Big Announcement

KAREN

My heart beats hard in my chest as I walk towards the elevator. 

I hope Henley will forgive me for leaving him hanging like that. 

That kiss wasn't meant to happen. 

I press the button and the doors slide open. 

He tastes better than I had imagined. 

Butterflies dance in my stomach as my heart continues to beat hard in my chest as the elevator slowly glides down. 

What have I done?

What if Jason finds out?

The elevator dings and the doors slide open and I find Jason on the other side of the doors obviously planning to get in and come look for me. 

All the blood must have drained from my face because he looked at me puzzled. 

"Where have you been?" He questions me. 

"Upstairs," I say and get off on shaky feet. 

I hope he doesn't observe how shaky I am. 

"Doing what?"

"Helping your brother."

I say simply meeting his eyes. Twitchy eyes always looked guilty to him. 

"Why would my brother want your help?" He scoffed. 

I want to snap at him and tell him that I'm capable of doing things too. 

But I don't say that instead I say,

"A waiter spilled wine on his shirt and so I helped him find a place to get the stains off,"

Jason stares at me like he's trying to see into my soul to ascertain the truth in my words. 

He always does that. 

As if on cue the elevator dings and Henley steps off while adjusting his tie. 

"Oh there he is," I point to him and send prayers of gratitude to heaven in my mind.

"Your brother was asking me why you needed help with your clothes,"

I say to him avoiding his meeting his eyes while staring at him.

He nods. 

"I had to get the stains off. Though I don't know why it's his concern," Henley said pointedly to Jason. 

"It's my concern because Mother and Father are here and I was sent to find both of you," 

He stared at me coldly and I felt something crawl up my back, how I hated that look. 

Suddenly like lightning he gave me a bright smile. 

"But you're here now,"

He smiled and took my hand and as usual it took all of my willpower not to tug my hand free from his grip. 

I glance up at Henley as we pass by him and I am immediately reminded of the way his lips felt on mine. 

He stares back at me and I tear my eyes away from his lest Jason catches us staring. 

"Come brother!" Jason calls out as we walk down the stairs to meet his parents.

Mrs Daniels waves at Jason as we get closer to them. 

"Mother, Father." Jason beams brightly as he hugs his mother. 

"My dear boy," She said fondly as she kissed his cheeks and kissed him full on the lips. 

Immediately I cringe internally as I always do whenever Jason and his mother kiss. 

She never hesitates to show everyone that Jason is the apple of her eyes. 

"Karen," She gives my cheeks air kisses as I do the same. 

"You look gorgeous as always Mrs Daniels," I exaggerate for effect. 

There's nothing gorgeous about the old woman. 

"You look..." Mrs Daniels trails off as she gives me a thorough once over with a look that screams disapproval. 

I am putting on a long deep blue gown with no hint of skin except for the low neckline which Jason allowed after much scrutiny. 

"The girl looks alright Flora," Mr Daniels finished her sentence for her. 

"Father, I'm glad you made it," Jason pumped his Father's hand enthusiastically. 

"Why are you alone?" Mrs Daniels asked Henley with a tone of derision. 

"Because I'm alone," Henley replied.

"And yet you go from one whore's bed to another. One of these days brother you'd have to stop whoring you know," Jason cut in and if looks were weapons he'd be bleeding right now because of the deadly look Henley aimed at him. 

It is not fair he gets to talk about his brother's personal life like that openly but I know better than to caution him so I stare silently at Henley.

"That's none of your business," He replies through clenched teeth and Jason only smirks. 

"He's not wrong," Mrs Daniels chirped in obvious support of Jason. 

No surprises there. 

"When are you going to be responsible?" 

"Getting a woman isn't a responsibility to me Mother," Henley replied coldly. 

"You keep taking the family name to the dirt with your nasty attitude and I have had enough of your nonsense," Mrs Daniels voice rose with each word and soon heads were beginning to turn our way. 

