"Cheers......."
A bunch of friends raised their glasses, toasting with enthusiasm and sipping their drinks, swaying to the rhythm of the music.
Alice deliberately hosted an intimate bachelor party at her place, handpicking a close-knit circle of friends outside the limelight, reflecting her deeply private nature. She's hush-hush about ditching her single life tomorrow and sealing the deal; only a select few are clued in on her covert wedding registration.
In the vast apartment hall, Alice marveled at the disco transformation – a DJ spinning beats, a cozy bar, and a crystal disco ball radiating a spectrum of blue laser lights.
"Alright, ladies, let's pour it up!" she exclaimed, ushering in rounds of drinks, one after another.
"Here's to..."
"To a night we won't forget...""Cheers..."Shouting and downing shots relentlessly, they stumbled into a tipsy stupor, Monica the only one keeping her senses intact.
Since she stepped into the party, Monica has been in a sour mood, displaying jealousy and hostility by belittling Alice and intentionally picking on a guest.
In response to a friend's dance invitation, she forcefully pushed them away, creating a scene that momentarily paused the entire party, with everyone's attention fixated on Alice.
They anticipated the host's intervention, glancing at Alice, only to find her already incapacitated from intoxication. Monica wore a sinister smirk, seizing the chance to slip away from the party, casting a disdainful look over the unfolding scene.
Ignoring everything but their own amusement and drinks, the drunken girls dismissed the moment with a collective shrug.
A minute later, Alice opened her eyes, surveyed the intoxicated girls swaying clumsily to the music, and rose to her feet.
"Alice, do you really want to go through with this?" Skylar asked, a hint of worry in her voice.
Alice gave a confirming nod and discreetly slipped out of the apartment, entrusting Skylar with the party – a calculated choice for holding it in her own space.
'Pretending to be passed out, I induced an air of nonchalance among everyone, capitalizing on the opportunity. There are some lingering doubts I need answers to,' Alice pondered, settling into the back seat of the car, directing the chauffeur, "Drive me to the Beverly Crest mansion."
'For the past few days, doubts about Mason's fidelity have lingered in my mind. I want certainty before confronting him, hence choosing tonight. Mason believes I'm partying in my apartment, unaware of my return to our bridal house. I'm confident he'll lower his guard,' Alice ruminated, her head resting against the back post of the seat.
A sense of fatigue washed over her as she grappled with the notion of relinquishing her Hollywood throne for Mason. Three years into their relationship, how could he cheat on her? How could he overlook the sacrifices she'd made for him and his company? Beyond the curiosity about the other woman's identity, she questioned the motivations behind his betrayal.
Stepping out of the car, Alice's heart thumped in her chest. She swallowed anxiously, clenched her fist, and mentally prepared for the challenging moments ahead.
'Regardless of how my doubt unfolds, I won't break down.'
"Ahh, ouch Mason, easy baby..."
The moans and growls from the master bedroom door were unmistakable to Alice, who immediately identified the familiar voice behind the sounds.
'I had a feeling, Monica; it had to be you. Only a bitch like you would stoop to stealing another woman's man. Pretending to be passed out drunk was the perfect move to catch you in the act,' Alice thought, fueled by disdain.
In haste, she turned on the recorder on her phone, slipped it upside down beneath the door, and clandestinely captured their audacious conversation to secure evidence.
"Monica, let me enjoy tonight; once I tie the knot with Alice tomorrow, I'll be committed to her."
"Then, Mason, call off the wedding and be mine for all eternity," Monica exclaimed, revealing her underlying avarice.
Mason remained silent, lost in contemplation, as if weighing the options of a more favorable arrangement.
Seizing the moment, Rashmi attempted to sway him, stating, "Don't concern yourself with her; Alice Cooper is a well-known celebrity; she'll find another partner. However, Mason Rex, the baby growing in my womb needs his father."
'How could that be?' Alice's eyes welled up with tears. She harbored suspicions of infidelity, but she never fathomed in her wildest dreams that her soon-to-be husband would soon become the father of another woman's child.
To be more brazen, he's shamelessly engaged in intimate activities with that woman in the bridal house she personally crafted and adorned for their impending life together.
"Shut up, Monica; don't be clingy; get dressed; I will send you home." Mason admonished her, pushing Monica away, and got to his feet.
Beyond the door, Alice hastened to conceal herself behind the door of the nearby room.
One minute later, she caught sight of the two shameless figures descending the stairs, embracing each other, and her eyes flared with a resentful heart.
The next day, Alice stood outside the civil affairs bureau, awaiting Mason's decision — whether he would commit to her and join the marriage registration or withdraw for the sake of Monica and their child.
