Chapter 21 - Emerald City Ball

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Emerald City was teeming with gossip on whether the mysterious owner of Marchen Inc. and Marchen Inc. Auction House, Miss Reed, would show up at the Emerald Ball that weekend. Despite the media coverage present at the grand opening not a single reporter or camera crew were able to capture a good image of Miss Reed. Any image taken was nothing but a blur. How was that even possible? But everyone waited with bated breaths for the enigmatic Miss Reed to appear.

By 8 p.m. that evening of the Emerald Ball, the majority of the guests had arrived. The Emerald Ball officially began as the socialites mingled and climbed up the social status ladders. A group of young socialite's chat on the front hotel steps and giggle maliciously at seeing a taxi pull up in front of the steps of the hotel. The door opens, and a pointed black high heeled stiletto can be seen. A tall, thin woman with straight black hair emerges. Her military black uniform is perfectly tailored to her body. Her Italian black leather gloved hand shuts the taxi door having paid the driver. The taxi speeds off as the tall woman pauses to glance up at them. The girl's titters clamper off at the cold piercing gaze of the woman. The girls shiver violently with unease and swiftly scurry inside.

The footman at the start of the steps opens his mouth to ask an invitation, but before he can the woman places the invitation into his hand. The footman glances at the invitation and his eyes widen at the name. The footman hastily says, "Please allow me to accompany you inside, Miss Reed."

"I'm fine," Miss Reed flatly stated. The footman can only get out of Miss Reed's way as she climbs up the stairs and makes her way inside.

Izo sighs to herself as she pauses at the entrance of the ballroom. Izo sees the teeming masses inside and lets out a tired sigh. Still sighing to herself, Izo strides into the ballroom and makes her way towards Mr. Moore and her associates. Izo comes to a halt as a figure bumps into her and spills a glass of punch all over her jacket. Izo frowns and glances at the young woman. A golden-haired young woman bites her lips and says, "I'm so sorry, Miss Reed, I didn't see you standing there."

"Do you need anything else, Mary Sue?" Izo asked as she removes her wet jacket and folds it into her arms to carry.

Mary blinks her sky-blue eyes and tearfully says, "I'm sorry, Miss Reed."

"I'm not. Not excuse me, I am busy," Izo replied without giving Mary a chance to react.

Izo with great relief arrives next to Mr. Moore who is dressed in a full cowboy getup including a full-length leather coat with spurs on his cowboy boots. Izo raises an eyebrow and drily comments, "Isn't that leather duster hot?"

"That exactly what I said," Mr. Nazari murmured as he nursed a drink and was dressed as a Victorian-era rogue.

Mr. Moore beams and says, "Nonsense, I'm perfectly fine." Izo and Mr. Nazari share the same look at Mr. Moore's cheerful reply.

"Ah, so you were able to make it? How charming, what are you even dressed as?" Wistari interrupted. Her revealing authentic nymph getup certainly turned more than one head in the crowd.

"A military officer," Izo flatly replied. "Let me guess, you came as a candy striper?"

Mr. Nazari spits out his drink as Wistari glares hatefully at Izo. Mr. Moore ruefully grins and watches the show. To all their surprises, Tassarion intervenes. "Now come dear, Miss Reed holds a point. That dress is much too revealing for a woman of your presence."

Wistari preens under Tassriona's coaxing words. "Fine, I'll leave you all to your petty officer," Wistari said, before sashaying away in Tassarion's company.

"Do you think he likes her?" Izo asked no one in particular.

"Beats me what that arrogant elf thinks," Mr. Nazari replied, before darting away upon spotting a beauty.

Mr. Moore smiles and says, "Ah, to be young again. Anyhow, my son-in-law just loved his gift. Please do let me know in advance if a similar item is to appear at your lovely auction, I can assure you I will buy it at full price value."

"Will do," Izo drily answered.

Izo suddenly spots her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lee in the crowd. "I'll see you later then," Izo mumbled, before moving towards her parents.

Izo suddenly halts as Kendal steps in her way. "Apologize!" Kendal growled.

Izo frowns and says, "Excuse me?"

"I said, APOLOGIZE!" Kendal loudly demanded.

It suddenly dawns on Izo as she glances behind her.

Mary's eyes are full of tears as she clings to Alexander's chest. "It's not her fault really," Mary pleaded.

"Of course, it is," Eric coldly rerated.

"I believe there is a mistake here, I haven't done anything wrong to Mary Sue," Izo truthfully declared.

