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Chapter 20
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2022-05-05 20:10:12Related chapters
Love, Vogue and the CEO 2 Chapter 21
My phone has been vibrating non-stop since being in the print and frame store. Ace is calling me.‘Hi, babe,’ I answer.‘Zurielle. Thank goodness. Jack and I were worried. Neither of you were answering our calls. The media are here. Are you ready to go?’‘Yes. We’re ready.’‘Whereabouts are you? Nolan and Mason are with us. They lost you.’‘We’re hiding behind a large pot-plant in the food court so the media don’t see us.’’Okay. We’re at the other end, near Target. Let's meet halfway.' Ace says, and we end the call.I turn my head, and Hailey is gone.'Hailey!' I whisper, looking for her. Hailey is crouching into a clothing store. She waves me over. I bob down, and run into the store with her. The media are near the giant plant we were just hiding behind. Random shoppers watch them and ask them what is going on.'Ace Brightly and his fiance, Zurielle, are here somewhere.' The women swoon and squeal. 'Ace Brightly is here!' They scream, catching the attention of hundreds of shoppers w
Last Updated : 2022-05-05Love, Vogue and the CEO 2 Chapter 22
The police arrive, search the house thoroughly, and find no one inside. Relieved, we thank them, and they leave. I’m still feeling anxious.‘Maybe Mason and Nolan can stay the night if they’re free.’ I ask, turning to them. They nod and smile.‘Do we get pizza and a movie too?’ Nolan asks, and we laugh and nod.‘Of course.’ I smile. Ace orders pizzas while Hailey and I make drinks in the kitchen. Hailey can sense I’m anxious. She tries to take my mind off the note.‘How’s the wedding planning going?’‘Great. We have organised so much already. We’ll be getting married sooner rather than later, at this rate.’ I smile.‘Awesome! Have you chosen a location?’‘Yep. We’ve decided to have the ceremony here under the massive willow tree outside. And the reception in the grand hall.’‘That’s perfect Zurielle! I’m so jealous. I wish I could get married in a beautiful place like this. Give me all the details.’ I tell her all the details, and Nolan comes into the kitchen.‘I just checked the surv
Last Updated : 2022-05-05Love, Vogue and the CEO 2 Chapter 23
Ace has been invited to showcase some of his designs during Melbourne Fashion Week. We have been extremely busy all week. Ace makes sure the designs are made on time and attends the photoshoots so everything runs smoothly. I have spent most of the week in the office editing, and organising the articles for the next magazine, on top of the admin I already do. June enters the office with a pile of printouts.'I assume these are yours,' she says.'Thanks. My printer ran out of ink. I had to use yours.''That's fine.' She smiles and looks at my messy desk, wondering where to put the pile of paper.'Is there a pin board around here? I don't have space on my desk to work on the magazine.''Yes, I’ll get you one.''Great! Just put all that on Ace’s desk for now.' June nods, puts the paperwork on his desk and leaves the room. She returns twenty minutes later with a large pinboard/white board on wheels.'Perfect! Thank you so much.' She smiles and leaves the office. I start pinning the magazin
Last Updated : 2022-05-05Love, Vogue and the CEO 2 Chapter 24
We arrive at work the next day and the staff applaud us as we enter. June races towards us with the newspaper and reads out the reviews.‘Ace Brightly has done it again! His designs were outstanding and they outshined everyone else’s.’June continues to read them all out as she follows us into the elevator and into our office. She smiles and puts the newspaper on Ace’s desk.‘Congratulations, Mr Brightly, on the great reviews,’ she says, and leaves the room. Ace pulls some parchment from his drawer and begins sketching, and I open the laptop and begin editing. Before we know it, it’s lunchtime.‘I’m going downstairs and having lunch with the ladies today,’ I smile. Ace nods and I give him a kiss on the cheek before leaving. I find Carol, Lana, Cleo and the rest of the girls in the breakroom.‘Hey girls,’ I say as I enter. They hug me and give me air kisses. Cleo pulls up a chair beside her.‘Thanks.’ I sit down in the chair beside her.‘I’m glad you’re here. I was going to ask the lad
Last Updated : 2022-05-05Love, Vogue and the CEO 2 Chapter 25
