Chapter 2
"Leonard stared at his empty hand, face turning livid.
""Stella, don't push it!""
He raised his hand to slap me, but Vivian quickly grabbed him.
""Leonard, don't hit her!"""
"""Stella must've been mistreated by those old men out there, so she's lashing out,""
Vivian said, turning to me with fake pity.
""I get it. You stayed with Leonard for seven years and never got pregnant. You must feel awful about yourself."""
"A woman who can't have a child isn't a complete woman. Now that I'm carrying Leonard's baby, I guess I fulfilled that wish for you."
She stroked her belly with a smug smile. "After the baby is born, I'll have him call you godmother. You'll still get a taste of being a mom. So stop fooling around with shady men outside. You're not just embarrassing yourself, you're embarrassing Leonard too."
The commotion drew plenty of early-arriving guests, and whispers quickly spread as they pointed at me.
Someone sneered, "So she is the ex who could not have a child. No wonder she talks like that."
Another guest said, "Seven years with a man and no title, and now she is hunting rich men at a gala? Shameless."
A third scoffed, "Look at her dressed up. I bet that designer gown is rented."
Hearing all those nasty comments, Leonard stood a little straighter. He adjusted his tie and looked down at me. "Hear that, Stella? People aren't blind. You can dress yourself up all you want, but trash is still trash."
"""I'm standing here today because my company is about to ring the bell on the Westbridge Exchange!""
He slapped his chest proudly.
""I'm an invited VIP guest. And you? Bet you got this invitation by sleeping with some old man."""
His tacky new-money face disgusted me. Three years earlier, his company was collapsing and its cash flow had broken.
I ran myself ragged through winter and drank with investors until stomach bleeding sent me to the emergency room, all to secure the money that saved him.
With the money I nearly died securing, he bought Vivian a downtown luxury apartment and called it an April Fools' joke. Now he thought taking his company public gave him the right to trample me?
I stepped closer and lowered my voice. "Leonard, I know your company's secrets. You survived by cooking the books and faking daily users. Do you really think you can fool everyone and fleece foreign investors?"
"Leonard's pupils shrank, and panic flashed in his eyes.
But he quickly raised his voice to cover it.
""Cut the crap. You couldn't have me, so now you want to ruin me? How can you be this vicious?"""
Vivian shrieked and pointed at me as security arrived. "Where were you? This woman is causing trouble. She has no invitation and sneaked in to hunt rich men. Throw her out!"
"The security captain walked over, glanced at Leonard's expensive clothes, then paused when Leonard flashed a gold-embossed invitation.
""I'm Leonard, president of Lane Corporation, and an invited VIP guest."""
"Pointing at me, Leonard snarled,
""I seriously suspect this woman stole someone else's invitation to sneak in here and hunt rich men. Check it now, or if Mr. Foster hears about this, every one of you is finished."""
"The moment the captain heard ""Mr. Foster,"" his face changed.
He walked up to me and said stiffly, ""Ma'am, please show me your invitation."""
I stood there without even opening my purse. "I don't have one."