A/N- I didn't get my five reviews but oh well. This is absolutely my favorite chapter. You can absolutely see who are the chararcters I hate and who are the ones I like. It also ties the entire story together. Enjoy. And as always feedback is adored.
Chapter 10
Like marionettes being led on a string by a master puppeteer the town of Harmony flocked to the Seascape that night dressed in their plumes and finery. Whispers and rumors of who was hosting the party and for what purpose abounded. But no one knew the truth. And before the night was over some of them would dearly regret showing up at all.
"I can't believe I let you drag me here," TC Russell grumbled to his wife as he fumbled with his tie.
"It's a party TC, lighten up." Eve replied as she anxiously scanned the room hoping to find Julian. She had to talk to him about the notes and phone calls she had been receiving at work. If word of her past got out, she would lose her family and her career and after all she had done to keep her past from being exposed she wasn't willing to take chances with her future.
"And I bet anything its being hosted by the damn Cranes. They are the only ones who can afford digs this fancy," he muttered.
"Why would the Cranes host a party for the town when they've always shied away from mingling with us common folk TC?" Eve asked reasonably.
"Who the hell knows why they do anything Eve." TC replied short-temperedly. He hated parties and he definitely hated being kept in the dark. It didn't sit well with him attending an anonymously hosted party.
"TC I am going to go umm powder my nose. Why don't you grab a table for us?" Eve suggested when she spotted Julian.
"Fine," TC muttered as she scanned the room in the hopes of finding a familiar face. When he spotted Sam sitting at a table with Ivy he headed their way though he hated like hell being forced to spend any time with the woman he believed to be completely responsible for destroying Sam's marriage.
"Hey Sam how are you doing man? Do you mind if Eve and I join you?" TC amiably asked.
"The more the merrier TC, where's Eve?" Sam asked with a smile.
"She's in the powder room. Don't know why I let her talk me into coming. I hate wearing a tie," TC complained good-naturedly as he made himself comfortable. Spotting a hovering waiter TC grabbed a foamy glass of imported beer and took a long, greedy gulp before finally acknowledging Ivy's presence. Raising the glass he offered her a mock toast. "Evening Icy…I mean Ivy," he murmured laconically.
"Hello TC." Ivy replied with a tranquility she was far from feeling. TC Russell was the rudest, most ill mannered person it had been her misfortune to meet. It he weren't Sam's best friend she would have put him in his place long ago. Discretion being the better part of valor, Ivy decided to ignore TC's boorish behavior and scanned the room in the hopes of figuring out who their host was. The invitation she had received had been unusual to say the least and only sheer curiosity had propelled her to come.
Her gaze landed on David Hastings who had just walked in with a simply clad Grace clinging to his arm and for she wondered for the thousandth time exactly what it was that Sam had seen in her. Grace was so damned ordinary, so utterly common. And she didn't have a fashion sense to speak of. Even so Ivy had to admit that Grace looked somewhat fetching. The ice blue gown she wore accented her eyes and showed off her fantastic figure. David couldn't take his eyes off her and it annoyed Ivy that while she sat alone at a table with only TC and Sam for company, Grace was surrounded by half the town.
"It must be her blasted tomato soup cake," Ivy thought bitchily.
"Julian, we need to talk." An anxious Eve whispered to her old flame.
"Eve darling what's the matter," Julian asked worriedly.
"Julian, someone knows about our past. I've been getting anonymous notes and phone calls and the staff at the hospital has been treating me as if I were a leper. Every time I walk into a room I hear the whispers, the sly remarks, the innuendos. I know something is wrong."
"Eve, if it worries you that much I will look into it. But I am sure you are letting your nerves get the best of you. No one knows anything." Julian soothed.
"Oh Julian I hope you are right because I couldn't bear for anyone to find out about my past. I'd lose everything." Eve cried.
"I won't let that happen. I swear it Eve."
On the other side of the room Gwen daintily sipped at a glass of champagne and wished herself anywhere else in the world. She wasn't in any mood for a party. Ethan had moved out of the mansion and had filed for divorce and it burned her gut to admit that Teresa had bested her. The Mexican bitch had stolen her child and her husband from right under her nose. But no way was she conceding defeat. Teresa could keep Ethan if she wanted him; Gwen had no intention of staying married to a spineless jelly fish like Ethan but she'd be damned if she made things easier for the bastard by signing the divorce papers he'd had delivered to the mansion. No, let them both stew for a while. She would sign the papers when she was good and ready and not a minute sooner. And if Teresa thought she'd slink off with her tail tucked between her legs she had another thing coming. The war had just begun.
"Gwennie, come on it's a party we're here to have fun." Rebecca murmured exasperatedly to her daughter.
"Leave me alone Mother." Gwen testily replied snatching another flute of champagne and greedily gulping it down.
"Remind me again why I let you talk me into coming?" an aggravated Fox murmured to his best friend.
"Misery loves company bro and if I have to suffer inside of this penguin suit so do you." Chad cheekily replied. "And it's not like you had anything better to do," he added with a slight smirk.
"Well since I'm here I might as well enjoy myself. I'm going to get a drink," Fox muttered making his way to the sparsely populated bar on the other side of the restaurant. Most of the guests were drinking the bubbly that was generously being passed around by waiters in stark black and white but Fox wanted something stronger.
"Excuse me can I get a scotch on the rocks?" he politely asked the redheaded man standing behind the bar.
As the bartender handed him his drink Fox lazily surveyed the room wondering like everyone else who their benevolent host was. Whoever he or she was they had yet to make an appearance. As he scanned the room he caught sight of a resplendent Teresa, with Ethan hard at her heels and he felt his gut churn. Teresa looked beautiful. Her dark hair was pinned up in a complicated twist that left her slender neck bare and she wore a strapless teal colored gown with a beaded bodice that showed off her ample bosom and hugged her every curve.
