Chapter 67 The Hemming Charity Ball

(Hope POV)

"Here's a little speech I prepared. It's also on the teleprompter. All you have to do is read." Christy handed me a piece of paper with a printed out version of the speech. I took the piece of paper from her and quickly read it.

"Great. I thought I just had to be a face of the foundation now I have to make a speech," I said, frustrated. "Sorry, Christy, I'm not mad at you. Just make sure the teleprompter goes slowly for me." She nodded her head and walked to the front to instruct the person manning the equipment.

"I can make the crowd disappear in front of you, if you want," Maria said. She was in a fiery red backless gown. I whistled. Fierce.

"Hope, you can do this. You made speeches in high school," my mom said, trying to boost my confidence.

"That was different. They never listened to me. This..This...VIPs. I...I..." I began stuttering. I was nervous.

"Come. I will help you." Alexander put his arm around my waist and led me to the podium on the stage.

"I'll be right here beside you. All you have to do is read." He lowered his head to the microphone. "Good evening," he said, testing if the microphone was on. He nodded his head for me to begin reading the speech as shown on the teleprompter. I inhaled and exhaled, calming my nerves. I glanced at him, my nervousness written all over my face. He gave me a smile and nodded his head giving me a bit of confidence.

"You can do this, Hope," Opal said. "You are High Priestess, Alpha, and a daughter of Lupa." True. I have faced more dangers than this. I coughed to clear my throat, then placed the sheet of paper on the podium and looked at the teleprompter so I could begin my speech. Good thing it was short.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I am Hope Ulrich, CEO of Stella Foundation and on behalf of the Hemming Group of Companies, I would like to welcome all of you to the annual Hemming Charity Ball." So far so good.

"The Stella Foundation has always been steadfast in its pledge to extend a helping hand to various charities and foundations all over the world. Tonight, we honor that pledge in alliance  with the Hemming Group of Companies in creating a better world, a world, future generations can be proud of."

"As such, the Stella Foundation will be donating $20 Million dollars to help fund pediatric cancer research, $20 Million to help eliminate hunger by providing food at various food banks in the country, $20 Million for Paws For A Cause, $20 Million for our youth and their education and an additional $20 Million to help support our injured military veterans and their families. Each and every one of us has the ability to help. Let's not stop here. Let's continue in our own little way to pay it forward...every day in the little things that we do for others. Thank you." I smiled and waved at the audience. Everyone in attendance stood up and applauded, giving me a standing ovation.

Alexander gave me a kiss and helped me down the steps to the tables. "Good job! The Stella Foundation is giving away $100 Million, wow! You deserve a standing ovation, my love," Alexander said, kissing my hand as he helped me to my seat. 

After I was seated, Lawrence Hemming came up on stage. "Thank you, Hope Ulrich, CEO of Stella Foundation for your generosity. Let's give her another round of applause." Everyone started to clap again and I stood up from where I was seated and waved to everyone. The applause quickly died down so I sat down again.  Lawrence then coughed to clear his throat, however it didn't look like an innocent cough. He was struggling to breathe, turning red in the face.

Suddenly, I heard a chortle. It wasn't loud enough for the others to notice. The audience were all concerned with Lawrence. "Opal, aural sight please."

My vision changed to aural sight and I saw a a black wisp of color protruding from behind the stage. I waved my hand discreetly to counteract the magic on Lawrence. He suddenly fell down on his knees, coughing and panting. I noticed the color of his face reverting back to its original color. He was okay. Lucian called for help and Diane rushed to aid them. As they all huddled around Lawrence, I got up and walked to the back of the stage with Maria and Grace behind me. I squeezed my hand into a tight ball, making sure whoever was behind the stage could not leave. Behind the stage, we find a stationary dark cloud hovering in the air.

"Dark Witch, show yourself." I waved my hand and a white light glistened on the black cloud which immediately changed taking the form of Leia Hemming. I then created a bubble around the both of us so no one, not even Maria and Grace, could hear us or see us. Leia struggled to move her hands, black ooze dripping from the one hand Alexander had bit. As much as she tried, she could not fight back. Her injuries, which were not healing properly, had weakened her.

"We have not been formally introduced. I am Hope and I assume you are Leia. Your hand...it looks infected," I said.

I walked up to her and placed my hand on her wounds momentarily taking away the pain. "Doesn't that feel better Leia? Being free from pain? I can help you Leia. I can heal your wounds," I told her, hoping she'd agree to my offer and have a change of heart.