"Leave him be Flora," Mr Daniels interrupted as she took in a breath to say something else. 

She looked at him like she was about to snap then seemed to think twice about her action and shut her mouth. 

Mr Daniels is the only one that has some measure of control over her. Almost seventy years of age she likes to think of herself as thirty years old and has been able to defy nature to an extent by periodic visits to the doctor unknown to the public. 

"Dinner is ready," The cook announced over the speakers placed at strategic positions in the large ballroom. 

Immediately all the guests turned and trooped into the huge dining room.

Jason hurried to his Father's side to whisper something in his ear and Henley gave his mother a wide berth as he made his way to our table. 

I am stuck with keeping Mrs Daniels company. 

"I am sure your parents received an invitation?" She broke the silence. Though it is posed as a question it's more of an accusation. 

"They're terribly sorry that they can't make it and hope you'll forgive them," 

"I wonder what's so important." Mrs Daniels commented as she began to fuss with the delicately embroidered napkins on the table. 

I struggle with my smile willing it to stay fixed on my face as I feel my temper rising. 

God! I hate this woman.

She knows why my parents couldn't make it but I have to apologize repeatedly for something that doesn't really deserve much attention because I have to keep my family and MERC on good terms. 

'This family depends on you'

Mom had told me.

I heave a sigh as I pick idly at the beautiful cutlery in front of me. 

This is what you get when you're in a relationship purely for business reasons and nothing more. 

Jason's parents can't know that I yearn for another man aside from their star son. 

His mother will do all she can to bring my family down and that weight would be on me. 

I don't want my family to fall out of favor with the Daniels family because they possess powerful influence in the business world.

I won't let that happen. 

Soon, Jason and his Father join us at the table. He looks at me with a huge grin on his face and I am immediately wary of how the evening will turn out. 

Waiters troop in with trolleys of fancy foods as they go about serving everyone in the room. 

The clatter of knives and forks on delicate china fills the air along with the low murmur of conversation and occasional loud laughter from the table on my left. 

"You seem happy," I say to Jason. 

"I have great news and you'll love it," He beamed at me and I know for sure I won't like what it is he's planning to announce. 

Dread fills me as I force down food and I suddenly want to go home to my apartment and curl up with a book.

I don't want to be here with these people, my eyes stray to Henley as he listens to a bulky man known as Mr Kennedy from Ken.Inc who's life's ambition is to merge MERC and his company together. 

He hopes to convince Henley to convince his brother and that's a dead end I'm sure. 

"Everyone! Everyone!" Jason hit his wine glass lightly as he stood up to address the guests. 

Silence fell immediately as he beamed at the faces in the room. 

"Thank you for honoring my invitation and showing up, I am very grateful for your presence here." He paused for effect. 

Leave it to Jason to add a bit of drama to everything. 

"Not to take much of your time, I have an announcement to make..." 

He pauses and grins widely at all the faces in the room before dropping his bombshell. 

"Miss Beth and I are engaged!" He boomed. 

The knife and fork slip out of my fingers and onto the plate with a clatter as my heart skips three beats. 

I can only stare up at him in shock as horror runs through me. 

He waits for the applause and calls of congratulations to reduce before adding another bombshell. 

"The wedding preparations will commence as soon as possible and the wedding date will be communicated to everyone. Thank you!" 

He gulps down wine and sits down. 

"Jason.." 

"Shhh...here," Like magic he whips out a ring from his pocket and slips it on my finger. 

"It's sealed now," He kisses my fingers. 

I look down at the expensive diamond ring on my finger trying to understand what just happened. 

I'm getting married?

I'm engaged?

Since when?

"Karen, you're drawing too much attention. Smile at everyone." Jason whispers harshly to me with a tight squeeze of my hand and a forced smile on his face. 

My head feels fuzzy and the lights begin to double, I open my mouth to tell him that I can't accept the ring without a proper proposal but everything goes black and the last thing I remember is Jason's cold stare as I passed out.