Chapter 4: Confrontation

As they made their way to the party, the atmosphere around them was vibrant and alive. Gibson and Lina were chatting, laughing and discussing. 

Lina was eager to introduce Gibson to her friends, hoping he would get along with them. 

But as they got closer to the gate, Gibson's heart sank when he saw Cynthia standing there, arms crossed, with a tall and handsome man by her side.

Cynthia's face contorted with anger as she spotted Gibson approaching. "What are you doing here, Gibson?" she sneered, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

Gibson felt his stomach drop, the last thing he wanted was to have a confrontation with his ex-wife. Trying his best to remain calm, he responded, "I was invited by a friend.”

Cynthia's eyes narrowed into a fierce glare, and Lina could practically feel the heat emanating from them. The intensity of her stare was suffocating, and Lina could feel her heart racing as she struggled to maintain her composure.

The venom in Cynthia's voice was palpable as she spat out the words, "And who is she?" Lina could hear the disdain and jealousy oozing from every syllable, and it made her skin crawl.

Despite the discomfort and unease coursing through her veins, Lina tried to keep her cool as Gibson stepped in to introduce her.

“She is with me, Cynthia,” he said. 

 But even as he spoke, Cynthia's expression grew more hostile, and Lina felt like she was drowning in a sea of anger and bitterness.

She looked to Gibson for support, but even he seemed taken aback by the force of Cynthia's animosity. 

“Cynthia is my ex wife,” he said to Lina. 

As he explained that Cynthia was his ex-wife, Lina could sense the tension in the air, thick and suffocating.

"Why would anyone divorce a man like you?" Lina said, her voice filled with admiration.

Cynthia's face turned red with anger as she glared at Gibson. Her heart was pounding with rage, and she couldn't bear the thought of him being with another woman. 

Her feelings for him, which she thought had vanished, were resurfacing like a raging storm.

"I know why you're here," Cynthia snapped, her voice sharp and piercing. "You're here to try and win me back." Her eyes flickered with a mix of emotions, a combination of anger and hurt.

Gibson rolled his eyes, feeling exasperated. "That's not why I'm here, Cynthia. I'm here to have a good time." He said with a half smile. 

Cynthia looked at Jonah, hoping for some support.

"Yeah, he's probably just trying to make me jealous, right?" She said, turning to Jonah. 

"He probably hired this girl to escort him." Her tone was accusatory, and her eyes were blazing with fury. 

Gibson felt like his heart had been ripped out of his chest when his ex-wife spoke those words. It was as if she had plunged a knife deep into his soul, leaving him raw and bleeding. 

His mind was racing, trying to process what she had just said. He felt hurt, insulted, and betrayed all at once.

"I didn't hire her," he said, his voice shaking with emotion. "She's my friend."

But Jonah just laughed, a cruel sound that made Gibson's blood boil. "Yeah right," he sneered. "Like a guy like you could get a girl like her."

Gibson could feel his face growing hot with anger and embarrassment. He wanted to lash out, to tell Jonah exactly what he thought of him. 

But he knew that would only make things worse. Instead, he stood there, feeling small and insignificant.

Jonah continued to taunt him, sizing him up from head to toe with a smirk on his face. "You wear cheap clothes, cheap shoes," he said, "and you don't belong here."

Gibson felt like he was about to explode. He couldn't believe that his ex-wife would allow someone to speak to him like this. 

He had always thought of her as kind and gentle, but now he realized that he had been living in a fantasy world.

Everyone else at the party was dressed to the nines, wearing expensive dresses and tailored suits that had been custom-made by the best tailors in the country. 

Gibson felt like he was the only one who didn't belong, the only one who was out of place.

Lina wasn’t happy with them. 

How dare they speak ill of Gibson like that? He was a kind and caring man who deserved more respect than what these snobbish partygoers were giving him. 

"Gibson is not what you guys think he is," she said, her voice quivering with emotion. "He's a hardworking man who never complains and always has a smile on his face. I think you guys are mistaken."

But before Lina could say more, she was interrupted by Jonah, the snide comment dripping from his lips like venom. "You don't belong here, Gibson. 

This party is for successful businessmen, not poor guys like you." Lina could see the sneer on Jonah's face and it made her sick to her stomach.

Cynthia, another partygoer, didn't want to say anything more to Gibson, but as she walked away with Jonah on her arm, she muttered, 

"This party is for the business talent of the Fernandez family. You and your hired girl should recognize the reality."

 Lina couldn't believe the audacity of these people. How could they be so blind to Gibson's worth?

Gibson looked at Lina with a bewildered expression. "The business talent of the Fernandez family?" he asked, his voice filled with confusion.

Lina smiled proudly, feeling a surge of satisfaction. "Yes, that's me. My family owns this party place," she said, her voice ringing with pride. 

She could feel the other partygoers' eyes on her, watching her with admiration.

Gibson was surprised but also impressed. "That's amazing," he said, his eyes gleaming with admiration. Lina felt a flutter in her chest at the sight of Gibson's smile.