Chapter 3. Trouble in Paradise

“I’ll be hosting the Inner-city Relief Charity Ball next month,” Elsie announced cheerfully at the breakfast table the next morning.

“I think it’s the best opportunity to introduce Emilia to everyone,” she added.

“That’s nice,” said Kane indifferently.

“I love balls,” said Samuel with a mischievous grin.

He was Lillian’s middle-aged husband who worked as a cosmetic surgeon. He had a plain face and a receding hairline.

“Seriously, darling,” said Lillian with a chuckle.

He giggled. “You know what I meant. Not the other balls.”

Lillian laughed. Emilia cringed. Kane rolled his eyes. Elsie sighed.

“Where’s Jack?” Kane asked.

“Still sleeping, I’m sure,” his mother answered. “He came in very late last night.”

“Nothing new,” Lillian drawled.

“Mother, I want you to get Emilia an etiquette tutor,” Kane said casually.

Emilia dropped her cutlery. “I beg your pardon?”

“That’s a brilliant suggestion, dear,” said Elsie. “Every young woman should take lessons on poise and gracefulness before getting introduced to society.”

“This is the 21st century!”

“It doesn’t matter what era we’re in. Good manners never go out of fashion and I can see why your husband is suggesting this, judging by how you just yelled at me now.”

Emilia lowered her gaze. She didn’t like how her mother-in-law was speaking to her like a child but she had to tame her temper and stop proving Kane right.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized.

“I’m glad that’s settled. Have a nice day, everyone,” said Kane. He got up and kissed his mother’s forehead before leaving the dining room.

“And there goes the most romantic husband of the century,” said Samuel with a chuckle.

Elsie roasted him with a fiery look. “At some point, you’ll eventually have to grow up.”

Samuel’s face turned red. He stood up and stormed out of the room.

“Really, Mother! Why do you always pick on Samuel?” Lillian asked angrily and walked out too.

Elsie shook her head in disbelief. “Ridiculous.”

Emilia pinned her gaze on the food that she was no longer eating. Being a part of the Beaumont family was definitely going to be an interesting experience.

******************

Six weeks later, it was the night of the ball. Everyone who mattered in society was in the Beaumont mansion to honor the invitation of the family matriarch.

“Please, smile, Emilia. You look constipated.”

She immediately obeyed her mother-in-law and spread her lips wide enough to show all of her teeth. She’d never smiled this much in her whole life and her face was starting to hurt.

“Mingle with the guests, dear. Can’t you see what Lillian is doing?”

“Of course, Mother,” she said and hurried away.

She weaved through the crowd of wealthy guests and press people. They’d taken photos of her with Kane earlier after Elsie introduced them to everyone as a couple.

“Hello, Mrs Beaumont. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you up close,” said a sleek guy.

Emilia recognized him as a reporter from The Daily Cable. He had a shark-like grin pasted on his face and it made her nervous.

“Good evening, Mr. Santino,” she greeted him politely.

“Please, call me Martin. I was wondering if I could have a quick chat with you.”

“Sure. I mean, of course.”

“How did you and Mr Beaumont meet?”

Emilia drew in a breath and began to recite the lines that her mother-in-law had fed her.

“We met for the first time at a charity ball like this one last year. I was a volunteer who was lucky enough to attend the prestigious event. Kane and I met by chance and it was love at first sight. The rest, as they say, is history.”

“Hmm… that sounds very… romantic,” he mused.

She could tell that he didn’t believe her but she wasn’t going to say anything more than that.

“I’d really love to stay and chat with you some more, Martin, but I have other guests to greet too. Do enjoy the rest of the evening.”

She glided away before he could stop her. As she continued her rounds, she spotted Kendra on the other end of the room and her brain froze.

What the hell! What was she doing here? Who invited her and why?

“Keep it moving, sweetheart,” Lillian whispered in her ear. “Don’t just stand there.”

“What is Kendra doing here?” She whispered back.

“Ask your husband. He invited her.”

Emilia was furious. She moved away from Lillian to search for Kane and then she saw him heading upstairs. Where was he going to?

“That’s a lovely dress, darling,” a woman complimented her. It was the mayor’s wife.

“Thank you, Mrs Carnegie. You look fabulous yourself.”

The woman giggled excitedly and Emilia floated away. She looked towards the stairs and was horrified to see Kendra going there too.

She didn’t need a psychic to tell her what was going on. Her husband and his lover were about to have a booty call upstairs. She wasn’t going to allow that!

“Hi, Emily. You look smashing in that dress,” said Jack, blocking her way.

“It’s Emilia,” she replied impatiently.

“Yeah. I noticed we haven’t really had the chance to talk like in-law to in-law, you know.”

She looked past him and noticed that Kendra was gone. Damn!

“Uh… sure. I mean, of course.”

“I think you’re going to be the one to change my big brother, you know. He’s like a massive playboy and all but what he needs in his life is a good girl like you, Emily.”

“It’s Em – ugh! You know what, never mind. I have to run. We’ll talk later.”

She pushed past him and marched purposefully towards the stairs. She was in no mood to entertain Jack’s frat boy antics right now.

She hurried up the stairs in a way that would make Elsie scream. As she reached the second landing, she came face-to-face with Kendra.

“Where are you hurrying to, Mrs Beaumont?” she laughed scornfully. “Got a date?”

“What are you doing here?”

“Take a wild guess.”

“Have you no shame?”

“Says the woman who sold herself to a rich guy to rescue her family from poverty. You’re such a hypocrite. You remind me of that saying about pots and kettles.”

Kendra’s words stung because they were true and Emilia didn’t have a clever response to fire back at her.

“What? Cat got your tongue?” Kendra taunted her.

“I don’t care what you think about me. Kane is my husband whether you like it or not, and I have the right to kick you out of this house.”

“Not if I kick you out first.”

Kendra pushed Emilia and she lost her balance. She tumbled down two flights of stairs and landed at the bottom at an awkward angle.

***********************

Emilia woke up to the beeping sound of the heart monitor near her. She was in the hospital and every part of her body ached.

“You’re awake,” Kane said softly. He was sitting on a chair beside the bed.

Every little movement caused Emilia pain and she groaned. Her right leg was in a cast and the rest of her body was tied with bandages. She looked like a mummy.

“Don’t move too much. Just relax and talk if you can,” he said. “Do you remember what happened?”

“Yeah. I mean, yes. Kendra pushed me.”

He was shocked. “What?”

“She pushed me downstairs,” she repeated and tears gathered in her eyes.

“Please, don’t say that again,” he said sternly. “I know you don’t like Kendra and that’s understandable, but to accuse her of something as wicked as that? That’s a stretch, even for you.”

“Wait, you don’t believe me?”

“It was Kendra who raised an alarm when you fell. Why would she push you and then call for help? She was upset.”

Emilia couldn’t believe it. Kane thought she was lying!

“I’m telling you the truth, Kane. She pushed me.”

“That’s enough. I can see that the fall messed up your memory or you just want to use this as an opportunity to make me get rid of Kendra. That’s not going to work.”

He stood up and picked up his jacket from the back of the chair that he’d been sitting on.

“Your mother is waiting outside. I’ll tell her to come in and spend the rest of the night with you. I’ll be back tomorrow.”

“Don’t bother,” she said bitterly. “I don’t want to see you here again.”

She saw how his jaw clenched and she could tell that he was angry. Well, he should be because she was too. Why would he believe Kendra and not her?

“Fine,” he said curtly and stormed away like a tornado.

Tears of frustration gushed out of her eyes. She would not let Kendra get away with this. She must get her own pound of flesh too!