want to rethink that comment you made," Delores intoned in a warning. "My daughter only wants to talk some common sense into her ex-boyfriend and get him back."

"Would it make any difference?" Gio asked, glaring at the older woman. "I can only assume that Andrew had the good sense to cut your daughter loose, for many reasons that were made known."

"Name one," Candace challenged.

"I can do better than that," Alyssa said, stepping forward. "Mariah's too damn jealous of any woman my cousin was close with either as a friend, family member, or co-worker. She's too damn needy. She demands too much from him even when he gave her all that she wanted, if not demanded. She's rude. She's crude. She has a very bad attitude. And most of all, she's too narrow-minded and stuck up on herself for her own good."

Mariah laughed sarcastially. "Are you calling me a female dog?"

Gio shrugged his shoulders, "Calling you a total bitch may be a bit strong, but totally accurate in your case," he said plainly. "And yes, Miss Stelley, that's what you are: a total, unfiltered, loud-mouthed, bad-tempered, green-eyed, and obnoxious bitch from hell who really needs to get a clue about life and shut up for once."

"How dare you!" Delores seethed.

"You heard Gio and my niece," Denise remarked. "And if the bone fits, don't blame us. Your daughter played her hand. Now let the chips fall where they may."

Everyone let out low chuckles while Montez had stepped out with his sisters and brother to let out their guffaws.

"So I see that you have claws, Chapman," Mariah spat lowly, narrowing her eyes  as she stepped closer and sneered. "I swear that you look oddly familiar. Anyway, I don't see why I have to bother with you or your girlish fiance. You're too boyish for anyone's taste anyhow. But know that the two of you have made it on my list of enemies. You'll be sorry for not playing nice with me. And as for your cousin and his 'best friend' who's worse than you, all bets are off. No one dares to refuse me and gets away with it."

Alyssa squared her shoulders, staring right into the eyes of her ex-girlfriend. "I believe I just did," she said. "Now leave."

Mariah sniggered darkly just as her furious father arrived with two policemen. "This isn't over," she vowed. "Chapman and Romavalati, you've just unleashed the dogs of war."

"There's no war, not if I can allow it, Mariah," Samuel said tersely. "As for you and your mother and sisters, all of you will be on lockdown until further notice. Now, we're going home."

Mariah nodded, sending a final glare to Alyssa and Gio before she and her mother and sisters were led outside.

As soon as they were out of earshot, the partygoers continued their affairs just as Alyssa let out a deep breath. "That...that was intense," she said. "I can't believe that I told off my ex-girlfriend."

"Me neither, but we did," Gio agreed, accepting a glass of wine from George as Montez and his siblings joined them. "And I know for a fact that we're now in deep shit with the Stelley women."

"You two, I am totally sorry for them crashing this party," Montez apologized profusely. "I don't know how the hell they got past the guards, but I will make sure that they don't crash the party."

"Things are starting to get more serious," Mark intoned as he and his wife faced their daughter and Gio with Denise and Estelle joining them. "I'm proud that the two of you stood your ground while keeping your true identities out of sight. But we can't afford any more errors as of today."

"What are you saying?" Gio wanted to know.

Mark sighed heavily. "It's time to move on to phase two of the Adam/Eve Project," the older man intoned. "That's when we need to solidify your gender identities among other things. As for the engagement party, that'll go on as planned, but we need to make things known about everything earlier than planned. For now, get some rest for tomorrow as you have doctor's appointments and therapy coming up."

Alyssa and Gio looked at each other, anxiety creeping in like a snake. But they knew that there was no going back since they began. And from what Mark had said, things were going to get more complicated as time went by.

I know that's a fact, my fine friends! The games of the Adam/Eve Project are about to get more complicated and chaotic than before. And trust me, folks, when I say that things are going to get like that and so much more!

Anyway, we head back to the guesthouse as Alyssa and Gio talk about the party before making promises to each other for the days ahead! Don't miss out!

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