"Don't they look wonderful?" a sarcastic voice muttered behind him and Fox turned to see Gwen standing behind him, the bitter smile curving her mouth eloquently expressing her hatred.
"I'll have what he's having." She added with harsh smile and the bartender hastily complied. He didn't want to get on this woman's bad side. If looks could kill the handsomely dressed couple on the other side of the room would already be dead.
"Leave me alone Gwen," Fox told her in a voice that brooked no argument.
"Doesn't it bother you Fox knowing that the whole time you were with Teresa it was really Ethan she wanted? I have to admit it shocked me to find them in bed together. I could have sworn she really had gotten over Ethan and had moved on to you. That day at the hospital she was so cold, so heartless. Ethan was so wounded by her attitude. But of course it was nothing more than an act. And we fell for it hook, line and sinker," Gwen commented with a sneer.
"Poor Gwen, you married Ethan believing he'd get over Teresa and now it burns you to admit she was always the one in his heart. As for Teresa, she might have been pretending to love me but I know for a fact that when we were in bed together it wasn't Ethan she wanted. I doubt you can say the same." Fox spitefully replied, gulping down his drink and then walking away.
"Bastard," Gwen muttered angrily. Fox's words deeply wounded her because she knew they were true and it hurt to think that every time Ethan had made love to her it was Teresa he'd really been thinking of. Wiping the tears that fell down her cheeks she turned back to the bartender and ordered another drink.
"Ethan darling, I'm going to go talk to Whitney. Would you get me a drink? Nothing alcoholic you know how fast liquor goes to my head," Teresa requested with a sweet smile.
Knowing Ethan would be preoccupied elsewhere for a while, Teresa slipped quietly out of the room. She had to talk to Alistair. She was turning the corner in the hallway when she felt a pair of strong arms wrap themselves around her.
"Where are you sneaking off to my sweet?" an all too familiar voice drawled.
"That isn't any of your concern now is it?" Teresa smartly replied trying to disengage herself from his arms. "Let go," she ordered.
"Not a chance in hell sweetheart." Fox angrily muttered bending his head and capturing her mouth in a bruising kiss.
Teresa struggled against him, determined not to give in so easily to the passion he aroused in her. But even as she tried to fight him her arms locked around his neck and Teresa felt herself begin to kiss him back.
"Does Ethan make you feel this way? Can he arouse you with a simple kiss, a few words, a touch?" Fox asked running his hands over the smooth expanse of skin exposed by her backless dress.
"This isn't right Fox. I love Ethan. It's Ethan I want to be with. Let go." Teresa demanded.
"Bullshit," Fox murmured. "If you really loved Ethan you wouldn't respond so wildly to my touch. I can make you beg me for it and we both know it."
"Lusting isn't love Fox. And though you refuse to admit it I am in love with Ethan. I always have been." Teresa cried pushing him away with a mighty shove. "You weren't anything but a substitution," she added cruelly hoping her words would make him leave her alone.
"Tell that to someone who doesn't know you babe," Fox replied unperturbed. He'd had days to think things through and he knew that Chad had been right. Whatever else was going on Teresa loved him as much as he loved her. And her actions tonight proved it. "Me thinks thou doest protest too much," he mockingly added before walking away.
From a monitor hidden in another room an amused Alistair watched the action. Everything was going according to schedule and he couldn't have been more pleased. But it was past time that he got the show on the road. With the arrogance that was so much a part of his character he strode to the middle of the restaurant and grabbed the mike his curvy assistant handed him.
"I'm sure everyone must be wondering why I summoned you here and I will be brief and to the point. I plan on retiring as President and CEO of Crane Industries and my heirs will be assuming my place effective immediately." Alistair announced to the stunned crowd.
"Retiring?" Julian Crane murmured in disbelief. His father had mentioned nothing to him.
"Did he say heirs?" Ivy whispered in confusion.
Alistair smiled; a sardonic twist of his lip that coolly mocked everyone in the room. "Ladies and gentlemen may I present the first of my heirs; my protégé Teresa Lopez-Fitzgerald.
An utterly composed Teresa walked coolly to the front of the room; her head held high and her face wholly expressionless. But her heart was singing because the moment she had waited so long for was finally at hand.
"No, it can't be. Teresa can't be the heir," Julian cried.
"Teresa, Alistair's heir…no" a furious Rebecca muttered.
"Damn that bitch to hell must she always come out on top?" an angry Gwen raged.
"Teresa…the heir?" a stupefied Ethan marveled.
"There has to be some mistake, Teresa cannot be the heir." A frustrated Ivy murmured.
Ignoring the whispers and speculations Teresa took her place beside Alistair and smiled mischievously at her mentor before turning to face her audience.
"When Alistair first came to me and asked me to align myself with him I laughed in his face. It was only after due consideration that I realized that his plan had merit and only by aligning myself with the most hated man in Harmony would I achieve my own ends. I have learned a lot from Alistair but the most important lesson Alistair has taught me is to never take anything or anyone at face value. Most of you are friends of my family and have watched me grow up. Yet when I really needed help most of you turned your backs on me. The only person who was there for me was the person I least expected to stand by my side. He showed me what the true meaning of friendship and he taught me what it was to love unconditionally. He stood by me during the worst moments of my life and wouldn't budge even when I tried to push him away. He's the most wonderful man I have ever known and I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for him. I love him more than life itself," an ecstatic Teresa announced and a bashful Ethan slowly got to his feet. "Ladies and gentlemen may I present my fiancé and co-heir, Nicholas Foxworth Crane."