Still a queen

"DNA test report is positive. She is actually the real Athaliah Williams, daughter of Steven and Sophia Williams." Roy announced and every person present in the room gasped and Sophia Williams started to cry in happiness. She was really overwhelmed by her dear daughter's sudden return.

She hugged her husband and kept crying. She was confused and sad mostly. Steven wasn't in a completely different state either. His eyes were also glistening with tears but he kept them in bay. He was planning his next set of steps regarding the current situation.

Whereas Aiden is a completely different scene. He was angry and felt betrayed by his dear sister whom she loved more than anyone and Elena, whom she was planning to propose today to make his life partner. He was feeling like they threw him off a cliff after stabbing him several times in the back. More than being happy to have his sister back, he was sad on the betrayal part.

"That's great! Now let's continue with the main procedure." Athaliah exclaimed while flashing her regular ruthless smirk that everyone in the business world was familiar with. 

"But Miss Athaliah we were almost done with the auction and Mr Aaron Knight there.." One of the board members trailed off with his words and couldn't complete his sentence. He of course didn't want to upset her by mentioning anything unpleasant. After all, who doesn't know about the fashion queen's short temper?

"Yeah? You were almost done with the auction of my company? That too without my permission? And what is it about Mr Aaron Knight?" She asked arrogantly while rising her perfectly plucked eyebrows.

The board member immediately shut his mouth from uttering anything else. She smiled at him in satisfaction and turned toward Aaron Knight who was still standing at the same place, hands in pockets and eyes on her, looking at her emotionlessly. But Athaliah knew him enough to read the hatred for her behind those brown orbs that she used to fascinate once. 

There he was, Aaron Knight, standing in pride, wearing a nice dark green tailored suit which coincidentally matched her outfit tonight. Looking as handsome as ever.

"Oh, Mr Knight! Didn't notice you before! May I know how you are related to this?" She asked while pretending to be surprised as if she really didn't notice him before. 

"He bought the company!" Olivia replied on behalf of him in an arrogant tone as if it was her who bought this. 

"She didn't ask you!" Elena snapped at her in irritation. Olivia was seriously getting on her nerves and she was wondering how her best friend managed to tolerate her till now.

Athaliah gave a look to her best friend and that silenced her immediately then she looked back at Olivia with a fake polite smile and said, 

"Oh, thank you for the information Miss Locktart, oops Miss Lockhart I mean. You helped a lot." 

Then she turned toward Aaron and gave him a fake concerned smile.

"I am so sorry Mr Knight for the inconvenience that you had to face for me." She smiled apologetically at him as if nothing was wrong between them. As if they parted their ways on a really good note two and half years ago. At least she was trying to prove nothing was wrong from her side and that irked Aaron beyond imagination. But he managed to keep his expressions neutral.

"Oh, don't worry about it, it's nothing new coming from you." He couldn't stop himself from taunting her and it was the first thing he uttered after her dramatic entry. Athaliah frowned for a second before she smirked at him.

"Oh, that's a relief! You are already used to it so I don't have to worry much." Athaliah taunted back with a smirk.

Then she turned toward the guests with a plan to ignore him and his precious date for the rest of night. Because their mere presence was enough to raise her temper.

"I would like to apologize to you all as well for the inconvenience, for your precious time that you had to waste here but what could I say, we can't predict New York's traffic. Right Mr Roy?" She cracked a joke to lighten the environment. Everyone laughed at that. She has always been the one to manipulate the situation as per her choice. 

Then she turned serious.

"Now I would like to officially announce again that I, as a shareholder of the company, refuse to sell the company and call off the auction at this moment. I also declare the bidding before invalid. I hope that makes everything easier and clearer for everyone to understand. Also I would like to thank everyone for coming here. Now I would like to call it a night for everyone to continue with the remaining works peacefully. I would definitely like to invite you all to my welcome party. Good night everyone. See you soon." Athaliah declared in a professional tone and got down the stage to see the guests off. She signalled Elena to help her as her family still wasn't in a state of thinking straight.

She was almost done with seeing the guests off when the reporters decided to attack her with a ton of questions and her guards were failing in handling them.

"Why did you plan your fake death?" 

"Why are you back suddenly?" 

"Is it because Aaron Knight decided to buy the company?" 

"What should we call you? Miss Athaliah Williams or Mrs Athaliah Knight?" 

"Did you cheat on Aaron Knight two and half years ago?"

"Did Mr Aaron Knight cheat on you?" 

"Are you planning to get back together again?"

"Why did you leave something so precious behind years ago?" 

"What do you think your family would react to your sudden return after all these?"

