Get Together Variety Show
The studio lights gleamed brightly, casting a warm glow over the set. Poppy, the ever-energetic host, flashed her signature smile at the camera.
"Welcome to the Get Together Variety Show! I'm Poppy, your host for today," she announced cheerfully, though a flicker of anticipation danced in her eyes.
The camera shifted to the poised woman sitting beside her, Celestina Costa, wife of the wealthy Mr. Costa. Her smile was perfect, but there was an unmistakable edge to it, like a blade hidden beneath silk.
"And today, surprisingly, we have Mrs. Celestina Costa with us," Poppy continued, her voice laced with excitement.
Next to Celestina sat a woman whose expression was more guarded—Anotella Miller, Celestina's sister. The tension between them was palpable, like a storm about to break.
"And joining her is her sister, Anotella Miller," Poppy added, a mischievous glint in her eye. "So, Anotella and Celeste—can I call you that?"
Celestina's smile didn't falter. "Sure," she said smoothly.
Poppy turned to Anotella. "Anotella, how do you see your sister?"
Anotella's voice was saccharine sweet, but there was something forced about it. "Well, she's a good sister, although she has a fault, she doesn't really like me."
Her head dipped slightly, a subtle plea for sympathy. Celestina's eyes narrowed, a flicker of disgust flashing across her face. The audience shifted, their sympathies quietly aligning with Anotella.
Poppy smiled warmly. "And what about you, Celeste?"
Celestina's smile deepened, but it was cold, calculated.
---
"As she said, I don't like her. And that's the truth."
She turned sharply to Anotella. "Sister, no need to sugarcoat it....I hate you, and I'm clear on that."
Anotella's eyes glistened with unshed tears.
"How can she be so cruel?" she thought, fighting the urge to break down.
Celestina muttered under her breath, "What a white lotus," before Poppy quickly cleared her throat, steering the show back on track.
Poppy pressed on, "Anotella said she was supposed to marry Mr. Costa, not you."
Celestina's smile twisted into something far more sinister. The air seemed to crackle with electricity, the audience holding their breath in anticipation.
"Yes," she said, her voice dripping with false sweetness, like poison wrapped in velvet. "Everything she said is true."
Anotella's heart pounded painfully in her chest. .
Celestina's voice dropped, low and venomous, as she leaned forward, her words slicing through the silence like a knife. "But," she said, her eyes locking onto Anotella's, "you didn't tell them everything."
The audience leaned in, sensing the brewing storm. Poppy's eyes sparkled with hungry curiosity. "What didn't she say?" she asked, her voice a silky invitation to chaos.
Anotella's fists clenched tightly at her sides. 'Why is she doing this? Why drag all this out in front of everyone?' She swallowed hard, fighting the urge to break down. If she does its all over.
Celestina's smile vanished, replaced by a cold, merciless glare. "Sister," she spat, "there's no need to sugarcoat it...I hate you. I'm clear on that."
Anotella's breath hitched.
Celestina's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You've been playing the victim for too long. But the truth is…" She paused, savoring the moment, "aren't tired coming up with those lies? If you don't I feel tired being the centre of your lies"
" I have never defended myself because I saw you all as irrelevant but my marriage is where you cress the line. You should have never made the mistake."
A murmur rippled through the audience. Anotella's cheeks flushed with a mix of anger and humiliation. 'How dare she?'
Celestina's voice dropped to a venomous whisper, loud enough for the cameras to catch every word. "You tried to steal my life, my husband, my family. You lied about everything to make yourself look innocent."
Anotella's heart shattered.
Celestina's gaze bore into her like a predator. "You never cared about anyone but yourself. You're nothing but a white lotus—pretending to be pure while poisoning everything around you."
The audience gasped, some whispering in shock.
Poppy cleared her throat, trying to regain control of the spiraling chaos. "Let's keep it civil, ladies. This is the Get Together Show, not a battlefield."
But Celestina was relentless. "No more pretending," she declared, voice rising. "It's time the truth came out."
Anotella's eyes filled with tears she refused to shed. *I won't let her win. Not here. Not now.*
Celestina's smirk deepened. "You think you're the victim? The poor wronged sister? The audience deserves to know the real story."
Her words hung heavy in the air, a gauntlet thrown down in front of everyone.
