Flash Marriage: Shrewd Wife, Devious Husband
Chapter 248: The State Dinner

Chapter 248: The State Dinner

Tony won that senate election. Marcella became more outgoing. Rather than hiding, she got herself photographed as she helped others. Every talk show host wanted to talk to her and she did as many interviews as possible.

The papers called her "beauty with a brain". She didn’t find that a compliment but they meant it as one. They also called her intelligent and thoughtful. Since more and more people called her that way and not just Tony, Marcella started to believe that she was intelligent.

They would call her to their shows with Tony and Tony didn’t have the time to spend time there. Also, he was not very receptive to the idea of getting his face made up for cameras. He always gave the excuse of looking after their children.

Just as Tony became a Senator, he started laying the groundwork for his presidential campaign. Not everyone in the party was welcoming of it and many wanted Tony to wait for the next election when the current president had served his two terms.

But Tony insisted he runs this year. Others formed groups against him, trying to exclude him for his ambitions. The incumbent president called Tony to visit him and expressed his displeasure in running against him when he could serve another term.

Tony stubbornly refused even when Marcella asked him to reconsider. He thought that now was the time. In the popularity polls, their popularity was equal to the stars and was definitely higher than the current president.

But will their popularity bring people out to vote for him? This was not a popularity contest but an election to choose the leader of the free world.

Marcella had her doubts but Tony was sure. Since Tony knew politics better than her, Marcella decided to go along with him and work as hard as she could as always to have him elected.

His decision and his "headstrong behavior" as the president put it, made some retract their support for him. Tony didn’t care.

They tried to reduce his popularity. The interview chances for Marcella were reduced. Still, her name would be on the papers for one reason or another. Even the scarf she wore for an outing with her children sold out within three days of a paper publishing her photograph. For some reason, she became a fashion icon and people started noticing her style.

Marcella was careful not to expose their children to the public much. Tony agreed with her point of view as to raising their children in a normal environment, not as celebrity kids. It was hard at first but after Tony managed to successfully reach an agreement with the news media, they didn’t bother their children anymore.

Tony strongly stated that the children of celebrities should not be considered public since they didn’t ask for it. Many celebrities supported Tony in that issue as they were fed up with the paparazzi hounding their children. They chose that life but their kids did not. They wanted the paps to leave their kids alone.

Their children were growing up splendidly and excelled in school. Marcella worried for Joey for some time, but he took the truth like a champ and carried on. Raphael caused troubles at times, but Marcella hugged him often and that helped.

As for Beth, she lost the court case and all the money. Her support was gone and she was left with nothing and no one. The judge ordered her to pay a hundred million dollars to Tony for defaming him. She didn’t have that money.

She pleaded with Marcella after the judgment though asking her to leave her be. Marcella refused. Why should she? For years, she stalked her husband trying to break up her family, not to mention talking to her son.

Unforgivable!

"I made you, Beth. I have every right to take back what I gave you," Marcella said.

Beth smiled and her pretty eyes that had lost its luster were red with crying. "You?" she asked. Marcella could see the malice hidden behind that pitiful expression. She was kneeling and yet she was not humble.

"You think Tony supported you behind my back? You’re wrong. It was I. Daniel Schmidt stood by you because of me. I saved you from assassination attempts. I waited for you... I waited for you to talk to be before going on the interview. But you didn’t. Just because you kneel before me now, I should let you go?" Marcella asked.

"You knew? You knew all along? What are you saying?" Beth asked.

Marcella laughed. She waited for this chance to see the bewilderment on Beth’s face. When the court case was going on, she didn’t talk to Beth even though she wanted to brag. Each hearing, Beth would be shocked with the revelations. It was hard to hold back.

"You thought you were acting on your own, Beth? No, you didn’t. I was puppeteering you and you were dancing to my tunes all along. Now, pay me back. I gave you all that money, after all," Marcella waved her hand and walked away.

Beth screamed her head off. But Marcella didn’t mind her. She didn’t let her see her smile. It was for her husband to see.

A year into Tony being a senator, a state dinner was arranged with dignitaries from an Eastern European nation. It was a small country that was ruled by a monarchy who ruled for more than a millennium. No one had heard about that country till then.

Lately they had discovered oil in their nation. The oil estimates were so large that all the western nations eyed for the oil and wanted to form an alliance with Ayberia. To everyone’s surprise, Ayberia accepted the president’s proposal for a state visit.

The preparations were on full swing. Tony offered to help but since the president was not happy with Tony, Tony was excluded from the preparations.

Tony was disheartened, but Marcella supported him.

"We can do our best," she said. "They are so bland and boring and that’s why they are jealous of us," she said patting his chest that night after "consoling" him on the bed.

The people loved them and that caused jealousy among the other members.

Tony hummed and with a smile kissed her head. She had a way to make his mood better even if he had the most terrible day.

The delegates from the country arrived at their capital. The welcoming was done exuberantly. The president himself went there to welcome the delegates. Tony was purposefully excluded from the welcoming committee.

Since the arrival of the delegates from Ayberia was a national news, many tuned in just to see Marcella Crawford and her fashion choices. Since they didn’t see her anywhere in the welcoming committee, many voiced their concerns. People called radio shows and TV shows asking why the Crawfords were excluded.

It became a PR disaster for the ruling party to exclude Tony and most importantly Marcella.

Since he was a senator, Tony was invited to the State dinner. Marcella had done her research about the country and their culture a little. There weren’t much details about that country mostly because they kept to themselves.

However, one thing was mentioned repeatedly. They were orthodox and valued traditions more than anything. So, Marcella chose a modest gown to wear for the State dinner. It was only proper to be welcoming of their guests and not cause them shock.

Although it was modest, it was in no way cheap. It was embellished and resplendent.

"Even without a tiara, you look like a queen, my queen!" Tony said with a bow.

Marcella smiled. She loved hearing his compliments.

"Bear with it if they provoke you," Marcella whispered to Tony as they alighted from the car.

This was not about them. It was about their nation and its wellbeing. Having a good relationship with Ayberia is important and she didn’t want Tony to flare up with his personal issue.

Tony grumbled under his breath. He would allow it if it was just him attending. If they slighted his wife even in the littlest way possible, he couldn’t hold back.

It would be for the best if they treated his wife with the respect she deserves—as the queen.