2024-12-01 23:24:34A shot of applause went up as it did for each family that arrived as Elina and her parents arrived at the entrance of the Hazel’s mansion. They smiled and made their way to their seats, Nicholas in tow with them.
“You know, I’m still finding it hard to believe that the heir himself, had sent his limousine over to bring us down here. It feels like a dream come true!” Patricia chipped in as they settled down.
“Well, we all Nicholas all of these. It was his influence that got us a spot in the Hazel’s Forbes Initiative,” Jacob grinned and raised a glass in salute.
~~~~~~
A knock sounded on the door as Jonathan stood before the mirror getting ready for the grand unveiling, and the shock he was about to subject the Jacksons to.
“Come in.”
It was Via.
“Hey. I'm ready. And I just got word that most of the guests have arrived. I believe it's time for you to make your appearance.”
“And the Jac–” Jonathan began asking as he turned around to face her but his breath caught in his throat.
Via was dressed so beautifully in a sexy low-cut blue-green gown with a thigh-high slit that he couldn't help staring. Her hair was down for the first time and it blew Jonathan’s mind away. It was a good thing she was his date.
She smiled, “Yes the Jacksons just arrived. You seem to have such an love for the family?”
Jonathan cleared his throat, regaining his composure.
“Yes. I do.”
~~~~~~
“And now for the moment, you've all been waiting for!” The master of ceremonies boomed, dazzling everyone with his smile, “Permit me to make welcome, the most wanted man in the world!”
Everyone laughed out loud at that,
“Well, it's true!” The man joked. “With a standing ovation, let's welcome –”
Elina and her family were one of the first people to rise to their feet and begin clapping.
“– the richest bachelor in the world, Jonathan Hazel!”
All of the lights focused on Jonathan as he came up on the stage with Via. His smile took everyone's breath away.
Patricia particularly because she collapsed onto her chair.
A look of horror had graced Elina’s face as she stood frozen, looking at Jonathan and refusing to believe her eyes.
“It can't be…” Nicholas breathed.
Jacob was white as a sheet and could only place a hand on his wife's shoulder as she trembled, looking like she'd just seen a ghost.
“Thank you. Thank you very much, Steve.” Jonathan clapped the announcer's back jovially.
“And thank you Venice City for this wonderful opportunity to meet you all in a relaxed environment. I must commend your brains and efforts in putting this together.”
There were murmurs of assent from the crowd and another round of applause.
“Well I'm glad to meet you all and I'm sure you're all elated to have been the first to see the new heir of the Hazel Empire.”
Everyone laughed.
Jonathan wasted no time as he went straight to announcing the three family businesses that were finally picked to be beneficiaries of the Hazel’s Forbes Initiative with the Jackson’s family not included.
“Well enjoy your evening and I'll be around, mingling and answering any non-business questions you might have.” Jonathan remarked, as he took Via’s hand, looking directly into her eyes and smiling as he did.
Another round of laughter filled the hall, as they looked at the two of them, believing that they were already a couple in the making.
“Yes please, this is the only night I'll get away from business in a while so please,” Jonatahn said in a mock-serious tone.
Everyone laughed and applauded as he and Ivy exited the stage, waving at them.
“Now isn't it a peach that our new boss has a great sense of humor?” Steve demanded jovially. “Enjoy your evening everyone!”
“Now Mr. Duke, what did I say about business earlier?” Jonathan joked to a middle-aged man.
“Oh well –”
“E – excuse me Jonathan?” a voice interrupted from behind Jonathan and his companion.
Jonathan turned around and it was the faces he'd been waiting to see all evening.
He smirked.
“J– Jonathan please can we –”
“I'm sorry but if you'll excuse me I've got better things to do.” Jonathan quipped and moved away.
Elina ran after him and grabbed his arm.
“Jonathan, please let's –”
“Excuse me!” Jonathan snatched his arm from her grip. “That's harassment, miss!”
“Jonathan, why are you doing this?”
But Jonathan was already off.
Elina ran after him once more. The whole debacle had caught the attention of nearly half the hall at that point.
One of Jonathan’s guards stopped Elina before she could grab him again.
“Jonathan, you don't have to embarrass us like this,” Nicholas spoke up shakily from behind Elina.
Jonathan stopped in his tracks immediately. He turned around slowly.
“You're right. I don't have to embarrass you like this. I can do it another way.”
He walked up to Nicholas and when their faces were mere inches apart he raised his voice for the silent room to hear,
“Nicholas Ray, aren’t you the one who submitted a business proposal to have over a billion dollars invested in your new startup?”
Nicholas, quickly realizing his mistake started trembling, as he could already tell where Jonathan was steering the conversation towards.
“S- sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir, I am.” He stammered, hoping it would appease Jonathan and prevent him from carrying on with whatsoever plan that was already cooking up in his mind regarding the investment proposal.
Jonathan looked at him in a very disgusted way,
“Well then, I’m not investing! You are free to take your proposal somewhere else,”
Nicholas’ eyes widened,
“Y– you can't do that!”
Jonathan smiled devilishly,
“Oh, but I can, and I just did,” Jonathan turned to leave and signaled for his guards.
“J – Jonathan, p– please don't do this –” Elina begged, still running after him.
“Don't go down that lane honey. You know what I can do.” Jonathan snickered, not even bothering to look her way.
Elina and her family stood there hopelessly for a moment, then they turned around and saw the entire hall staring at them. They'd been publicly humiliated in front of the entire city.
Their faces were infused with red as they stuttered trying to explain themselves.
The hall erupted in frantic muttering as everyone whispered amongst themselves about what the Jacksons could possibly have done.
Everyone moved away from them as they walked back to their seats.
“W– we don't have to take this, let's go home,” Jacob muttered.
They made to leave the hall but Jonathan spotted them from the gallery.
“Don't let them leave.” He muttered to his guard. “They should stay back and enjoy the waves of humiliation bathing them.”
The guards at the entrance refused to allow them passage. Jacob furiously called their own guards to get them out of there but as Jonathan saw from above that they were the same men who'd beaten him up to a pulp the night he'd been forced to sign the divorce papers, he muttered to the ears of his head of security.
“Arrest their guards.” The man instructed with his voice reverberating through the hall.
As their guards were hijacked and handcuffed while they were pushed back into the unforgiving hall, Elina’s eyes moved up in desolation and she saw Jonathan smirking down on them from above.
Tears filled her and her mother's eyes as they stood, feeling completely ostracized.
“This is only the beginning.” Jonathan muttered.
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