Chapter 19: The Welcome Party

Words : 1008 Updated : Sep 17th, 2025

Chapter 19: The Welcome Party Penny stood at the company entrance, glancing at her phone again. Heather had called hours ago, saying she was already on her way, but she still hadn’t shown up. The guests were beginning to murmur, shifting uncomfortably in their expensive shoes. The welcome party wasn’t supposed to start without the woman of the hour. Honk. Penny turned toward the sound and smiled. She instantly recognized the white Ferrari pulling up in front of her. Heather stepped out like she had walked straight out of a fashion ad. She handed her car keys to one of the valets. "You’re late to your own party," Penny said, half-teasing, half-relieved. "I had work to do," Heather replied coolly. "Clearly," Penny said, admiring her outfit. "Wow. You look stunning." "You look better." "Thank you. Come on, everyone’s waiting." They stepped onto the red carpet, the flash of cameras briefly illuminating the night. Inside, the atmosphere was filled with music and chatter. A broad staircase curved elegantly up to a second level, where most guests had already gathered, holding glasses of champagne and peering over the balcony. A large welcome banner hung above the room—except it read "Welcome, Feather Remington". Heather saw it and blinked. She chose not to react, especially tonight. Nothing was going to ruin this for her. To the right, in a corner near the bar, people were already mingling—talking, laughing, sipping cocktails. Heather walked through it all, not registering how many eyes followed her. She kept scanning the room, half-distracted. "Look who finally arrived," came a smooth voice. Miguel. One of Miss H’s former actors. Heather turned toward him, smiling politely. Miguel leaned in for an air kiss. "A little birdie told me you almost didn’t get a manager." Heather rolled her eyes. "Your little birdie paid off all the others to reject me. Because she’s a witch." "Ooh. Savage," Miguel chuckled before slinking off to charm someone else. "Lauren at her finest," Penny muttered with a dramatic eye roll. "If you see her tonight," Heather said, glancing around, "ignore her." She took a breath. The stares hadn’t stopped. Maybe it was just because it was her party. She reminded herself to smile. A waiter passed by with a tray of champagne flutes. "Champagne?" he offered. Heather nodded, taking two glasses. She handed one to Penny. Then the energy shifted. Lauren walked in, flanked by two women. She was dressed to impress, but the moment she laid eyes on Heather, her expression faltered. Heather’s dress was clearly the winner. "Oh my God! Miss Heather, you look amazing," one of Lauren’s friends gushed. "Where did you get that dress? Can I get a recommendation?" another asked. Someone nearby whispered, "The new star looks incredible." Heather kept her smile polite. "Sullivan made the dress." "Sullivan?" one of the girls asked. "You mean Mrs. Sullivan?" Heather nodded. Lauren’s eyes narrowed slightly. "It looks too cheap to be a Sullivan original." "Have you seen Mrs. Sullivan before?" one of her friends asked. "No," Heather said casually. "The dress was sent over." "I’ve seen Mrs. Sullivan," Lauren jumped in. "Really?" her friend asked. "Yes. We’re friends." "Lauren knows a lot of important people," her other friend told Heather. "Yeah, she knows Miss H too," one of them added. Heather nearly choked on her champagne. She shot a glance at Penny, who looked just as shocked. Did she hear that right? Lauren knows Miss H? "Yes, we go to dinner all the time," Lauren said. Penny tilted her head. "What meal does she order the most?" "Uh... crab legs... and ...Chardonnay," Lauren said with a confident smirk. Heather and Penny shared a look, then burst out laughing. "What’s so funny?" Lauren asked sharply. "Nothing," Penny said, barely holding it together. "Just surprised you know Miss H. And her love for... crab legs." Lauren’s expression soured. She pushed her way between them, nearly spilling their champagne glasses. "Careful," Penny muttered. "You know you’re not exactly skinny." Lauren froze. Penny chuckled under her breath. "Stop," Heather whispered, trying not to laugh. Lauren turned to Heather. "Just because you look different now doesn’t give you the right to mock me." "I’m not the one mocking," Heather replied calmly. Lauren turned to Penny. "And as for you, whatever it is you do in this company, watch your mouth. One word from me and you’re out of here." Then she turned back to Heather, pasting on a fake smile. "Enjoy your party." "Why do I hate her so much?" Penny muttered. Heather sighed. "Let’s just enjoy the night." They mingled among the crowd. ... Heather sat at the bar, while guests gathered around her. All praising her dress. Even Lauren’s friends. She saw Lauren glaring at her from where she stood, Caius a few steps beside her. Heather knew why he was here, he had been trying to reach her for days, but she’s been ignoring him intentionally. She had been avoiding him for days, pretending he didn’t exist, shutting him out like he wasn’t a problem she had to deal with. A few moments later, Manager Sheng approached Heather at the bar. "Ladies, please excuse us." They nodded. "You’re look great, Heather." One of them said as they mixed among the other guests. Manager Sheng turned to her, "In a few minutes, they’ll call your name. Just go up, accept the keychain, say thank you, and leave the stage. Simple." "Okay," she nodded. "But why does the banner say Feather?" Heather asked, annoyed. "I’ll have someone take it down." he said before walking away. She sat still at the bar, watching the crowd. Everyone seemed engaged in small talk and laughter. "Everyone thinks your dress is so fabulous. I can’t talk to anyone with them mentioning how ’fabulous’," Lauren mocked, "you look." Heather smiled faintly and nodded. "I couldn’t even have a conversation with Caius without him looking over here." "If you’re expecting us to talk, that’s not happening. In a few minutes, my name would be called. I need to focus on that."

Chapter 19: The Welcome Party

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