They were literally injuring her with their questions. But she was quick to gain her composure back and gained their attention quickly. The reporters calmed down to hear what she had to say.

"At first I would like to thank you all for coming here. Secondly I know you all are really curious about me and my life till now but I can not do anything at this moment to quench the thirst. But I promise to call you all for a press meet in two days where I will answer to all your questions as much as I can. Till then I could give you a spicy headline for tomorrow's news, 'The fashion queen is back to claim her throne and... she is single!' " She said with a wink and managed to bid them bye with the help of Elena and guards.

"I am tired." She exclaimed with a huff to Elena and they turned around to go back when they found Aaron Knight and Olivia Lockhart standing exactly in front of them with different expressions on their faces.

From their expression anyone could say that they heard everything that Athaliah said to the reporters. Aaron was on his phone, in a phone call at that moment but his eyes were on her. Maybe they were also leaving like others but stopped as the paparazzi was completely blocking the way. Aaron didn't show off any expression. He just walked away hurriedly after giving her one last look, continuing the call.

"Just listen to me, damn it and don't let her watch the TV till I reach home." He barked at someone angrily and walked away.

Athaliah frowned at him. Whom was he resisting from watching TV? And why? Is it because of her? Ignoring him she turned to look at Olivia who was still standing there with a mean glare.

She sighed.

"Fashion queen is back and single, Huh? But what is a queen without her king?" Olivia asked tauntingly with an evil smirk.

Elena was going to reply but Athaliah stopped her.

"Still a queen." Athaliah replied back sassily. 

Elena laughed out loud while Olivia walked away from them toward the door to leave. But not before giving them a mean glare.

"She had started to get on my nerves but you put her into her place." Elena commented as soon as Olivia was out of their sight.

"I know right." Athaliah replied with a sigh while toward the stage with Elena.

"But girl! I salute to you. The way you handled everything like a pro while not losing your calm even for a second, made me really proud of you. Also what an outstanding entry!" Elena praised excitedly while patting on her shoulder.

"Thanks. I thought of trying something new. After all, it's the fashion queen we are talking about. Also I planned to handle this with patience. After all I am a different person now, I have different responsibilities and I have to set examples for my son." Athaliah replied with a smile.

"Yeah, now let's get done with the work here. After that you have a really long night ahead with your family." Elena said with a frown. 

She remembers Aiden's expression the moment she said that she knew about Athaliah being alive. He was really hurt.

"A really long night." Athaliah sighed and that brought Elena out of her thoughts.

They both nodded at themselves and walked ahead to get done with this.

***

"Okay Miss Williams and Mr Williams, we are settled with all the loans and you guys are officially the owner of Williams corporation again." One of the really senior board members announced with a smile.

"I suggest you do not use the word 'again', next time when you mention our ownership. Because it's always been ours." Athaliah snapped at him arrogantly.

Everyone present in the room looked at her in shock. Where did the polite and playful lady from sometime back go? Now it was the same arrogant Athaliah Williams they knew from two and half years back.

Athaliah didn't clarify her behaviour either; she just shrugged her shoulders carelessly. After all, since when did she need to explain her behaviour? Also as the reporters weren't here anymore so she doesn't need to act organised. She doesn't want her son to see her rude behaviour and learn from it because her son really likes to copy her every action.

"Okay so, we are done here. I would like to take my leave. Miss Athaliah, do you have any announcement to make before I take my leave?" Mr Roy asked in a professional tone.

"Yes, I am calling an important board meeting tomorrow at sharp 10 in the morning in our office and I also want your presence there, Mr Roy. I would like to modify some clauses regarding the company." Athaliah said while eyeing the board members angrily. 

She didn't like the way the board members folded their hands kept them under their armpits when the company needed them the most. She won't be at peace till she shows them their right places.

"Okay, then. Now I would like to take your leave. Good day to you all and see you soon." Saying that Mr Roy took his leave after bidding bye to the Williams couple.

One by one every one left the room leaving the Williams alone. Only Elena didn't leave as she was also a family. 

Athaliah looked around nervously. As no one was around apart from her family, she started to get nervous. 

It's been two and half years since she last met them and when she was looking at them after so long, different thoughts were going on her mind. She was happy, sad, anxious and nervous. Nervous of their reaction. 

Nobody said anything. As if everyone was waiting for someone to break the ice but nobody was interested in doing so. At last Athaliah took deep breaths. It was her mess and only she has to tidy it up.

"Uh, what a tiring day, huh? Glad that it's over.." She tried to start a conversation with a nervous smile while fiddling with her fingers. 

She knew the moment she says anything she will have to face the wrath of her family and it came quite soon in the form of a -

SLAP!