Chapter 37
"Ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor to present our new Queen, Keesha Mansfield Quartermane!"
A loud applause roared throughout the ballroom, as all eyes focused on the new queen. The beautiful sound of harps and violins played in the background as Keesha sat upon the throne. One by one, influential politicians, business moguls, law enforcement officials, actor/actresses and even some church leaders patiently waited to bow and kiss the hand of their new leader.
"I can't believe all of these people are all bowing to me!"
Keesha's confidence grew leaps and bounds with each pledge of undying loyalty and devotion to the new queen.
"Just look at me now mama!" she smiled.
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Lorraine slowly awoke to the sound of violins in the far distance. "Am I in heaven?" she mumbled, trying to get a clear vision of her surroundings. "Then again from that annoying music, maybe I'm in hell."
The room was dark, except for the glow of light coming from what looked like curtains on the far right wall. Using the light as a guide, she made her way to the heavy velvet curtains that seemed to cover the entire wall. Feeling her way from left to right; she finally found the drawstring and pulled with every ounce of energy she had left.
The dazzling sparkle from the crystal chandeliers blinded her view, until she heard the thunderous applause from below. Lorraine stood frozen, as her eyes met Keesha's cold stare.
Keesha held Lorraine's gaze for what seemed like an eternity. By sheer will, Lorraine found the strength to look away. The sight of Keesha as queen to this mad society of fools almost made her forget the ordeal she had experienced tonight.
"Well, I see you finally made it," Victor said entering the room.
"Victor! I'm so happy to see you," she cried running into his arms. " You don't know the ordeal I've been through tonight."
"It's alright my love," he replied, gently stroking her hair.
"You don't understand," she tried to explain. "Malcolm had this man kidnap and drug me. Then he took me to some abandoned warehouse, where he… shot Malcolm!"
Victor's calm demeanor unnerved Lorraine. "Didn't you hear what I said?" she asked suspiciously. "Why aren't you upset?"
"Why should I be upset? Everything went just as I planned," he replied with an icy smile. "Poor Malcolm. While he was watching us, I had my people watching him. I knew every move he was going to make."
Lorraine stood in total disbelief. "You had me kidnapped!" she exclaimed. "If you hired T-Mack, then you knew he would have gotten pleasure out of killing me!"
"You're quite right. I'm familiar with T-Mack's history. That's why I knew he'd be perfect for the job. But he valued his life and limbs too much to hurt one hair on your beautiful head."
"I don't understand how you could do that too me!"
"This little prick Malcolm Winters comes into our lives, no thanks to you, fucks not only my wife, but my daughter too and you can't understand!" he hissed. "Did you really think I was just going to let that go? It's obvious that you forgot my one rule. No one fucks with me or my family without paying a heavy price!"
"But, I'm your wife!" she shouted.
"Fucking right, you're my wife!" he screamed, pointing at his wedding ban. "We took vows, which you broke. Malcolm's misfortune tonight was your wake-up call Rainey.
"What the hell does that mean?" she asked, teetering between anger and fear."
Victor crossed the room and gently began stroking her face. "It means if you ever betray our family or me again, I will be merciless!"
