Rain Again (Completed)

Chapter 20

"Neil!" 

Maya had drunkenly squealed. Alex followed her droopy eyes and noticed Neil coming out of the crowd of thrilled audience.  

Neil walked towards Alex and Maya in a very calm manner, an easy smirk adorning his lips. "Maya's only telling the truth, Alex," Neil repeated. "The truth."

"You're indeed the greatest fool of all," he added, pointing at Alex, a flash of rage escaping his otherwise poised demeanor.

Alex had been already quite furious by Maya's drunken drama, and now the sudden appearance of Neil and his snide remarks had him further boil in rage. His eyes narrowed to slits. "What the hell are you doing here? As far as I remember, you were not bloody invited to this party."

However, his words seemed to have no effect on Neil. On the other hand, Maya wobbled while smiling at Alex, who was now having a hard time holding her up straight and not charging at the infuriating face of utter calm and smugness in front of him.

"Oh, just cease your silly rants at least for once, Leon," Neil rolled his eyes.

It was then Alex decided he had had enough. Letting go of Maya, who lazily stumbled and leaned against the pillar a few feet away, he charged toward Neil and grabbed him by the collar. "You have got the gall barging into my party uninvited and crossing your limits talking shit!"

"No. Not me. It's you," Neil roughly pushed off Alex's hand, freeing himself as he moved a few steps away from Alex. "It's you who've crossed all the freaking limits."

"Get the hell out of here, Neil, or I'll have to call the guards," barked Alex, almost shaking in rage now. He couldn't believe he was having to deal with a drunk fiance and the f*ck-buddy of his wife all at once. Ridiculous.

"Oh, come on," Neil clucked his tongue. "I just merely came here to congratulate you. No need to be so rude."

Neil looked around him and at the befuddled faces of guests, Leons' friends and relatives, and business associates, some gaping and some scowling his way. "I'm here to congratulate this great business tycoon for successfully dodging bankruptcy by selling himself to Miss. Ashworth." 

Tamara, who had come to stand beside Alex, gasped hearing what Neil said. Alex was about to bellow for those guards finally, but Tamara put a hand on his shoulder and stopped him. "Alex, what is he...?"

Alex looked away, gritting his teeth and making Tamara look crestfallen. Surely she knew of that age-old debt, and now, adding two and two, she discovered an outcome that seemed pleasing in no way.

"No..., it can't be...," Still she murmured, more from shock than disbelief.

"I'm only telling the truth, Mrs. Leon," Neil paused for a second. "Just like Kate had that night." 

"Don't," Alex warned coldly. He didn't want someone repeating that hellish night, it brought back too many memories--of betrayal, of heartbreak. And he especially didn't want Neil out of all people narrating it all.

"Why not?" Neil scoffed. "I'm sure it must have been a noble deed to you throwing your wife out of your house and life when she was in her most delicate state, that too on the basis of some photos - which can be morphed by the way. It must have seemed just alright to you, denying the child that she had conceived, insulting it in the worst possible manner. By the way, Leon, I hope you were wise enough to obtain something solid to back up your theory. Like a DNA test report, perhaps?" Tilting his head Neil paused for a moment, feigning as though he was truly in great disarray. "Or perhaps you didn't have any such backup after all. Perhaps, in reality, what you did was being an epic failure as a husband, as a father, as a freaking human being."