
📷CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE📷
Above is Amanda showcasing Elena's Gift.
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Dress on the bed, shoes on the floor, a glass of red wine on the room table and Nina Simone playing on the stereo system from the living room.
Amanda smiled at her reflection while she dressed; she rolled her hair up and brushed up the strands of hair that fell on her face. She opened the drawer she kept her makeup in, took out her a red lipstick and applied it on her sweet lips. Amanda made sure it was perfect, that she looked mesmeric. Then, she took the silver earrings on the dresser and clipped it on her ears.
Lying on her bed was a glittering, dark blue dress Elena, her friend in fashion, had sent to her. Amanda picked up the dress and tried it on.
She stood a while in front of the mirror admiring the way the gown highlighted every curve on her body, she turned to peek at her back on the mirror and she loved how the blue net behind, was used. It gave a very vague covering from her shoulder to her waist, exposing it a little. "Thank you Elena." Amanda voiced, smiling. She sat at the edge of her bed and slipped her feet into the pair of silver heels "Perfect."
A few moment later, Amanda heard a knock on her door, she looked down at her watch and whispered "He's on time." She picked up her purse from the dresser and left her room. Stepping into her living room, she hurriedly turned off the stereo system and headed for the door.
Amanda opened the door and, standing in front of her was a handsome Prince charming. She instantly felt like a fairytale Princess. Indeed, her live in New York was a fairytale.
"You look breathtaking." Wright junior complimented coyly after much stare at the alluring beauty in front of him. For a moment, he felt like a teenager picking up his date to PROM.
"Thank you." Amanda replied coyly "You don't look bad yourself." She smiled as she took the hand he offered in hers and stepped out of the house, locking the door behind her.
Wright Junior led her to his car, holding the door open for her to get in, which he did with a grateful smile. He shut the door then went over the other side and go in.
"Are you ok?" He asked her.
"Yes, thanks." She replied, unable to avoid looking at his handsome face.
He nodded a little, started the car and drove off.
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Bridget and Elena were already seated at the VIP section in the Club waiting for Amanda. Elena brought her boyfriend Stephan along while Bridget brought her Fiancé, Louis. It was going to be a great night but somebody was yet to arrive.
"Finally." Bridget sighed when she sighted Amanda coming up the stirs with a fine young man behind her
"He-y gir-ls!!" Amanda called out the moment she laid her eyes on her friends. They got up from where they sat and hugged her one at a time when she approached them, screaming excitedly.
"What took you so long." Elena asked loudly, attempting to overshadow the loud music.
"I'm sorry." Amanda apologized "Hi Louis!" She greeted.
He rose from his seat and gave her a welcoming hug. "You look beautiful, Amanda." He praised.
"Thank you Louis." She replied, smiling.
"HI." Amanda said to the next guy with a striped muffler round his neck.
"Please pardon my manners." Elena apologized, she stood in front of Amanda and made an introduction "Amanda, meet my boyfriend Stephan. He's an Artist, and he just returned from Italy." She turned to Stephan "Baby, my best friend since high school, the Most Beautiful, successful and Talented Hollywood Actress, Amanda."
He stretched out his hand towards her "It's a pleasure standing in front of you, my Lady." He said politely. She placed her hand on top of his and he bent low to kiss it.
"The pleasure Is all mine." She smiled. Flashing a quick gaze at Elena, she whispered "I like him."
"And who is the fine looking man you've brought with you?" Bridget asked.
"You both don't recognize him?" She asked with no surprise in her tone.
"Are we supposed to?" Elena asked.
"Have we met him before?" Bridget asked confused, looking at Elena.
"Do you girls remember, back in our final year in high school when Mr. Quinn asked one male student to play the role of Ferdinand from tempest and when he refused, he mandated the other male student to play the role." She tried to jog their memory. She noticed Junior was slightly embarrassed but she winked at him to ease his down.
"Are you asking about the one who refused or the one who was mandated to act the play?" Bridget asked to clarify.
"The one who refused." Amanda quickly added.
"Umm, yeah. The fine, fresh dude with a voice to kill for." Elena said just as she remembered.
Junior cleared his throat the moment he heard Elena.
"The voice I felt the vibration in my chest for." Bridget said to confirm what Elena said.
"Those were your exact word." Amanda added watching Louis and Stephan laugh at them.
"Hello ladies." Wright Junior finally said.
"O M G, Amanda. It's him, it's really him." Bridget confirmed.
"Samuel!" Elena called.
"Yes, he's the one." She replied "Everyone, meet my Boss at the office, Heir to the Wright Publishing, Silver-line Books. Samuel Junior Wright." She announced "Junior meet everyone."
