The Unwelcome Guest

At six-thirty in the evening, Valerie stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows of her executive suite in Lumina Hotel. She pulled back a sliver of the velvet drapes, looking down at the bustling Lotus Ballroom below. The grand hall brimmed with elite well-wishers. Archibald stood in the center of the room, dressed in a tailored tuxedo and leaning on his polished wooden cane.

Down at the hotel driveway, a sleek Bentley glided to a halt. A passenger door swung open to reveal Declan. He looked dapper in his sharp black suit. A seductive woman emerged from the opposite door. Her heels clicked against the pavement as she moved straight to Declan’s side, looping her arm through his. Together, they entered the hotel beneath the bright flashes of eager cameras. Valerie’s lips curled into a cold, knowing smile. She watched Camilla bask in the limelight of the Lotus Ballroom, soaking in the hushed whispers and stares of the crowd.

Valerie let the heavy curtain fall back into place. She turned away from the window and slipped silently into the shadows of her suite, ready to set her plan in motion.

Down in the ballroom, the whispers grew louder. Archibald glared at his grandson. He tapped his cane against the marble floor.

"What is the meaning of this? Where is Valerie? You are going to be the death of me!" Archibald barked.

Declan kept his expression neutral, but a hint of irritation tightened his jaw. He looked at his grandfather.

"I married her according to your wishes, but that does not mean you can dictate my companions for every professional and social occasion."

A sudden wave of disgust rolled through Declan as he thought of his new bride. He could practically feel her sticky, sugar-stained fingers grabbing at his expensive suit. He wondered if that dim-witted girl had somehow placed his grandfather under a hex.

"Valerie is the only woman I will acknowledge as my granddaughter-in-law! I will take issue with any of your other female companions!" Archibald thundered.

He had raised his voice, letting the warning ripple through the dense crowd. He wanted to make sure Camilla heard every single word.

Camilla caught on to the suffocating tension. She knew she had to clear the air before the humiliation deepened. She stepped forward with a confident smile and held out an elegant, velvet-wrapped box.

"Happy birthday, Mr. Thorne. I brought you a gift."

Archibald leveled a freezing glare at the woman.

"Who said you are welcomed here?"

The ballroom fell dead silent. Camilla froze with the box suspended in the air. A harsh flush of embarrassment crawled up her neck as the surrounding guests stared in shock. Her grip tightened on the velvet box. She turned her gaze to Declan, expecting him to step in and shield her from the brutal rejection.

"Declan, your grandpa seems unhappy about my presence. Why don't I take my leave first?" Camilla asked with a trembling voice.

She only posed the question as a manipulation tactic, waiting for him to insist she stay. Declan did not utter a single word. His chilling, stony silence left her hanging in the middle of the room. Without an ounce of emotional support from the man beside her, Camilla stood frozen in place, paralyzed by the severe social humiliation.

Archibald scoffed and turned his back on the humiliated woman. He looked at his trusted butler.

"Bring Valerie down here right now. Let us introduce my real granddaughter-in-law to our guests."

"Yes, Old Mr. Thorne. I will bring her down right away."

Arthur bowed and hurried out of the tense ballroom. The crowd waited with bated breath, gossiping about the mysterious bride. Minutes ticked by in grueling suspense. Just as the murmurs reached a peak, the grand double doors flew open. Arthur burst back into the ballroom, his face pale and slick with frantic panic. He rushed straight toward Archibald, ignoring the hundreds of watching eyes.

"Old Mr. Thorne! Mrs. Thorne managed to escape her security detail inside the hotel! She is missing!"