The Elite Circle

Betse stood before the gates of the grandiose Belmont Mansion, her heart pounding in her chest. Charles stood beside her, watching her with a mix of concern and disapproval.

His eyes flickered with worry as he asked, "are you sure about this, Betse? You don't have to go through with it."

Betse took a deep breath, her eyes fixed on the distant glow of the mansion's light. "I've worked so hard, Charles," her voice was determined. "I've spent years living a good and perfect life, and where has it gotten me? Nowhere. I need this chance. I need to break into the elite circle, and this is the only way to do it."

"But at what cost, Betse?" Charles implored, his brow furrowing. "Is compromising your integrity really worth it?"

Betse hesitated, her resolve momentarily shaken by his words. She thought about her family, drowning in debt, and the burden she carried to lift them out of poverty.

"I've spent my life trying to secure a future for my family, Charles. If this is what it takes, then so be it."

"As a member of your family, I don't support this decision."

"And who said you have a say in this? Because you're my brother?" A rhetorical question from Betse.

"I'm trying to save you from the humiliation. You don't know these people. They're different from you and I," Charles explained.

"Yes, you're right but they're nothing special, just people like us. Look around us, the only difference between us and them is that they shine and we don't. Aside from that, we're not so different."

Charles folded his hand in silence, knowing that whatever he said won't stop her. Her mind was made up.

She continued, "this is an opportunity I must seize. Just like everyone in that mansion did. No one was born with diamonds."

"Since I can't stop you, goodluck!"

Betse poked him with her finger, "that's what you should have said from the start. But thank you, I'll need it."

"But can't you just change your mind?" Charles was persistent but that didn't push Betse away from her decision.

Standing firm on her decision, Betse straightened her shoulder, adjusting the neckline of her expensively rented designer dress which she had scraped to the depths of her savings to get. With a deep breath, she stepped forward, her heels clicking against the pavement as she moved towards the mansion.

"I'll see you at home."

"Don't do anything stupid. Your charms are natural so just be you."

Approaching the entrance, her pulse quickened. The doorman, dressed impeccably in a black suit, eyed her skeptically. Betse summoned her most confident smile, handing him the invitation she had forged, praying he wouldn't see through her ruse.

"Welcome, Miss," the doorman said, his tone was a fusion of suspicion and courtesy, allowing her to enter into the world of extravagance beyond the gates of the Belmont Mansion.

Inside the mansion was a display of wealth and ridiculous outlay of meticulously placed art, expensive art. Crystal chandeliers adorned the ceilings, casting a dazzling array of light across the marble floors. The air and atmosphere was thick with the scent of expensive perfumes and the murmur of elite conversations.

She grabbed a glass of wine from one the event waiters. As the charity event unfolded, the crowd of self serving philanthropists weaved through the crowd, their smiles as bright as the stars, making contributions that would pave the way for a brighter tomorrow. Auction paddles waved in the air, each gesture a promise to support causes greater than themselves.

Betse scanned the crowd, her eyes finally landing on Kini Belmont. He stood across the room, his presence commanding attention. With a newfound confidence, she made her way towards him, her steps purposeful, her smile seductive.

Kini, who was engrossed in a conversation with a group of influential guests, glanced in her direction. Their eyes met, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still.

Betse approached him, her voice smooth as silk. "Mr Belmont, what a pleasure it is to meet you. I've heard so much about your renowned art collection."

Kini, captivated by her charm, offered a charming smile in return. "The pleasure is mine, Miss...?"

"Betse," she replied, her gaze unwavering. "Betse Walters"

"I don't seem to be familiar with that name."

"I.."

Before she find words to save herself, a young man walked toward Mr Belmont and whispered to him.

"Excuse me for some minutes," Kini said politely and walked away.

"Oh, what a relief!" She let out a sigh of bliss. "I was almost caught, need to be smart about everything." She said to herself.

Turning around, she noticed flocks of eyes wandering over her. Two girls, standing not too far from her, rolled their eyes at her and whispered conversations loudly enough to her hearing.

"What a slut!"

"Trying to seduce my boyfriend. No way!" Big budget dressed Joice exclaimed with fury.

"No need to bother, she is not his type." Viola, her friend, tried to soothe her pride and anger.

"I'll let her know her place."

"Wait! Who is she? She seems new."

"Probably some new money."

"Or some joke?"

"I'll find out"

A voice broke the gossip and reverted everyone's attention back to the event of the day.

"Attention everyone!" Mr Belmont lips play out a pretty smile.

"Ladies and gentlemen, tonight has been an evidence to the beauty of human kindness. In this room, we've witnessed a unique power of unity, where strangers become friends, and friends become a community bound together by a shared purpose to make the world a better place."

He gestured to the attendees, "every contribution," his eyes met with Betse's and she smiled brightly at him, "every smile shared, and every connection made tonight has sown seeds of change."

The attendees nodded with agreement and acknowledged the truth in every word he spoke while the two girls were still stuck scheming evil plans against Betse. Fuel was added to the fire when they realized Kini eye's were locked with Betse's.

"I'm not going to stand here and just watch this," she left the room.

"Wait!" The other girl called out as she followed behind her.

"As we depart from this magnificent gathering, Let us carry the spirit of tonight in our hearts," Kini continued, his voice resonating with passion. "Let us remember that love and empathy know no boundaries. Our collective efforts tonight have not only transformed lives but have also reminded us of the boundless possibilities that emerge when we stand together."

A thunderous applause erupted, a manifestation of the attendees' shared commitment to a better world. Kini's eyes glistening with emotion, concluded, "thank you, from the depths of my heart, for your generosity, your compassion, and your unwavering belief in the goodness of humanity. Together, we have inscribed a chapter of hope, and I have no doubt that the echoes of tonight will reverberate for years to come."

And with those words, the evening culminated, leaving a legacy of kindness that disappeared as soon as Joice could no longer control the jealousy in her heart.

Joice, consumed by envy, approached Betse, her eyes filled with rage. "You think you can just waltz in here and steal my place?" she hissed, her voice sharp like a dagger.

Betse, caught off guard, stammered, "I-I don't know what you're talking about."

In a moment of fury, Joice hoping to humiliate her and get the better or her, angrily grabbed a glass of drink and poured it on Betse's dress, "Know your place, you charity case!"