Seated on a weathered wooden bench outside the government building, Alice immersed herself in a game of 'Temple Run' on her mobile, finding solace in navigating challenging paths and overcoming obstacles, mirroring the journey of her own life. Running solo for what felt like an eternity, she continued to set new records daily.
She cared about nothing else; consumed by a fiery rage at the betrayal.
As the wait prolonged, Alice stood her ground until Mason's call interrupted the stillness. She picked up, speaking in a disinterested tone, unwilling to entertain his choice and having no inclination to hear his feeble excuses.
"Sorry, babes, I can't make it. It's a big event for our company, and our main designer is missing."
"Who?"
"Of course, it's Monica. I have to locate her; let's reschedule the marriage registration for another day."
'Spot on, who else could it possibly be? I was looking for a more convincing reason to postpone the wedding than a feeble excuse,' Alice thought, her resentment evident.
"Hmm, noted..." Alice ended the call; she had no desire to prolong the conversation. She already gleaned the answer to her unspoken question.
'He called off the wedding like it was no big deal, but I won't allow this insult to go unchecked. I'll make certain that the consequences of messing with Alice Cooper are known to those two deceivers.'
Alice walked away, plotting her course to impart a lesson to Mason and Monica, but her attention veered towards an odd conversation.
"Boss, your bride-to-be, Miss Laura, is running a tad behind schedule; she'll be here in half an hour."
"Do you expect me to squander 30 precious minutes, equivalent to 1800 seconds, waiting for a woman who can't bother to be on time for her own wedding?"
"Then?" The man in the black suit asked his boss, comfortably positioned in a black Rolls-Royce, out of Alice's sight.
"Ronny, you've got a 5-minute window; fetch me any girl at random; let's finish this marriage business today."
"What a twist of fate! I waited for my groom, who didn't bother showing up, and now his bride is en route, but he's not interested in waiting," Alice remarked ironically.
A thought crossed her mind. "Whoever he may be, his aura is regal, and a queen like me deserves someone with that kind of presence."
Alice resolved to propose to this mysterious man, completely in the dark about him, not even having seen his looks or knowing his age. This marks her initial move towards revenge.
"Boss, are you sure?" Ronny asked, his throat tightening as he gulped nervously.
"Do you have a death wish, Ronny?"
"I am sorry, boss...."
Alice walked to Ronny and called him. "Excuse me.......""Are you in the market for a bride? How about considering me?" Alice didn't beat around the bush and asked directly.
Ronny spun around, utterly flabbergasted. He scrutinized Alice from head to toe, but before he could respond, his boss emerged from the car, leaving Alice wide-eyed in astonishment.
"Mr. Andrew Kingston..."
Alice's heart raced, contemplating her bold move to offer herself in marriage without meeting her future spouse, only to find herself in a surprisingly favorable situation.'Isn't that Andrew Kingston, the famed business tycoon? Word has it that even Richie Rich can't tally up the sheer number of businesses he commands. And, as if that's not enough, he's the singular force behind Royman Productions, consistently delivering box office hits. Is he born into wealth, or is there a lucky charm in play?'''Did I really just propose to that notorious, perpetually stern businessman?' Alice pondered, nervously fidgeting with her fingers as tiny beads of sweat formed on her forehead."Excuse me......." Andrew's voice, cold and weighty, snapped Alice out of her reverie.Noticing his furrowed brow, she came to the realization that she hadn't removed the mask and shades—her usual strategy to sidestep unwarranted attention—from her face. Without hesitation, she took off the barrier, presenting her f
'I sensed a negative energy from Mason, convinced that he had been concealing the truth and withholding things from me for quite some time.''The other day I discovered strands of hair in my hairbrush inside his car. The following day, I came across an unfamiliar stole in our shared post-marital mansion. Although he claimed it belonged to his mother, I doubted it, considering her preference for designer items and sophistication that wouldn't involve sharing a hairbrush.''He was glued to his phone, always acting shady, making sure to keep his conversations discreet and out of my earshot.''The other day, I spotted a blotch on his white shirt, and he brushed it off as paint. I wasn't fooled – it was clearly the lipstick mark from Monica earlier that day.''There are moments when I realize I overlooked the glaring truth about him, oblivious to everything happening right under my nose. How did I choose to ignore the countless red flags while he consistently took advantage of me?'The mise