Wright Junior went over to shake hands with Louis and Stephan and then took his seat close to them.
"Women and their dramas." Louis said as the three men laughed together.
"You didn't tell us he was your Boss." Elena said as they dragged Amanda to where they were seated.
"I wanted to surprise you." She laughed settling down beside her friends
"Are you dating him now." Bridget asked looking directly into her eyes and smiling. Anticipating a positive response.
"Really Bridget, I know how much you want me to meet my perfect match here in New York. You said that even before I came here but I assure you, we're not dating." She said blinking her eyes as she spoke.
"No point convincing me, Amanda. We've been friend since birth so I can tell when you are lying." Bridget pointed.
"But I'm not." She protested.
"I know. But you really like him, it's written all over you." Bridget said and Elena gave an agreeing nod.
"It's a pity, fate brought you two back together and none of you know that yet." Elena added.
"Girls I love you but tonight, let's have fun. Ok?" Amanda said, raising her Glass of Champaign " Cheers to live, love, family and to the soon to be newest couple in town. To Louis and Bridget."
And the rest all echoed "To Louis and Bridget."
The night went on blissfully; they talked, laugh and danced to the music as the drinks kept on replacing the empty bottles.
Amanda felt exhausted from the dancing so, she fell on the chair to catch her breath. She took one bottle water that was on the table, opened it and gulped down it content. Bridget and Elena later joined her on the seat.
"Brid, I need to go use the restroom." Amanda told Bridget, feeling lazy to lift herself up.
"Me too." Elena said.
"Alright, let's go" Bridget said tiredly "Guys, we'll be back."
They walked locking each other hands and laughing as they found their way to the Ladies room. Just as they were about to enter, two ladies stepped out looking at Amanda whispering and laughing. Amanda felt insulted but didn't know what their mockery was all about.
"So Elena, How long have you been with Stephan." Amanda asked rinsing her hands under the faucet.
"Three years now. I met him in an Art Gallery I visited when I was in Paris. I wanted to get a painting for my dad's birthday and that Art Gallery happened to be Stephan's. We talked, he asked for my contact, and we've been together ever since."
"Wow, I'm jealous." Amanda placed her hands on her chest and pouted her lips.
Three girls walked into the restroom doing the same thing as what the last two girls who had left, did. And this time, Bridget and Elena noticed them.
"What was that?" Elena asked shocked.
"Let's go." Amanda told her friends, feeling uncomfortable.
Before they reached the VIP section to he place where they sat, Amanda had digested all the eyes and whispers from all the people she walked past and when they finally got up, the guys were not helping. They all gave a worried stare and this made Amanda really scared.
"What is going on here?" Bridget asked.
"Baby please, sit." Louis said to Bridget, calmly.
Bridget, Elena and Amanda sat quietly waiting for someone to explain what was happening.
"Amanda, you need to see this." Wright Junior said handing his phone to her to read the news headline.
Amanda took the phone from him and read through; she almost dropped the phone when she saw what was written.
"Let me see." Elena said, collecting the phone from Amanda. She read the headline out loud that everyone there could hear.
"SARAH BRIGHT COMMITS SUICIDE AFTER LOSING HER FIANCE TO WELL KNOWN ACTRESS, AMANDA UDOH."
After, she clicked on the video below, it was a video of the incident that happened in the parking lot.
Amanda was bitter and deranged.
"Who is Sarah?" Bridget asked Amanda.
"She was my ex and Amanda had nothing to do with her demise." Wright Junior quickly explained.
"Take me home please." Amanda requested, trying her best to stop her legs and arms from trembling.
"OK." Junior agreed.
"I guess we'll all leave too. I had a great night." Bridget said and the others Echoed "Me too." one after the other.
Wright Junior took off his jacket and wrapped it around Amanda then, led her out of the club.
"Are you sure you will be fine?" Bridget asked after Junior had excused himself to make a call.
"I promise I will" Amanda replied, not sure if she truly would be.
"Hello dad." Junior yelled on the phone.
"Son, I know I've seen the news and it's very late, why are you calling me?" His father asked in a sleepy tone.
"Dad, this is the reason Tony had that footage wiped. He edited the whole thing and sent it to the media. This is why I was against you involving Amanda."
"Son-"
"Fix this dad, fix this." Junior said then ended the call. He went over to Amanda's side.
"Please take care of my girl." Bridget said to Wright Junior.
"I will." He replied leading Amanda to his car.
"Good night." Elena said, waving with Bridget as they watched them drive off.
OK, now the great twist begin.
What does this really mean for Amanda?
Find out in the next chapter.
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Words (1843)
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