The Man She Called A Nobody

Chapter 5: The Kingstons' Gala

“What the hell are you doing here, Nelson?”

Lisa’s voice was a low, poisonous hiss. She stared at him with a look of pure, unadulterated contempt. Nelson didn’t answer immediately. He was still processing the whirlwind of the last few minutes, his chest rising and falling as he forced himself to stay grounded.

It was staggering. Even after the way she had treated him —after the divorce and the insults— she couldn't muster even a flicker of guilt. Her posture was rigid, her chin tilted up in that familiar, arrogant way. She looked at him as if he were a smudge of dirt on a pristine floor.

But it wasn't just Lisa. Standing beside her was Bobby, wearing a smirk that radiated a sense of unearned victory. He stood exactly where Nelson used to stand, draped in an expensive suit, looking like he’d been part of Lisa’s success all along.

Lisa snapped her fingers sharply in front of Nelson’s face, the sound echoing in the sudden lull of the room. “Are you deaf? I asked you a question. How did you even get in here?”

She didn't wait for him to respond. Her eyes flicked to Emily, who was still holding Nelson’s hand.

“Actually, don’t bother. Let me guess,” Lisa scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “You borrowed a cheap suit and dragged this… whatever she is… here to play dress-up? How low can you get, Nelson? You’re actually out here trying to fake a high-society life with some low-rent woman who clearly has no future.”

Bobby chuckled behind her, the sound oily and smug. By now, the crowd was beginning to close in. The gala’s lively atmosphere had shifted into the awkward, hungry silence of people watching a public meltdown.

“Isn’t that the CEO who just signed that massive furniture contract?” someone whispered from the sidelines.

Lisa heard it. Her chest swelled with pride, and her smile sharpened. “Did you hear that, Nelson? I’m in a different league now. People know my name. You don’t fit into this world —you’re a ghost, a nobody. Do yourself a favor and find the nearest exit before you embarrass yourself further.”

Nelson stood perfectly still. He absorbed her words like they were nothing more than a mild breeze. His hands slid into his pockets, and a strange, cold calm washed over his face.

“Are you finished?” he asked quietly.

The question caught Lisa off guard. It was too simple, too steady. She expected him to grovel, to shout, or to look ashamed. Instead, he looked… bored.

Her expression stiffened. Before she could find a comeback, Nelson turned to Emily, ready to lead her away. He wasn't going to give Lisa another second of his energy.

But as he moved, a hand clamped down firmly on his shoulder. Bobby.

“Don’t walk away when she’s talking to you,” Bobby sneered, leaning in close. “Look at you… a man who couldn't even keep his own wife. She had to run to a real man just to get a taste of success.”

Nelson’s jaw tightened. The anger he’d been suppressing flared white-hot in his gut.

“Look around you, Nelson,” Bobby continued, his voice rising so the surrounding guests could hear. “This isn’t a place for trash. This is where the power of the city gathers, and you are nothing. Leave now, or I’ll have security drag you out and toss you into the street like the disgrace you are.”

Nelson’s fist clenched. He started to lunge forward —the urge to bury his knuckles in Bobby’s smug face almost overwhelming— but Emily’s hand tightened on his arm. She felt the vibration of his anger and leaned in, whispering urgently.

“Nelson, stop. Don’t give them what they want. Let’s just go.”

Nelson took a long, slow breath, forcing his heart rate to settle. He looked at Bobby. “I’m not leaving this building, Bobby. So you can stop dreaming.”

Bobby’s face turned a deep, ugly red. “Security!” he bellowed, his voice cracking the last of the room's decorum. “Get these two out of here! They’ve trespassed and they’re insulting the Kingston family name!”

In an instant, four burly security guards surrounded Nelson and Emily. One of them reached out, grabbing Nelson’s bicep with a bruising grip. Nelson looked down at the hand, then up at the guard, his eyes turning to ice.

“I said take them out!” Bobby shouted.

“What is the meaning of this?”

A massive, authoritative voice boomed through the hall, stopping the guards in their tracks. The crowd parted like the Red Sea.

It was Franklin, the lead assistant to the Kingston family patriarch. In this room, his word was law. Even the wealthiest investors straightened their ties and lowered their voices when Franklin walked by.

Lisa immediately went into "performance mode," smoothing her hair and shifting her posture to look like a victim, though Franklin didn't even glance her way.

“I asked a question,” Franklin repeated, his eyes scanning the circle of security. “What is happening here?”

Bobby stepped forward, puffing out his chest. “Mr. Franklin, thank goodness. These two nobodies snuck in without invitations. They’ve been harassing our guests and making a scene. I was just having them removed to protect the dignity of the event.”

Franklin’s face didn't change expression. He looked at Bobby, then at the guard holding Nelson’s arm.

“Take your hands off him. Right now,” Franklin said. The command was soft, but it carried the weight of a death sentence.

The guard let go as if Nelson’s arm had suddenly turned into red-hot iron.

Then, to the absolute horror of everyone watching, Franklin stepped toward Nelson and bowed his head deeply.

“Please, sir… forgive us for this inexcusable lack of professionalism. I will ensure that everyone involved is dealt with immediately.”

The room went tomb-silent. You could have heard a pin drop on the marble floor.

Lisa’s brain seemed to short-circuit. Her nails dug so hard into her palms that she drew blood. She looked at the man she had called a "nobody" and then at the most powerful man in the room, who was currently bowing to him.

If this was real… if this wasn't some nightmare… then the world she thought she had conquered was about to collapse on top of her.