Annabelle's POV:
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrESce97541
"It's fine, Miss Walker. You don't have to go through the security procedure," Sam, the security head of the front gate, says politely and opens the door for me.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2jdb4hjxJc
"Thank you, Sam..." I make a broad smile and step to the side of the gate. Jackson has left to attend an emergency call with one of our marketing agents. It's already 8; he has taken almost ten minutes to get out of the thick forest consisting of wild animals.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWSqlFrEtKh
"Okay, Patrick, I'll call you later." He comes back from the corner of the building and stands next to me.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsqquAEKWmo
"Why didn't you get inside? Oh, waiting for me... How sweet my darling is."
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05FmH2X74I
"Jackson, I swear if you call me darling once again I'll kick your balls," I say while folding my arms and shivering lightly.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqu5XiCXgC
"Balls? Well, it won't be better for our future, baby," he says simply.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxwDa58mbZ
I would have probably put the words into action, but unfortunately, his sister Leena comes between with a huge smirk.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSbN12U4yp
"Oh, little brother, so you went to get these roses, huh?" She asks mischievously, to which he replies with an eye roll.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD9KbXpJEiq
"Leena, I'm not in the mood for a fight."
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGLEkyDhsa
"And who needs to speak to your asswipe?" She says boringly, making me chuckle. He swiftly turns his head and gives me a glare for supporting.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbixJCNK9nB
"Hi, Leena."
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfGWAbz3zJ
"Anna dear... It's been a while..."
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ22z6nHnEKt
"Two years, to be precise," I say with a broad smile.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCbHgaoopz
"Aw... You look more beautiful, Anna... Just not perfect to some idiots," she says while eyeing Jackson, who looks offended.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDOWqSDDEW
"Look... there is your dear husband Jerry looking lost and lonely. Go... And give him company," he says with pure annoyance, making her roll her eyes.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2mRltdypzD
"Let him have his own company for a while... Anna, let's have some talk... How is it goin-"
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI2ndO4s0ke
"Anna, we need to discuss something important with mom now," Jackson gets in between, literally grabs my hands, and separates both of us.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgk9VrOUf7I
"But what?"
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhRoHxfoB3X
"Business... See you at the party, Leena," he says plainly while holding my left hand strongly and striding inside the mansion, making Leena dumbfounded.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdV0vxYscnC
We push past the people and reach the great ballroom crowded with guests. The whole room is in royal blue and gold.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTlhIf5Z8iu
He leaves my arms and snakes his left hand over my waist.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGiJqMhz8qU
"Excuse me!"
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu6pmJO7HgE
"You are excused, love." He adds more pressure.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5mJtkWv36W
"Take off your hands, Jackson."
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXy7TiGhQk8
"Nope."
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUWy3ShQB2
"This is so irritating!"
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSN0pYKV9f2
"Well, if you forget you are my DATE for tonight... So as my date, you should be lovable and kind to me like them." His gesture to the lovely couple on the stage is set up.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJe44ktx2UI
"They are your—"
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3QCkEzycU5
"Baby!" I was cut off by a sharp feminine voice, making me turn back. Amber Augustine, his chick and latest ex, is standing a few meters away from us in a tight mid-thigh-length black dress.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIfDymehqOI
A few days back, he broke up with this supermodel after finding her little affair with her first cousin in London. Okay, this is never gonna be a normal night... I tried to remove his hand from my waist, which was in vain.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYLEB2nkub
"Jacky, why didn't you pick my calls? I... I miss you so much... I'm so—"
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnt4J4M9CnF
"Miss Augustine, I think we have settled everything between us long back," he says sternly, making her look offended.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZgOumvh8kC
Her gaze shifts from his face to his left hand now circling around my waist like a snake. Her facial features darken.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmANWof9av5
"I need to talk to you...in person," she says while shooting daggers in my direction.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNCshQwLKeg
"No secrets between me and my girlfriend, and sorry, I have already closed your chapter, and we are DONE," he says coldly.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6fDkE8LDtL
Wait a minute... Girlfriend?!
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2zXQky3sbd
Amber snaps her head with pure anger and shakes in disbelief.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDoiTpHki6T
Before me or Amber could respond to his statement, he leaves my waist and takes hold of my left hand and merges into the crowd. After a few stumbles, we pass the crowd and reach the bottom of the stage.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbhA8pBoXZC
He releases my hands and fixes his tie while glancing at the mirror on the left.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdaFkn9MR3o
"Jackson, what the actual heck did you say to Amber? Girlfriend?! We have just gotten into the bet less than an hour, and you already started to show your true colors."
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡslwb2uBEUj
"Anna, listen, okay, first of all, I'm sorry for being a jerk... The only thing I could do to get rid of her was by saying I am already committed to someone else."
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEf8nItBXt
"And you chose me for that?"
