She exhaled softly, not realizing she had been holding her breath. A faint smile crept onto her face. 'Even the staff seem to be warming up to me.'
Her thoughts were interrupted when Old Madam approached from the tables reserved for foreign dignitaries. Her presence was magnetic, each step exuding elegance and authority.
Olaedo immediately rose to her feet, mirroring the radiant smile that spread across her grand mother in law's face.
"My dear, you are doing wonderfully," Old Madam said, her voice filled with pride. "Your composure, elegance, kindness, grace, beauty, communication skills, everything is being praised by our guests. Even those who had other aspirations for this position have no choice but to admit that none of their daughters can hold a candle to you."
Olaedo's cheeks warmed slightly at the praise, though she kept her expression poised.
"Your grandfather can't stop smiling either," Old Madam added, her tone conspiratorial. "You've truly outdone yourself tonight. Keep up the spectacular work!"
With that, Old Madam turned and glided back to the dignitaries' table, her every step imbued with a lightness that seemed to echo her high spirits.
Olaedo sat back down, taking a moment to collect herself. The glowing feedback filled her with a sense of accomplishment, and she couldn't help but think, 'Phew, all those hours of research are really paying off.'
Even as a successful businesswoman who had clinched countless deals with people from all walks of life, this evening felt like an entirely new challenge. The sheer magnitude of the spotlight, the relentless scrutiny, the weight of expectations, it all stretched her in ways she hadn't anticipated.
Her nerves, which had been on edge for much of the evening, finally began to subside. For the first time since the ball began, she allowed herself a moment of quiet confidence.
But just as she started to feel assured, an ominous thought crossed her mind, pulling her back into reality.
'The night isn't over yet. And neither are my troubles.'
The grand ballroom buzzed with the continued hum of aristocrats engaged in polite conversation, the clinking of crystal glasses a subtle background melody.
Olaedo stood poised near the center of the room, unaware of the storm about to erupt.
Suddenly, the massive screen above the stage flickered. A hush fell over the crowd, curiosity sparking as all eyes turned to the display. At first, it seemed like a technical glitch, but then Olaedo's voice was heard along with the words that appeared, stark and damning, projected for all to see.
"Where is Maduabuchi now? I need to know."
Gasps rippled through the room like the first crack of a thunderstorm.
Olaedo froze. Her breath caught in her throat as her mind raced to process what was happening. Maduabuchi? The name felt like a physical blow, dragging her back to memories she had tried to bury.
The whispers started almost immediately.
"Did she just say Maduabuchi?"
"Wasn't he her ex fiancé? The one who caused that scandal?"
Before the crowd could recover, the voice kept speaking along with another line of words that appeared, bold and unforgiving:
"Do you think he'll come back soon? I still have feelings for him."
The murmurs grew louder, evolving into a low roar of speculation.
"She still has feelings for him?"
"While married to Chibuzor?!"
"This is a betrayal of the highest order!"
Some guests turned to stare at Chibuzor, who stood stoic near the side of the hall. His face was unreadable, but his jaw was tight, and his hands clenched at his sides.
And then the final line scrolled across the screen with the voice accompanying it, sealing the scandal
"I still want to marry him if he's willing to change."
The ballroom erupted.
"What is going on?"
"Is this woman out of her mind?"
"She said she wanted to marry him! She's still in love with her ex!"
Reporters discreetly scribbled in their notebooks, their pens moving like wildfire. A few aristocrats glanced around nervously, worried the scandal might taint their associations.
Olaedo's chest tightened as the accusations poured in. She could hear snippets of their whispers, each word cutting deeper than the last
"She's nothing but a gold digger."
"No wonder Chibuzor didn't look happy about this marriage. Did he know?"
"How could someone like her be allowed into a family of this stature?"
Some of the younger ladies, already jealous of Olaedo's beauty and presence, smirked smugly, clearly enjoying the spectacle.
"It's her own fault," one whispered to her companion. "She married above her station. It was only a matter of time before her true colors showed."
Others were more skeptical but still disapproving. "Even if those messages are from a few months ago, why would she send such things in the first place while dating Chibuzor? And now, she's supposed to represent the Arinze name now."
At the head table, Old Madam's face was pale, her hands trembling slightly. She exchanged a glance with her husband, whose brows furrowed in disbelief.
As the guests grew restless, whispers echoing throughout the grand ballroom, a man in an impeccably tailored suit stepped onto the stage.
His presence seemed to command attention, the sharp lines of his suit accentuating his tall, imposing frame. The room fell into a hushed silence as the spotlight snapped to life, illuminating him in a halo of cold light.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, his voice smooth as silk but sharp enough to cut through the tension. The smile on his face was practiced, the warmth in it a thin veil over the storm brewing beneath. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I felt it was my duty to expose the truth about this woman."
Murmurs surged through the room like a rising tide, the crowd shifting in discomfort as their attention snapped to the man on stage.
The air grew heavy, suffocating even, as he gestured toward Olaedo, who stood frozen in shock. Her mind spun in a chaotic dance of disbelief and dread, but her body was as immovable as a statue.