---
Anotella knew she had to win back the audience. Neutrality was no longer an option.
"Sister, there's no need for this now. I won't fight with you over him," she said, voice steady but firm.
Celestina's gaze was icy, dismissive. "On what grounds could you fight me? With what status?"
She straightened, pride radiating from her every word. "My father, Dimitri Knight, is a business demon. My husband is no different. And my mother, Zoe Penelope Knight, is the iron lady of the business world. With my status, do I even need to fight for anything?"
She rolled her eyes, crossing her legs with disdain. "I just have to say the word, and everything I want is delivered to me."
Her eyes locked onto Anotella, cold and merciless. "But you? I don't think so."
Anotella felt the weight of that gaze, like being stripped bare. *She thinks she owns everything, even me.*
---
"Celeste, we may not be as rich as you now, but we took care of you for twenty-one years," Anotella said, voice calm but edged with pain.
Celestina smirked. "How could I forget? Now that you mention it, let's recall some memories."
Anotella's stomach twisted.
"That's not necessary," she said magnanimously.
"Of course it is."
Celestina turned to Poppy with a sly smile. "Poppy, what do you think?"
Poppy, sensing the tension, skillfully evaded. "Whatever you want," she said diplomatically.
Celestina's eyes bore into Anotella. "Do you remember…"
Before Anotella could answer, Celestina cut her off sharply.
"That's enough!" Anotella snapped, voice trembling with frustration.
"What's enough?" Celestina challenged, voice icy as she shouted, "Is it how your family starved me? How I had to wear your clothes, the ones you hated, that had holes? How you locked me in the basement? Or…"
Anotella interrupted sharply as her eyes reddened, "Those are lies."
Celestina laughed bitterly, a sound full of pain and defiance. "I wouldn't accuse you without evidence."
The crowd's mood shifted palpably, eyes turning scornful toward Anotella
"Poppy, can I have my phone connected to one of your speakers? I'm sure everyone would like to hear this," Celestina said, voice steady despite the storm inside her.
"Wouldn't you?" Poppy asked, excitement flickering in her eyes.
Anotella stiffened but forced herself to nod
"It's ready," she said.
She pressed play. The room fell silent as voices echoed through the speakers:
AM (Anotella's Mom): "Celestina, come here."
C (Celestina): "Yes, mother."
AM: "Change into these."
C: "But these are Anotella's wedding clothes."
AM: "Dummy, of course, we know."
AM: "You'll take her place."
C: "No, I don't want to get married."
A sharp slap echoed through the studio.
AM: "You will because I'm not ready to, plus he's rich. You've just hit the jackpot."
The recording stopped. The audience sat stunned, the weight of the revelation hanging heavy in the air.
Anotella's heart pounded.
---
Poppy turned to Anotella voice calm but cutting. "Now, Anotella, who's trying to steal whose husband?" as Celestina questioned.
Anotella's composure cracked. She raised an eyebrow, clearly rattled.
"I want to thank you for this invitation, Poppy, but I have to leave," she said abruptly, her voice tight.
Poppy looked shocked but nodded, unwilling to escalate the situation.
Celestina stood, a mixture of relief and triumph flooding her. Her mission was complete.
As she stepped off the set, she spotted Zavid waiting for her, his eyes warm giving her senses of relance.
"How was I?" she asked, a confident smile playing on her lips despite the exhaustion.
"Pretty good," he replied with a grin.
"Of course I was," she said, gloating. Zavid shook his head, amused.
"Yeah, I want to introduce you to the owner," he said.
Celestina nodded, and they walked toward the man, exchanging pleasantries and discussing various topics. Despite the invitation, she politely declined the offer to return to the show.
"It was nice meeting you, Mr. Manx," she said graciously.
"You too, Mrs. Costa," he replied with a respectful nod.
As Celestina and Zavid walked away, she sighed deeply.
'I'm free from that cage now,' she thought, 'but the scars will take longer to heal.'
"I'm famished," she muttered, the hunger in her stomach reminding her of the day's emotional toll.
---
Zavid chuckled softly. "Alright, we'll drop by your favorite restaurant."
"Okay," she replied.
They got into the car, the city lights blurring past as they drove off, leaving the chaos of the studio—and the toxic past—behind them.