Anthea and Sebastian glided gracefully into the opulent ballroom, exuding an air of confidence and elegance. She wrapped her arms around Sebastian’s bicep while smiling confidently. As they made their entrance, curious gazes and whispers rippled through the crowd, while almost every single head turned to catch sight of the unexpected yet captivating duo. Their attire, a seamless blend of sophistication and style, commanded attention, leaving onlookers both shocked and intrigued by their presence. Everyone present there knew Sebastian Jones, the only son of Derek Jones, while the stunning woman beside him was comparatively unfamiliar, yet she had a confident and intriguing aura around her, which made people look at her curiously. Anthea was dressed in a stunning black satin A-line silhouette dress with a straight neckline, with three sequined bows covering the slit from her upper thigh to the middle. Her hair was styled in soft waves, while her makeup was done naturally with soft pink
“Congratulations on your engagement, Sebastian.”. Rayan’s sudden voice surprised Anthea as she tilted her head to look at him. Dressed in a black suit with a white shirt underneath, he calmly walked towards them along with Nathan before extending his right hand towards Sebastian with a smile. Sebastian paused before glancing at his hand first, then at his face. He smiled back at Rayan while accepting his handshake. “Thank you, Rayan. You are the first and only one to congratulate.” He responded with a chuckle while glancing at the people present around them with a taunting expression. “That's a pity, but I'm glad I'm the first one,” Rayan replied while his eyes shifted to Anthea, who was already looking at him. The moment their eyes met, he offered her a smile before completely facing her. “Congratulations, Ms. Morin.” He then proceeded to offer her a handshake. Anthea stared at his hand, which was forwarded in front of her with a little bewilderment. She reluctantly accepted his h
“Excuse me, I need to use the washroom.” Anthea leaned towards Sebastian before whispering the words in his ears. He looked at her before nodding his head. “It's on your left. Let me take you there.” He answered while removing his hands from her waist. Anthea shook her head before taking a step back from him. “I will manage.” She gave him a smile before turning towards the people present around her. She was surprised to find all the eyes on her. “Excuse me,” She excused herself while ignoring their stares, especially Rayan’s. She walked away, maintaining her grace and not letting anyone see the turmoil going on inside her. After walking through the crowds, she finally managed to find her way inside the washroom. Thankfully, it was empty. Anthea didn't really need to use the bathroom. It was just an excuse to walk away from there. She needed to breathe in the fresh air, away from those toxic people’s presence. As she stood before the restroom’s mirror, her eyes stared blankly at th
The sudden sound of bursting her office door open made Anthea’s head snap up from her computer screen. With a frown, she looked ahead of her to see the uninvited intruder, who rudely interrupted her work and didn't even bother to knock. To her surprise, Emilia, a furious-looking Emilia, strode towards her desk after closing the door with a thud on her way. “Emi, you are back.” Anthea’s face bloomed into a smile as she looked at her cousin while getting up from her seat. She completely ignored the pissed-out look Emilia had plastered all over her face as she made her way next to her. “What the hell is this? What the hell is going on, Anthea Morin?” Emilia asked while holding the iPad she was holding in Anthea’s hand. Anthea was caught completely off guard as she struggled to grip the electronic device without dropping it on the floor. She glanced at Emilia with a confused expression before holding the iPad properly in her hands. “What?” She asked as she glanced at the screen of the
After around a week, Roman brought Noah to New York. The following week went really hectic for Anthea as she helped Noah move in and settle in her apartment, then finished the rest of his admission procedures. He was accepted to Columbia University to study finance. Anthea has been over the moon since the day he moved in with her. However, she was also a little worried about him. She didn't know how he would adjust to the place, which had given him so many bad memories. Sometimes, she couldn't help but wonder if it was a good idea or not. Did she make the right decision by bringing him back to New York? Among everything else, what she was most afraid of was him finding out the truth she had been hiding from him for years. She didn't want him to find out the secret. It would completely break him. “Can I come with you? I don’t want to go home yet.” Noah’s gentle voice pulled her out of her thoughts as she glanced at him from the driver’s seat. “Won’t you get bored? I have a meeting
Anthea stared at the small pink-blue lily of the valley that Nevaeh held out in front of her, waiting for her to accept the flower. For some weird reason, her heart squeezed painfully in her chest as a sudden thought crossed her mind. Would her daughter also look like the little girl in front of her? Would she also bring a flower for her birthday once she finds her? “Do you not like it?” Seeing Anthea silent like that, Nevaeh asked in a small voice while pouting her lips adorably. This snapped Anthea out of her thoughts as she shifted her attention to Nevaeh. “Of course, I like it. How can I not like something you brought for me?” Anthea smiled broadly at the little girl while accepting the flower pot from her hand. Nevaeh let out a giggle of happiness as Anthea accepted her gift. “I grew it with my dad. It's the prettiest flower in our garden. I'm giving it to you, okay?” She informed Anthea, once again surprising her with this piece of information. Anthea was taken aback for a wh
After the four of them left Anthea’s office, Rayan insisted on driving in his car, which Anthea reluctantly agreed to. She sat in the back with Noah and Nevaeh, while Rayan sat in the passenger seat. Throughout the whole ride, Nevaeh kept her and Noah occupied with her thousands of questions. For a moment, Anthea let herself forget everything else as she chatted with Nevaeh and Noah, enjoying their company. She would feel Rayan’s eyes on her through the rearview mirror from time to time, which would completely annoy her. Sometimes she blatantly ignored his stares, and other times she would send him a piercing glare only for him to smirk at her. After around 20 minutes of driving with Noah and Nevaeh’s non-stop chatter and laughter, they finally reached the fancy restaurant. Anthea was glad to see Noah and Nevaeh enjoying each other’s company, and throughout the whole journey, she kept asking him all kinds of questions regarding drawing, her favourite flowers, and cartoons. When the
Flashbacks of the past-Lily sat quietly on the edge of the king-sized bed in her and Rayan’s shared bedroom. A bottle green ball gown lay next to her, which she was supposed to wear for the evening. Her mother-in-law had thrown a huge outdoor banquet in the backward garden of their estate. She had invited all of her rich and high-class close friends, celebrities, and political figures. All the people Lily didn't want to meet because she knew what she would feel inside those high-class crowds. A peasant. That word gave chills down her spine, as she still wasn't used to the world her in-laws used every single day to mock and humiliate her. The continued comparison with Aurelia Jones had now destroyed her self-esteem completely. She now feared even appearing in front of them. After spending eight months in that house, every single one of her dreams and expectations had already been shattered. The illusion she was living in had broken down into pieces, leaving only harsh reality. They w