We have another busy week at work, and I find myself going to bed a little bit early each night. I’m constantly tired. I get into my nighty and sit on the bed.‘Do you want to watch a movie before we go to sleep? It’s only eight o’clock.′ I nod, and close my eyes for a moment.‘I feel a bit woozy.’ Ace races towards me before I collapse.'I'm fine. I’ll just get a glass of water from the bathroom.' I slowly stand up and take a few steps forward, and a bout of nausea washes over me. I run to the bathroom and vomit into the toilet. Ace follows me, ties my hair up into a ponytail and rubs my back.'I’m sorry,' I sob, as he passes me a glass of water and a face washer to wipe my mouth.'Don’t be sorry babe. You’ve been under pressure at work and the wedding is two weeks away. You’re under a lot of stress,' he reassures me. I sip the glass of water and begin to feel better.'I'm so tired. I feel like I haven’t slept in months.'He takes my empty glass, sits it on the vanity and slowly lift
Last Updated : 2022-05-05Love, Vogue and the CEO 2 Chapter 26
Hailey and I have a kick-ass self-defence session. We high-five each other at how far we’ve come in the last few months of classes. Hailey's confidence has grown.'Wait till I see Zayne. He won't know what has hit him when I elbow him in the face and heel palm him in the nose!’ Hailey laughs, demonstrating the moves in the air.'Take that Zayne! And that! And that! Hoya!' She yells, kicking the air. We laugh and I admire her determination to one day kick Zayne’s ass.Every day at work this week, I’ve either had hot flushes or nausea, all while feeling incredibly emotional. My boobs are tender. I discreetly rub them at my desk.‘What are you doing?’ He asks, smirking. ′Nothing. Shouldn’t you be sketching?’‘Well, I was, until you got my full attention, doing whatever you’re doing over there.’My face feels hot again. I fan my face and unbutton the top of my blouse. Ace gives me a strange look.‘Are you okay?’‘I’m feeling hot all the time and my boobs hurt. I need to take this bra off
Last Updated : 2022-05-05Love, Vogue and the CEO 2 Chapter 27
With two days until the wedding, the house is abuzz with people setting up, decorating the grand hall and glamorising the garden outside. I laugh and shake my head at the large vintage carousel being set up. I thought Ace was joking about that.Jack and Hailey arrive as a two-metre chocolate fountain is carried in by two bulky men. Hailey squeals in delight at everything being carried inside, or in the process of being set up.‘You must be so excited,’ she squeals.‘I am, but I’m also nervous.’‘Everyone is nervous before their wedding. You will be fine.’ She smiles.‘You are staying with me, at the hotel, the night before the wedding, and we’ll get ready together. Cleo and Lana will help me into the dress.’‘Have you seen your wedding dress yet?’‘Ace wants me to see it, but I’m determined to wait till the day of the wedding.’‘Well, good to know you have put your full trust in him as you’re about to marry him.’ She giggles.‘I trust him with my whole heart, hence why I’m content wit
Last Updated : 2022-05-05Love, Vogue and the CEO 2 Chapter 28
We arrive at The Royal Melbourne Hospital, and pace back and forth in the waiting room for a few hours until a doctor comes out.'We were able to revive him. We removed two bullets. Nolan is a very lucky man. The CPR and the pressure on the wounds reduced his blood loss. It helped save his life.' Ace thanks the doctor and we all cry with happiness and hug each other.'Can we see him?' Ace asks.'He really needs to rest. You should go home and come back tomorrow.' Ace nods, and we wipe our tears, and leave the hospital. Hailey and I sit in the back seat holding hands and Ace sits next to me while Mason sits in the passenger seat next to Jack, in disbelief. We arrive at our house in Sandringham twenty minutes later.'I'll drop Mason home. See you tomorrow. Stay safe,' Jack says, waving goodbye to us. We go inside and go straight to the bathroom to remove our bloody clothes. Ace turns the shower on and I put our clothes in the bin.We get into the shower and I stare down at the red water
Last Updated : 2022-05-05
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Love, Vogue and the CEO 2 Chapter 43