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ObuKkQyMp
"Ummm, it just happened, Anna. I am sorry," he says nonchalantly and continues his touch-up.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqAl51vlvwC
"Really? But it seems like you aren't sorry for anything," I am so pissed by his neutral response.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLB7G7wFYU
"Jackson... Anna... Over here, couple..." Aunty Aleena waves her hands and gestures for us to climb the stairs.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUL2L6PxRjm
"Oh Mom..." Jackson claims the little stair excitedly, followed by me. The stage is decorated with royal blue and pure gold, which kind of matches with mine and Jackson's outfit
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6bhAFqsUB
She gives him a warm hug and kisses his cheeks. Next to her stands Joseph Blake, her lovely husband, and the chairperson of the Blakes Enterprise. He just has a nonchalant expression while speaking to his son Johnny, who has just got discharged from the hospital.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ2RNbEcbzK
"Happy Anniversary, Aunty." I approach her with a warm smile and extend the gift box Mom handed to me before leaving the apartment.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYyI4LMKOu1
"Aw... Thank you, Anna... It's so sweet of you," she says happily and peers through the crowd and frowns.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBbjvHIT3c
"Umm Anny? Where is she?" She asks me with a confused look.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG5wKAOgV7v
"I'm really sorry, Aunty, Mom left to attend something important."
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlyYEzurNl
"Important? More important than my anniversary?" She huffs and turns to her husband.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyTN7ccm2V0
"Joseph, like I expected, she skips the party... I don't know why, but she is trying to avoid me for no reason," she complains to Joseph, who just nods and gestures for Jackson to come close to him.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaIgamuZbRk
"Why is she here?" He asks coldly while eyeing Amber, now having a conversation with some of the guests.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzxzDQdqFyL
After finding the affair of hers, Jackson broke up with her and canceled all of the contracts with her in the Blakes Enterprise. In a fist of rage, she dashed to the head office of Blakes and demanded to speak with Joseph Blake for a compromise resulting in destroying her whole modeling career. She was thrown out by her agency for no reason, and many of the ad companies canceled their contracts with her.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE37pH6EsEV
That's how it works, never mess with a Blake, no matter who the wrongdoer is. They have a huge network and connection throughout the country in every industry. Now she needs to get patched up with the Blakes and get into a compromise, which would be better for her almost broken career.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx8HFBnKYVD
"How could I know? I was stuck for a moment when I saw her here," he grumbles and shifts to his mom and gifts her a small rose box, probably containing the limited edition of Rolex Daytona.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4CcN4scC4i
"Jake... Do you have any explanation for it?" Joseph inquires.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3GmQeWJ4dH
"Yes, Sir... Actually, she is one of the members of Madam's charity trust. We have sent invitations to every member without making a detailed background check," Jake says professionally.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCy0pFAk985
Joseph just nods and whispers something in his ear.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡntlcQZdLh9
Aleena by now unwraps the gift box I have given and takes out two emerald green couple rings, which quickly grab everyone's attention on the stage.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGeMquoNpUO
"Wow, it's so cool!" Jackson mutters and takes one from her.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCgWNGSCEq9
"It's quite familiar.... Mmm Oh My God... It's from L Brothers... The Italian brothers," she literally cries out, making me pop my eyes like a soccer.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE8F03NEuo3
L brothers?? Is she f***ing serious? It's impossible for us to get a single piece of ornament from those globally recognized brands.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡndBLUWHcvw
"Wait, let me check... Yes, mom, you are right, it's from the L Brothers.... Damn it's one of their limited editions..."
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1y0NouFohE
My head starts to spin... How did mom ever manage to get these limited editions? Last time when I checked her bank balance, it was below 400 NOK, which is saved up for God knows what. No wonder the shipping cost almost cost half of my income from the bakery.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNLsts0OqZ
"Aw... Last time I tried to get one of their ethnic collections, which was on exhibition last month, but was already taken by someone.... Anny saw how worried I was after that... She is such a sweet friend."
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0qFrxBwsXG
And expensive.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB4QviJEyBT
"Mom, don't underestimate the power of Walkers; they are so capable of making us crazy like hell," Jackson says with a grin, which his mom responds to with a knowing smile.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPS7R92iEr
"Ahem... Can you all please clear off from the stage, will you?" Johnny now looks frustrated and anxious, saying annoyingly. Usually, he is the host of most of the Blakes' parties.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvm8kukGt2k
"Sure, Mr. Handy," Jackson jokes and climbs down the stairs. His Dad and secretary leave the stage just after him. Aunty and I climb down the stairs carefully without stumbling.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYxkNhhb0pb
We all settle down and wait for him to begin.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDsc9wr73El
Johnny takes the microphone, clears his throat, and begins his welcome speech.
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkBouAXABWC
"Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests, family, and most importantly, the two incredible souls we're gathered here to honor today – my beloved parents....
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvFE30y8Vw9
And here we go again...
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6GNcqYDlT
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoY1gog4xm7
252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MFZjJIx5K
Author's Note: lovely reader, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter ❤️
ns3.141.164.253da2