While strolling into the parking lot, Alice's eyes widened at the text from Mason, sharing details about the designer contest venue. Skylar, already in the car, awaited her patiently. "What was that for?" Skylar asked. With a snort, Alice narrated the entire scene at Mason's apartment, leaving Skylar fuming at Monica and Mason's boldness. "Alice, why on earth did you agree to help her? She's nothing but a dishonest opportunist, a big liar. Both of them are taking advantage of your popularity for their own benefit." "In a low baritone, Alice asserted, "I've never turned down Mason before for anything, and I won't until I've settled the score with them. I don't want him to catch on that I know their secrets." Leaning back in her seat, she closed her eyes. "Instead of wasting time, confront them with the proof you have," Skylar advised while driving, stealing glances at Alice's profile through the corner of her eyes. "It'd be too easy for him. He'd apologize, plead, and coerce me in
"Iconic Mode designer contest" As Alice read the banner, she confidently strutted to the greenroom in her high heels, creating a buzz. Adorned in a chic, shoulderless black dress with a high ponytail and dark shades, she captivated the entire hotel with her elegance and magnificent style. Skylar trailed her, engaged in a phone conversation. "For real?" "Oh is that so?" "Alright, keep me posted; there's a handsome reward coming your way." Skylar hung up and swiftly advanced two steps toward Alice. "I've received some inside info about Monica courtesy of a junior designer at Pristine Moments fashion house." "Bring it on...." "Monica's behavior took a negative turn after her promotion to senior designer – she now bullies her juniors, takes away their projects, and has even been accused of pilfering designs from her colleagues." "Is that so?" Alice halted, turned to Skylar, slided her shades atop her head, and raised her eyebrows inquisitively. "Absolutely, she lacks dedication to
"Oh no, what is this?" Monica's sudden outburst echoed through the room, capturing the attention of the entire audience and leaving Alice visibly shocked. "Alice, why would you betray me like this? The dress you're wearing isn't my design. As my contest model, why wear someone else's creation?" The stage was in disarray as Monica's shouts and tears disrupted everything, leading to the abrupt cessation of the entire performance. 'So, this was Monica's plan to ensnare me?' Alice thought with regret, acknowledging it was futile to cry over spilled milk at this point. It wasn't just Monica's wailing that attracted attention; the commotion escalated as she accused a high-profile Hollywood actress, garnering a large audience. Breaking news reached the media: a lesser-known designer accusing a famous celebrity. Even the organizers and judges were left in disbelief. Alice's career kicked off as a model on the ramp, winning several contests before making a seamless transition to Hollywood
The front car door creaked as Ronny unlatched it, allowing Alice to slip into the passenger seat. As she settled, she noticed Andrew in the driver's seat, his demeanor cool and unyielding, focused on the road ahead. A moment of shock washed over her. Andrew, sensing her reaction, tilted his head to catch a fleeting glimpse of her face before resuming his forward gaze. "Hi there..." She offered a slight bow and mumbled her greeting. His response was a mere nod of the head as he drove away. A palpable awkwardness lingered in the air between the newlyweds. Alice, being uneasy, cast glances around, and Andrew broke the quietude with a subtle throat clearing. "The windows of my car have privacy tint; no one can see through," Andrew mentioned, his tone characteristically cold and matter-of-fact. In surprise, Alice turned her eyes toward him. Despite his stoic appearance, there was a gentle and caring side that lurked beneath his cold exterior. "With a serene demeanor, Alice questioned,
'You might be a bit on edge, I'm perfectly fine. I'd like some solitude for a while, but I'll be back before you know it.' 'Finish the given task, and we'll discuss the next steps during our call.' 'Prepare yourself for the challenge ahead; it won't be a smooth ride for now.' High above, Alice edited texts for Skylar, despite the impossibility of delivery. Aware it was futile, she engaged in redundant tasks to kill the time and, crucially, evade Andrew, who sat across with a sour expression, leaning on a pile of files. Refusing to make eye contact, Alice confronted the consequences of her actions. She had unwittingly stirred a formidable storm, vividly remembering the moment she succumbed to irrational impulses triggered by the mere mention of the word 'honeymoon.' "What, honeymoon?" she whispered. "Yes..." Andrew extended his hand in front of her. Andrew's face and open palm captivated Alice, setting her heart racing. Without hesitation, she quickly placed both hands beneath he
"No, no, this isn't possible!" Monica flipped through multiple tabloids, shouting in disbelief. She switched news channels sequentially, growing increasingly furious. "How could this be?" Her scream echoed as she violently hurled the remote control, shattering it into fragments. She unleashed her frustration on inanimate objects, tossing and scattering them. Afterward, she grabbed her phone and dialed Mason. "Mason, you've got 15 minutes. Get here." Dismissing an order with arrogance, she contemplated tossing her mobile phone, but she restrained herself, mindful of the expensive model gifted by Mason that she couldn't afford to damage. In the luxurious penthouse of Royman Hotel, London, Andrew surfed through news channels, seeking the same news broadcasted everywhere. "The rekindled embers of quenched flames. A day earlier, the celebrated actress Alice Cooper came under scrutiny, accused of deceiving her designer during her tenure as a model in a designer contest." "This fresh t