Stuck | 18+

Chapter 50

"Not a whore...like you"

The red haired had had the audacity to question why don's whore was of so importance. Tara hadn't been able to gulp the insult in silence when she could retort with the freshly formed curse on the tip of her tongue, and so she had let it out. 

Tara's words settled in thick air like dead fish in river, lingering for seconds as the silence gravely spread. 

Nicolas thanked the heavens that he hadn't been having a drink, because if he had, his mouth would have spit it like a fountain as a gush of laughter left his mouth, surprising all three of them. Donavan gave a brief look Tara's way, finding no speck of regret whatsoever as her innocent smile never faded, as if she had just delivered the sweetest compliment and not a snarky insult right back.  He had never witnessed this side of her. It made him wonder how much he didn't know about her.

It took Nicolas minutes to calm his laughter, his shoulders bouncing as he tried to control the shudder from chuckling so heartedly.

The red head hadn't been able to pick up her jaw, her vengeful gaze shifting between Tara and Nicolas. She knew there was nothing to be done, she stood between the two most powerful men in the country, helplessly watching as the little woman had called her a whore. When Nicolas seemed far from controlling his giggles, she left, ashamed and embarrassed, regretting of ever visiting Frantino mansion. 

"Oh god that was worth it" Nicolas finally touched a drink served by a maid, gulping his first chug as the smile still plastered his handsome features,
"You're a lucky man Mr. Frantino" he complimented.
Never had he met a woman so beautiful yet witty, she was a well deserved owner for her fame. He had to admit if it weren't for Donavan being her husband, he'd have given her a shot.

Donavan smiled, not misreading the way Nicolas appreciated his wife, the way his eyes briefly skimmed over her body in admiration.

Tara grew uncomfortable in a moment, looking towards Donavan hopeful to gain an escape. He didn't waste a second in politely taking their leave, taking her to the other guests awaiting. 

She felt slightly hurt when she sighted not a single member of his family, not because they disrespected her with their absence but because she had became the reason they had distanced them from Donavan. She masked her disappointed with tight smile, greeting their clueless guests. 

When it was finally time, Donavan had made himself to the stage, holding the mike and addressing the elephant in the room. Upon hearing the news of Don's first heir, the room had burst out in cheers, clanking the glasses, fizzing the champagne, and yelling their congratulations. Her cheeks hurt from constant smiling. 

She had never imagined being the centre of attention and tonight as she had, she realised she was right all along, attention was wrong in all contexts. She felt dizzy after meeting zillions of people, some women shamelessly fondling her tummy to feel the baby. Not more than an hour she was thoroughly done. Donavan had left her side far long ago, making himself a part of group that god knows what talked about. 

So she politely took her leave from an elderly women, making her way to the buffet, knowing they were serving Indian today for her. Her evanescent moment of relief was snatched in a second when her eyes met his, the same man she had loathed all her life, the man who hadn't less than sold her to Italians. 

"Congratulation sweetheart" her father smiled, approaching her from distance, his very young girlfriend following close behind. 

Tara looked at the women by his side, wondering what she saw in the man to ever stand beside him for so long. It was surprising Donavan had invited him. Apparently, Tara assumed Donavan wasn't aware of the father-daughter relationship they shared. If he did, he'd have never let him be around her, at least while he was alive. 

She tried to ignore the man, passing by his side to the buffet. Much to her dismay, his hand gripped her wrist, pulling her back in front of him. 

"I didn't teach you to insult elders now did I?" He asked with his usual strict tone, his grip tighter than necessary. 

"No you didn't father" She said, her disinterest evident. 

She had moved way past her old life, her father merely a useless memory. She had tried to forgive him a lot more times than he could imagine, but she couldn't, not after her mother's death still emblazed in her memory. 

"Why is she being so arrogant Jai" the woman on his arms complained, taunting of his daughter's sassy behavior. 

"She is rich now darling, pregnant with don's child, of course she has attitude now" 

Tara couldn't but scoff at his remark, rolling her eyes in other direction, already wishing to slap Donavan for inviting this man. 

"We don't even know if it's don's child yet" His father added nonchalantly to his supposed girlfriend. And if nothing did, that triggered Tara's ego. 

"What do you mean?" the woman blabbered dramatically, stretching her mean to make it sound shocking.

"You fucked his brother didn't you?" Her father's eyes narrowed at Tara suspiciously, building his own stories, pushing her on edge. 

"And don killed him for you" He muttered as if the news was confirmed, as if he was the fly on the wall to be knowing everything happening behind the walls. 

"I knew you were a fucking whore" he mocked, looking right in her eyes as they reddened with anger and hate. He was unbothered when her fists tightened by her side, ready to punch the man regardless of where they stood.

He took a step closer, coming eye to eye, not aware of the storm that built behind her eyes, 

"Just like your mother"