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Stephanie glanced around in nervous anticipation as she entered the arena. She pulled her wheeled suitcase behind her, mindful not to turn it over or run over anyone's feet.
She was keeping a sharp lookout for Sean. She'd called him a few days earlier, inviting him to RAW rather than to attend Tuesday's SmackDown taping. Somehow, now that she was taking part on the Monday night WWE show, she preferred him there. And at these mere thoughts, she felt her cheeks burning. Who ever would have thought Stephanie McMahon capable of such a thing?
She nodded and spoke hellos to various superstars she encountered, her mood surprisingly cheerful. For once, she was in a good mood again. Everyone was respectful of her, but none were 'brave' enough to approach her for a personal conversation.
Stephanie often felt saddened by that. She wanted to be just like any other person in the WWE who went onscreen. Despite being Vince McMahon's daughter and being born with the proverbial silver spoon in her mouth, she was pretty down to earth, and she didn't consider herself any better than anyone else. But people seemed to be intimidated by her. Well, *most*, not *all*.
As though almost on cue with her thoughts, the blonde suddenly noticed him enter the arena, a smug, self-satisfied grin on his face. He seemed to instantly catch sight of her and made a direct beeline to her. The young woman knew it would do no good to try and play oblivious.
"Well, well, well... If it isn't Stephanie McMahon."
The blonde could barely refrain from rolling her eyes as she wished the floor would swallow her up whole. The last thing she needed was to deal with Paul Levesque. She suddenly felt her cheery mood traveling south.
"Hello, Paul," she muttered.
"Go figure we would both make our return last week at Homecoming," the burly, large-nosed man said, that smug expression still in place. "Who would've thought Stephanie McMahon would ever return to national television?" He asked this rhetorically, not caring or waiting for her response. "I thought I'd been zapped back to three years ago." He gestured toward her head. "Well, except for that. Tell me, Steph - what the hell made you decide to go blonde? I mean, no offense, but it's definitely not your color."
Stephanie pressed her lips tightly together, biting her tongue. It was so difficult not to lose her temper with this man. He was an ass through and through and had put her through hell when they'd been together.
"No, *you* tell *me*, Paul," she retorted, "what made you decide to go *fat*?" She couldn't help but smile at the instant hint of embarrassment that crossed the man's harsh features. Levesque definitely *had* gained weight, however, and not in a good way. Last week, when he'd returned, Stephanie had noticed immediately that her ex had pronounced lovehandles and plenty more flab on his back, ass, and even thighs. She knew he'd gone and done a commercial for Wendy's during his hiatus from the ring - but she never would have guessed he would have actually been snarfing down the Triple H Burger by the dozen, even if it *had* been named after his in-ring character! If she'd given a damn about him now, she'd feel sad, considering how deeply into fitness he'd been when they'd first started dating. Over the last two or more years, he'd really let himself go.
With a measure of glee, Stephanie noticed some other WWE superstars nearby had evidently overheard her crack to Paul. She could tell, as a few seemed to be hiding their laughter. She knew that not many liked the man backstage, and hell, she couldn't blame them. She often wondered what she herself had ever seen in him, yet she counted her lucky stars she'd discovered for herself what a dog he was and hadn't actually married him.
Levesque scowled as he glared down at his former fiancee. What a bitch she was. Damn her to hell... She knew she looked good, knew he wasn't looking as good as he used to, and naturally, she had to rub his nose in it. Paul wanted to make Stephanie pay. She'd tried to destroy him once upon a time ago, but she'd failed. He wanted to do the same to her - destroy her - but he would *not* fail. He reduced his voice to a soft snarl.
"You miserable little-"
Stephanie openly ignored him as she suddenly caught sight of someone else. Slipping away from him, she approached another man, one Levesque found himself shocked to see here, of all places. The man had been released a year and a half earlier, so what the hell was he doing here *now*?
Whatever the case, Paul felt his blood boiling as Stephanie reached out with her free hand to
touch Sean O'Haire's arm.