"I don't need you to heal my wounds. I need your HEAD!" She spat back at me.

"You really need to brush your teeth," I retorted back at her as I took a step back. "Well, if you need my head, why don't you take it?" I swiveled my fingers and her injured hand bent backward.  She screamed in pain. "Obviously, you are too weak to take it. So weak you can't even kill your own father," I said, sneering at her. "Now, Leia, tell us why you want to kill your father. Speak only of the truth. I will know if you're lying to me." I wanted to know why she was willing to kill her own father. Unlike Derrick Lancaster who saved his father from punishment when he raped Grace, Lawrence Hemming banished his youngest daughter and had forbidden anyone to speak of her. There were always two sides to every story and I sensed Leia's version would be more of the truth than her father's.

"He sentenced me to death for killing one of his business partners. That business partner in question was a drug lord who tried to kill me because I wouldn't give the whereabouts of a drug courier who vanished after earning enough money to leave the syndicate. My father, in turn, was required to pay blood money for the death of his business partner, if not, the drug syndicate would kill him. He covered up his ties with the drug lord and ordered my death. I escaped and went rogue and my family with the use of their influence and money, first leaked to the press that I had a love affair with a mob boss and was addicted to drugs then, hushed it all up making it appear as a scandal," she said, whimpering in pain.

"What is the name of this drug lord?" I asked, letting go of her injured hand.

"Alberto Sarmiento." Leia winced in pain. The pain was also evident in her voice.

"Leia, there is still goodness in you, I can sense it. Change while it's not too late. I can help you," I said, trying to bargain with her.

She smirked at me. "I told you, I need your HEAD." She suddenly looked up and cried, "Hear me, Great Shadow of Ula, help me." I scoffed at her.

"That thing won't help you. It only wants your essence. Why do you think you aren't healing? No doubt, black magic makes you rot, but it is a slow process, to have you suffer the consequences of your misdeeds. Yours..." I pointed at her situation, "is at an accelerated pace. Soon, you will no longer exist and will serve as fuel for the shadow. But of course, you know that yes? Or are you naive to think it would spare you?"

"The Great Shadow needs me," Leia said out loud, not to convince me, but to convince herself.

I again placed my hand atop of her wound to ease the pain, to help her think clearly. "Leia, not only do I sense good in you, I sense you are in love. Think of her Leia. I can help you be with her." Leia eyes widened with shock discovering I knew of the real reason behind the death of Alberto Sarmiento. It wasn't just about ANY drug courier, it was about defending someone she loved. "I will let you go. With the rate of your infection, you will be dead in a week. You know where to find me Leia when you have thought things through. Leave your father be, he has troubles of his own which will be his downfall. Death may feel to be the most rewarding revenge, but it is too quick a punishment. Go Leia, find her who holds your heart." I waved my hand and she was gone.

"Why did you let her go, Hope?" Maria asked angrily.

"She doesn't have long to live, Maria. I allowed her to say her goodbyes." I gazed into Maria's eyes. Leia was her former student after she escaped her father. Did she know of Leia's love?

"You allowed her to say her goodbyes? Hope she can come back and kill her father," Maria argued.

"Maria, she is too weak to even kill her father. The Great Shadow took advantage of her injuries to start siphoning her essence." I smiled meekly at Maria and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Maria, you aren't twenty years old. You may look it, but you aren't. Look into your past, what you yourself had experienced. My mother asked for your forgiveness, did she not? I myself have given you a second chance to experience your youth. Love and forgiveness are very powerful and can change people even wolves to become better than who they were. Leia had her reasons. I saw it when I hugged her father." Maria lowered her head and nodded slowly, finally understanding my reasons. Alexander came running towards us, frantic we were missing. He sniffed the air, his face showing his disgust at the scent.

"What happened to you Hope? You were here one minute and gone the second. And what is that horrible smell?!" Alexander suddenly gagged at the smell. Amelie, curious at the mention of the word smell, came towards us and wrinkled her nose.

"That is an awful scent. Decaying corpse. Hmmm. That would be a great scent for Halloween. Thank you, ma cherie, you just gave me an idea, but this scent isn't you." She took a small bottle out of her purse and sprayed it all over me. It smelled like the air when the sun is about to rise. "That's better."

"It is much better." I inhaled the fresh scent. "The air...It smells like a new tomorrow...full of Hope." I looked at Amelie and we laughed at the pun. She put her hand around my arm and gently escorted me to the dinner tables which now had food.

"I'm going to name this scent after you... Full of Hope."