Chapter 174 - High Dopamine Levels
Time seemed to stop when the door opened and a tall woman was escorted by a group of people into the vast hall. Whispers boomed in the hall. Dazzling flickers snapped at her. Her each step was poised with confidence, her eyes had a touch of arrogance. There was this fine line between attitude and arrogance but she contrived it in her style. While her dress swooped everyone off their feet, her impeccable beauty took their breaths away.
Caparisoned in an empire style A-line burgundy dress, a waistband of the same color that complimented the dress was clamped right below her bosom, accentuating her slim waist. Like the winiest wine, her dress rivaled the man in a significant white shirt standing on the podium. His eyes never left the dazzling woman shining in glory from the moment she entered the hall.
"Isn't it the model Leena? But why is she here?" A reporter whispered awed by her impeccable beauty.
"What is this crazy woman doing here?" A reporter shuddered and he already planned to not ask any question to the non compos mentis. Her craziness is the talk of the city.
The audience was anxiously looking at the stunning woman and the reporters held their breaths in anticipation. The statements were readied already for they knew Devin would announce his relationship with Regina but in the last minute, he twisted the game claiming he is in a relationship with another woman, and out of syllabus Leena has appeared in the show further confusing everyone.
She raised her hand and the men behind her stepped back. She stood alone at the center of the hall, in a world full of people determined, and looked at the man standing on the dais. Their eyes met for all the world went into oblivion as if the two were silently communicating with each other. Devin knew it's not easy to appease the queen. She wants to show her place in his heart to the people, precisely to the world. A King would only bow down to the queen and he would gladly oblige to it.
Everybody in the room gasped when Devin stepped down from the stage and walked towards the woman. With a love-filled gaze, he stood in front of her with an outstretched palm. "You look beautiful tonight."
Leena blushed instantly. Tons of compliments but one praise from Devin would take her breath away and it's not the first time she has surrendered under his witchery eyes. Without placing a hand on to his, her eyes swept over his iris orbs gazing at her with affection and tenderness that he would show only for her. "Thanks a bunch of oats, babylicious." She whispered placing her hand on to his. He chuckled at her witty reply and quickly locked her hand with his and guided her to the stage while gently holding her waist.
"I would like to make an official announcement." He briefly gazed at her and Leena reassured him squeezing his hand.
"The girl standing with me today is the one, I want to spend my life today, tomorrow, actually, my entire life with her alone. From the very moment, I saw her, my heart knew she is the one. There is no space in my heart for anyone except her." He continued. "We have kept our relationship hidden until we get to come together with our families but then an intruder created chaos in our lives. But she did not leave me. Instead, she supported, she held my hand, never letting go despite the turmoil she was enduring inside."
His announcement held an uproar not only to the people sitting inside but to the outside world who were watching the interview. Devin openly confessed his love for Leena to the entire world was a huge blow.
Seeing the couple acting lovey-dovey, Regina was red with anger, shrieking inside. If not for the image she has to maintain in the public, she would have exploded like a time bomb. My prince charming proposing to that bitch. Did he forget that I still hold a trump card? How is he going to come clean with the photos? The world would throw dirt on Leena for being a bitch.
Meanwhile, the reporters bombarded Leena and Devin with questions after questions. This was a huge spin which they did not expect, for they have come here to write the statement but then again Devin gave a huge twist not only admitting he is in a relationship but also confessing his love openly. But still, the photos did not sit well with them and they have many unanswered questions.
"But the pictures say otherwise. How do you explain that, Devin?" A reporter questioned.
"Are you telling us that the person in the photo was not you, Devin?" Another reporter butted in eager to know.
"The picture_"
Devin's breath staggered, he swallowed hard and has to halt his words when a hand encircled around his torso tracing a finger on his abdomen with slow torture. Although he was fully clothed, it was not helping either. For bystanders, it was a lovely gesture of hugging the boyfriend but only he knew what sort of stunts this crazy girl was pulling under his suit. Did she have a hit the wine bottle before coming here? Her dopamine levels are functioning high from the time she entered.
