Wedding(3)

Janice let out a sigh she didn't realized she was holding.

The person she had desperately been trying to forget, though it was impossible since he was a part of her now, was Jules freaking Forrest.

The CEO of Forrest Inc and not only that, but also the crowned Prince of Cherview.

The night they had been together, she had heard only his voice. The naughty words he whispered as he trailed kisses all over her delicate body, the way his silky fingers had made her come undone expertly.

Janice had barely seen his face that night, since everything had been fuzzy, and she had taken more booze than she could hold.

He had made her give herself to him without even a second thought. It wasn't her fault because Jules was the type of man that made women like her not think twice before doing his bidding.

Aside from his good looks, he had the authority to get what he wanted.

Janice shook her head, brushing the thoughts aside.

Besides, she was here for something far more important than that. She didn't have time to think about him. She reminded herself, even though she was furious with his presence.

How was she ever going to let him know the secret she was hiding?

Also, Janice realized if he knew, she would be in the spotlight, which she didn't want.

However, it was impossible since the paparazzi followed him anywhere he went. They were practically obsessed with him.

More so, she was aware she wouldn't be able to keep the secret from him longer, and she wondered how he would react when he learnt that she was hiding something from him.

Perhaps he would reject it.

The thought of him rejecting it sent a shiver down her spine. She wasn't afraid to be a single mother, but she didn't want to go down the path her mother had gone to.

She had vowed never to deny her child from knowing who his or her father was. Even though he was arrogant.

“Why are you so tense?” Maggie mumbled, clasping Janice's clenched hands to unclench them.

“Is it because of Jules?” She grinned as she saw the bewildered look on her friend's face.

“N-no.” Janice sputtered.

“Don't worry, I won't tell anyone.” Maggie tapped her ruby coloured lips, then continued. “But you should know, he had that effect on everyone and not you alone,” she assured.

“Okay, you are getting this all wrong.” Janice groaned.

“Whatever it is, the night is still young, and you can have a go at your feelings.” Maggie winked.

Janice facepalmed. “Oh goodness, Maggie. Your brain has a weird way of interpreting feelings, and it always does so when with me.”

She eyed Maggie, who still had the weird look on her face. It was impossible to tell what she was thinking most of the time, since she was good at hiding it.

“That is because you failed to do the right thing. Go out there, get a man and enjoy yourself.” Maggie wiggled her hips, then bumped it into hers.

“I once had a man.” Janice reminded her.

However, he was not for her and had been playing with her to get what he wanted all along.

It had been awful seeing him with someone she thought was her friend. It did not startle Janice when it happened, since she knew he would eventually leave like the others. She had prepared for the day he'd say the same things others had said. Though it hurts, she was glad she didn't give herself to him.

Because that would have been the worst.

She wouldn't be able to look him in the eyes, neither would she be able to stare at her supposed friend.

Yet, the person she had willingly given herself was the devil himself.

His appearance at the party tonight made her feel the emotion she had been trying to keep in check ever since that night.

Also, it seemed something else inside her was excited to see him. Reflexively, her hand went to her tummy, and she stroked it.

“You are still keeping the baby's father in the dark?” Maggie watched as her hand played with her stomach for a bit before shrugging.

Maggie was aware of how hard-headed Janice could be sometimes, but she didn't know she would go this far to keep it a secret.

If she hadn't been close to her, she wouldn't have known about the baby. Even as she knew of its existence, she didn't know who the father was, and Janice had refused to divulge that part of the information to her.

“I'm capable enough of being a single mother.” Janice pointed out.

“It was a mistake, and shouldn't have happened if I wasn't so reckless. But I can do nothing about it.” She murmured as they got to their destination.

Aborting the baby wasn't an option for Janice. Yet, she knew she was taking the wrong approach because she didn't know who her father was, to begin with.

Considering how her mother hadn't said a word about her father, even when she had pleaded with her, was enough for her not to follow the path she had been.

She needed more time before she could approach the topic of disclosing who the father was. Because how was she even going to walk up to him, declaring he had a baby on the way?

A baby from a one nightstand which shouldn't have been.

“Just be careful. You know you had vowed that no matter what happened between yourself and the father of your baby, you wouldn't deny the child knowing the father.”

Of course, she had. But she didn't know she would have a baby out of wedlock.

After inspecting everything, Janice and Maggie went back to the reception.

Jules and Jeremy were still where they had left them, and also a girl was with them.

Janice watched as she flirted with Jules. She did an eye roll at how receptive he was towards her.

Furthermore, she wondered if he was enjoying her advances or not, since he didn't show It. His angular face was as rigid as ever.

“Congratulations to my foolish son.” The dowager queen of Cherview said as she approached the group.

Janice stared at the woman, who was perhaps in her mid-fifties, but she could not tell how old she was exactly, since she looked quite young.

Her greying hair was in a regal updo, and crystal pins were attached to hold it in place.

She lifted the royal-blue floor-length gown she donned to enable her to sway.

The dowager queen rolled her eyes as Maggie curtsied. Likewise, she dismissed the red-haired girl flanked at the side of Jules like a pest. Her brilliant slate grey eyes brightened as she stared at her sons before it trailed to the new bride.

“My perfect son.” She beamed as she let Jules kiss both cheeks.

“Mother,” Jeremy murmured.

“I would forgive you this time for disobeying my order to wed her.” She clucked her tongue as she stared at Maggie.

Maggie's eyes widened as she gazed at her mother-in-law, who didn't hide the fact that she wasn't enthusiastic about the choice her son had made. Also, she wondered if the Dowager Queen would ever make her feel welcome.

“You are welcome, my dear.” The Queen said finally as she embraced Maggie.

Maggie grinned as she hugged her tightly.

“Welcome to the family.” The dowager queen whispered into her ear.

Janice smiled as she saw the joy radiating on her friend's face. Also, she noticed Jules' eyes were on her, but she ignored them.

“Court is next season. I hope to see you in it.” The dowager queen stated.

However, it was more like an order than a statement, Janice noted.

“Thank you, ma'am.” Maggie curtsied once more.

The dowager queen dismissed, then turned to Janice. “And you are?”

“The wedding planner,” Janice said with a small smile.

“I see.” The older woman murmured as she observed her.

The dowager queen had asked since she noticed her eldest gazing at her. Whereas the woman in question didn't bat an eye on his side. She wondered what was between them, and she vowed to find out before it would end what she didn't want.

“I should get going. I'm too old to be around all this.” She groaned, straightening.

“Of course, I'll take you to your hotel.” Jules offered.

“Silly,” “You don't have to worry about me because I'm with Rodriguez.” She said whilst nodding towards the buff man a few meters away from them.

He wore a grey steel suit, and a pair of aviator sunglasses covered his square face.

“Don't forget to be in court.” She mumbled before leaving.

“Well, your mother likes me.” Maggie grinned as she whispered in her husband's ear.

“She does,” Jeremy affirmed.

Jules walked to where Janice was, then touched her shoulder. He retracted his hand as she flinched.

“Do you need a ride home?” His hand itched to tuck the stray locks at the side of her face behind her ear.

But, he knew if he did that, she would see him as too forward, and that was the last thing he wanted.

“I'll manage,” Janice said, gazing around.

Jules stroked his clean, shaved cheeks as he watched her walk away from him.

He chuckled slightly as he watched her backside swaying in the pants she donned.

This woman was making him feel what he didn't want to. And he sure as hell was going to get her again, as he couldn't stop thinking about the taste of her.