I play and sing an upbeat love song I wrote for Ace. Everyone gives me a standing ovation; applauding me. Ace approaches me, and kisses me just like he did last year, but this time with his hands on my stomach.He thanks me, and everyone else for our performances. He then thanks the models and staff who have worked hard this year to put this show together. Holding my hand, we bow in thanks, in the direction of the audience, as they applaud us. Our models join us on stage and we all bow again together. We wave goodbye to everyone and go backstage.My water breaks, and Ace and I freeze, and stare at the puddle around my feet.‘I think my water just broke,’ I whisper.‘I think so, too,’ he whispers. Suddenly, my stomach contracts in pain.‘Argh!’ I yell in pain, putting my hands on my stomach. All attention is now on me. Ace pulls his phone out of his pocket and calls Mason, telling him my water has just broken.Moments later, Mason is in front of us, catching his breath. He and Ace, eit
Love, Vogue and the CEO 2 Chapter 42
Baby Austin is one week old, and Hailey is visiting me at work today. Excitement flows through me as I can't wait to see them. I waddle through the hustle and bustle, and the click-clacking of dozens of heels worn by busy colleagues and models, in a hurry.Ace has gone to get us lattes from Cafe Charm. Our Live Fashion Show is only a few nights away, so everyone is buzzing with excitement. I can't help but feel a little anxiety given what happened with Mark at the last show.Standing in the elevator, I inhale deeply as the doors close. Zurielle, Mark is dead. The Spider Backs are gone. Everything is fine.After my self-talk, the doors ding open and I waddle to my office. June rushes towards me and hands me a Live Fashion Show checklist to go through.I sit at my desk with one hand on my belly, and the other scanning through the list. Memories flash back from last time I did this checklist. The thought instantly vanishes when I stare at the nursery. I smile and begin to hum as I caress
Love, Vogue and the CEO 2 Chapter 41
Hailey cries in pain again. I turn and quickly press the elevator buttons.‘Shit. I think we’re stuck in here.’'No, no, no, no!' She says.I press the emergency button and nothing happens. Hailey cries out in pain again.'The baby isn't due for a couple more weeks,' she says, worried. I help her to sit down and pull my phone out from my handbag and call Ace.'Did you ladies decide to go shopping on the way? Jack and I have been waiting almost half an hour.''Ace, the elevator. We are trapped inside and Hailey is in labour.' I explain.'Shit. Um. Okay. Stay calm. I’ll call maintenance, the fire department and anyone else. And get you out of there as soon as possible.' I hear Jack ask Ace what’s wrong and he tells Jack we’re trapped and Hailey is in labour.'What? Are you sure she’s in labour?' Jack asks.'Tell him I'm positive. Her water just broke. We’re swimming in it as we speak.''Zurielle!' Hailey yells.She holds her stomach and screams in pain as she has a contraction.Hailey's
Love, Vogue and the CEO 2 Chapter 40
Four months laterIt’s the weekend of the baby shower. Cleo, Cora, Ruby, Lana, Carol, Emma, Tracy and June arrive. They are so excited and squeal at our huge bellies. Martin brings out trays of food for us to nibble on while Belinda makes sure we all have lemonade, water and juice. Jack is sitting beside Hailey, and Ace is beside me on another sofa, next to them.We play a few games and the girls insist we start opening the gifts. June hands Hailey and I a gift each, and we happily open them and see a six-pack of baby bottles, and a set of cute baby bibs with rabbits on the front of them.‘I’m next!’ Emma shouts and hands us both a gift each. We open them. I receive a gorgeous brown teddy bear, a soft baby blanket, and a rattle.Hailey receives a white teddy bear, a soft baby blanket and a rattle. Tracy and Lana gave us a few baby outfits each. They’re adorable. I love the overalls and the jumpsuits. Cora gifts us both a fancy baby carrier.‘This will be perfect for work.’ I giggle. C
Love, Vogue and the CEO 2 Chapter 39
My eyes water as I watch the baby on the monitor move its hands.'Everything looks great. The baby is perfectly fine.' The doctor smiles. Ace and I sigh in relief at the news.We return to my private room and Ace turns on the TV, sits in the recliner beside my bed and holds my hand. Every channel is showing footage of The Snake Pit that is now a giant pile of rubble. BREAKING NEWS floats across the bottom of the screen.'We are going to replay last night’s footage. We warn viewers - some of what you will see is graphic. Viewer discretion is advised. There will also be heart-warming scenes,' the journalist says.My hand trembles in Ace's as we see The Snake Pit up in flames, and footage of Hailey and I coming down the ladder. The journalist speaks over the footage.‘The second woman climbing down the ladder is Mr Ace Brightly's wife, Mrs Brightly.’Visuals of the deceased have been blurred out. It then shows Ace and I crying in each other’s arms, after Mark was shot.‘Reports say Mark