"Zip up your mouth. It's my show today." Leena whispered and instantly he slightly nodded his head for he knew she would torture him until he would get blue balls if he doesn't oblige to her wishes.
An opportunity to crush the nail-biting girl when the whole world is watching. It's like entering into seventh heaven. Did she think that the great Leena would sit and watch the TV mourning over her boyfriend when he is confessing to another woman to protect his loved one like in those tragedy novels?
"My boyfriend has got a frog in his throat suddenly. So, I will take the opportunity to answer on his behalf." Leena threw a charming smile to everyone.
The reporters looked at her with their mouths wide open. Devin was talking all well up until now but suddenly got a sore throat when she appeared? It was obvious that Leena wanted to take control of it.
"Are you telling us that the person in the photos is not Devin?" One of the reporters broke the silence.
"The person in the pictures is him," Leena spoke up. "But why don't you ask the innocent woman how he appeared on the photos?" Her voice had a mocking end when she pressed the word innocent.
"Did you forge the picture, Miss Regina?" All the attention turned towards Regina.
"Did you try to sabotage the relationship of a couple?"
Regina clamped her fingers around her dress, trembling in fear when all the cameras were focused on her alone while the reporters flooded her with questions. She looked around the room trying to find Victor but suddenly remembered he was not invited. She wouldn't have feared if he was there to support her.
Roberto was dumbfounded by the way the incidents are veering around. What's happening here? All are focusing on his daughter and it enraged him to the core. He furiously glanced at Leena who was enjoying his daughter's misery. In his frenzy, he got up, his voice rose and his fierce eyes angrily pointed at Leena as he spoke. "If you are trying to throw dirt on my daughter, I am not going to sit back and watch your_"
"Hello, Mr. Herrera, You don't have a dialogue. You are a mere spectator here. Please shut your mouth and sit down." Leena suspended his words at once.
Roberto: " "
For a second the serious hall dissolved into laughter hearing Leena's utterances. The reporters couldn't help but crack up. Even Devin couldn't hold back his smile that threatening to escape from his lips.
There was only disdain for the man in Leena's eyes. Isn't it the responsibility of the father to look after his daughter? How couldn't he see the veil of his daughter? It's because of this kind of father's white lotus bitches are emerging into the surface.
As if nothing has happened, Leena glanced at the reporters and spoke up. "I feel like the innocent women's voice is tongue-tied suddenly. So, I will take the charge and explain what exactly happened."
With a snap of her finger, a man appeared and lent a thumb drive to one of the reporters. "It contains the recording of the CCTV footage on the day Devin visited the hotel and restaurant."
Regina's face turned ashen when she heard about CCTV recordings. How does overwritten data would appear again? She has contacted a top-notch hacker and he ensured that data cannot be regained once it is overwritten. Is she bluffing to lure her into telling the truth?
A person connected the thumb drive to the laptop and played the videos that were saved in it. The more they saw the image became vivid.
There were no traces of Regina and Devin meeting at the hotel and restaurant. Although he went into the hotel and Regina also appeared right after him, but they have not met anywhere.
Devin straight away went to a private room and came out within half n hour along with a friend and when he walked out of the hotel, Regina also stepped out and the same happened in the restaurant also.
With all the things that happened, it was clear that it was a deliberate attempt, and the photo of hugging Devin looked like a planned one. But was it Regina who did? She seemed to be an innocent person. It was the thought of the reporters.
"It's ridiculous and I wouldn't agree. The CCTV footage is falsified." Regina snorted, her eyes seething in anger the more she looked. She has made sure everything is going according to the plan.
"How do you know that the videos are falsified?" One of the reporters asked in skepticism.
Regina tried to come up with an answer but nothing was hitting her brain for the moment. "I_I_Because_"
"Because she was the one who fabricated it." Leena completed it for him.
"You seem to have a lot of imagination, Miss Hayes," Regina spoke up as if she is mocking her. "There is no proof that I was the one behind it. I am also a victim who is subjected to the rumor."
"Is it? Let's see if your tone remains the same even after I show the person.." Leena opened her mobile and made a video call and hearing the voice, Regina's face turned pale.