Kendal hisses, "Enough of your lies, Izo! The very proof needed to prove your identity is your cruel actions towards Mary Sue! It is you, Izo, I know it is, and you're as hateful as ever!"

Izo sighs and suddenly smiles evilly at Kendal causing him to take a step back. It was time for Izo to fulfill her promise to the other Izo. "Please allow me to clarify the situation," Izo cunningly said. Before Kendal can react Izo lets out a shrill whistle that pierces throughout the entire ballroom. The ballroom comes to a silence as everyone glances for the source of the whistle.

"Excuse me, may I have all of your attention," Izo loudly exclaimed as the entire ballroom turns in their direction. By miraculous circumstances, Mary ceases to cry and innocently blinks around at the glances. A stern married couple in the balcony area frowns at the interruption and narrows their eyes at spotting their son and friends down below.

"My apologies, but I have an announcement to make. Please allow me to formally introduce myself, I am Izo Reed also known as Miss Reed," Izo stated as the room is suddenly filled with whispers at her name. "I am sure, some of you may recognize me as the owner of Marchen Inc. and Marchen Inc. Auction House," Izo firmly added causing gasps to emerge from the crowd as Mary Sue pales in tragic understanding.

The three young men stiffen as well as the knowledge of the identity of Izo Reed fully hits them. The couple in the balcony let out a hiss of air in fury understanding the reason for the current scene taking place before them. The couple's eyes narrow even further at spotting that girl who did not know her place hiding behind their son. The couple's nostrils flare at the travesty of the situation that was no doubt caused by that classless girl's actions.

"However, some of you may also recognize me, by my identical appearance to Izo Lee, the deceased daughter of the Lee couple. Please allow me to clarify the situation, I am indeed Izo's twin sister, Izo Reed.

By coincidence of fate, I was stolen by a nurse from the hospital nursery, where we were born and by sheer coincidence named the exact same name as my twin sister. I was raised by that said nurse until I was ten years old. However, upon my parents, at last, finding me, they immediately reclaimed me. To protect my sister and me from the media, they hid my identity from the scrutiny of the media all of these years. Now that the truth is out in the open, everyone please enjoy the party and please continue to patronize Marchen Inc." Izo loudly proclaimed.

The ballroom is silent until a rain of applause fills the ballroom before a flood of hushed whispers fills the air. Turning back towards Kendall, Izo coldly declares, "As I stated a prior time, young man, I do not take well to being confused for another. I should be demanding an apology from Mary Sue, who spilled a drink onto me. I am quite within my rights to ask reimbursements for this one of kind jacket. But I shall not as I do not wish to embarrass my business partners that are present. Do not take my actions of today as a kindness, I will remember today's incident and will not be so kind next time we meet, I can assure you of that."

Izo doesn't wait for a reply and shoves Kendall out of her way. Izo makes her way to her happy parents as Mrs. Lee happily hugs her baby. Mr. Lee proudly says, "Twins, huh?" Izo shrugs in reply as Mr. Lee nods in approval of his daughter's foresight. "So, that's why you wanted to be Izo Reed? Well, I can live with that as long as you're my daughter again," Mr. Lee firmly stated.

Mrs. Lee releases Izo and with sparkly eyes asks, "My dear, when will you gift your mother some of your beauty potions?"

Izo begins to say, "I don't-," and stops mid-sentence at seeing the frantic gestures from Mr. Lee. "I mean, I shall have the auction house ship out a crate of each beauty potion home for your personal use," Izo swiftly said as Mr. Lee nods in relief at the crisis narrowly averted.

"Oh, good. Your mother could use a touch-up or two," Mrs. Lee dramatically said.

"You're perfect the way you are, mom. You are by far the most beautiful woman in the ballroom," Izo dutifully answered.

Mrs. Lee happily flushes at the praise as Mr. Lee says, "Now Mida, let our daughter enjoy herself, I'm sure there are plenty of young men who wish to make your acquaintance." Mrs. Lee smiles in excitement and shoos her daughter away with her hands.

The couple watch Izo disappears into the crowd with pleasure. "Do you think, our Izo will find someone tonight?" Mrs. Lee asked.

"Who knows, but if she does, I will ensure we know all there is to know about him," Mr. Lee solemnly vowed. Mrs. Lee nods her head in approval and moves to greet friends. The guests and friends all congratulate the couple on having such a wonderful daughter.

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