Love, Vogue and the CEO 2 Chapter 38
My hands tremble as I touch each body; gently rolling each one over. I cry at every Snake I see. So far there are three dead Snakes; the rest are Spiders.Hearing my name, I look up at Viper in cuffs being put in the back seat of the police car. I run to him, wrap my arms around him and cry into his chest.'I'm so glad you're okay. I can't find Ace. Have you seen him?''Ace and Mark were fighting each other. It was pretty intense. We killed at least a dozen or more Spiders. When Mark noticed the Spider Backs were losing the fight, he fled like a coward.' Viper gestures with his head the way Mark fled.'Do you think Ace went after him?' Viper nods. News crew arrive and film the engulfed Snake Pit and the bodies around the building. A journalist talks into a microphone on camera.'We are currently live at the notorious Snake Pit that is now engulfed in flames. Reports say the Spider Back gang planned an attack on the Savage Snakes at The Snake Pit. Police have informed us that the majo
Love, Vogue and the CEO 2 Chapter 37
I run to the bedroom window and look out, and see at least forty men fighting. I can't see Ace, Jack or Viper though. There are a few men lying on the ground, and I pray that none of them are Savage Snakes, and that they aren't dead. Men are yelling near the door and one of them falls down the stairs. Scared, I hold my breath, not knowing who is on the other side of the door. The handle rattles as someone tries to open it.'Unlock the door, Zurielle,' Venom orders. My heart is racing with fear and feels like it's going to jump out of my chest. I don't respond. 'I know you're in there Zurielle!' He yells and begins to body-slam the door.He collides with the door over and over again, and the drawers topple over from the force. Hailey puts lucky inside the wardrobe and shuts the door to keep him safe.'What are we going to do?' She asks, whispering.'We have to be brave. If he gets in here, we have to fight him off together. If there is an opportunity for you to run and escape, take it.
Love, Vogue and the CEO 2 Chapter 36
Happy it's Friday, I'm looking forward to seeing the Snakes at the Pit. I’m wearing a loose-fitting black dress with small black heels, mascara and lipstick. I brush my long blonde hair, and I'm about to tie it up before Ace walks up behind me and tucks my hair behind my ears.'You should leave it down tonight; I like admiring your hair when we are out.' He smiles.'Okay.' I smile, agreeing with his decision. I have it tied up at work every day so I rarely have my hair down.We arrive at the Snake Pit, and a few minutes later Jack and Hailey arrive. Ruth hands Hailey and I lemonades, and the boys enjoy a beer with the Snakes. We are having so much fun, Hailey and I are laughing our heads off at Lucky on the pool table. Taipan and Boomslang are playing pool, and Lucky keeps pouncing on the balls and whacking them into the sockets making Taipan win.'You didn't win, Taipan! Lucky's involvement in the game doesn't count!''Okay. Let’s play a round of doubles then. Lucky and I against you
Love, Vogue and the CEO 2 Chapter 35
My laptop and accessories are moved to a desk next to June's in the open office with my colleagues. Ace stays close, working on his designs, on the desk opposite mine while builders and painters expand our office to make room for the baby’s set-up.Everyone flinches at all the banging and construction sounds. It's very distracting. Ace apologises and orders twenty-five coffees from Cafe Charm for everyone. My colleagues perk up when they see Hailey and another lady enter the office, pushing a tea trolley filled with coffees and tea.Hailey waves, and she hands me a hot chocolate. I smile at the young woman with her.'This is Sandra. She is new at Cafe Charm. Sandra this is Zurielle, my BFF I was telling you about.' She smiles.Sandra appears to be nervous and shy.Knowing Mr Fulton, she has been hired from the women's shelter, and so has most likely suffered some form of trauma. I smile as brightly as I can, and reach my hand out to shake hers.'Sandra, it's such a pleasure to meet yo
