Freshly showered, Theo came back into the hall.
He scanned the hall but there was not a trace of Tracy there.
“Excuse me, did you see the woman who had played the piano a while ago?’ Theo asked.
“I’m sorry, we just came in here.”
Theo went to another couple, “Excuse me, have you seen the woman who played piano a while ago?”
“No.”
Theo went to another couple. “Excuse me, did you happen to see the –”
“The woman was taken by
Emerald burst into laughter, she held her stomach while laughing. With an aggrieved look, Clayton watched her laugh. “Who said you are an old man?” she said, wiping the corner of her eyes. She straddled Clayton and cupped her face. “You know, you are getting handsome each day I wake up beside you. You are like a wine getting finer as you age.” “Show me you aren’t fed with me,” Clayton said as mischief danced in his eyes. *** “Convince?” Emerald asked with a labored breath while laying on top of him. “Mm,” Clayton hummed with happiness etched all over his face. Emerald smiled. Now she’s assured that Clayton would not be grumpy as they go home. *** “Son, why are you in a hurry to marry? You could at least have waited for me and your mom to have spent the whole year together,” Clayton complained when Theo picked them from the airport. “I thought we have already agreed that you wouldn’t be grumpy,” Emerald whispered to Clayton. “If we wait for a few months, your daughter - in -
Caught unawares, Maverick could not deny as his reaction had hinted that Theo’s words were right.Maverick gulped. He had to speak to what was in his might. He gathered his courage not wanting to miss the chance. It’s now or never.Maverick looked at Emerald and said with a hard tone, “Mom, can you not interfere with my love life?”Clayton was displeased at the way Maverick spoke to Emerald.“Don’t talk to your mother like that, young man!”“But dad, this is my life and I’m already old enough to make choices for my life,” Maverick’s chest rose and fell as he spoke, obv
Though livid that Tracy was held by the man she loved, Theo could do nothing but watch.This is the retribution for breaking her heart. He was just paying for his wrong.Theo clenched his fist as Ashton’s face inched forward to kiss Tracy. His heart constricted every inch that Ashton’s face got closer to Tracy’s lips.Theo was stunned when Tracy placed a hand over her mouth when Ashton’s lips were just half an inch away from her lips.Tracy managed to push Ashton away from her because the man was in disbelief that Tracy refused to be kissed.“Ashton, thank you for today that you have helped me real
Maya and Denise looked at Spencer with puzzled looks. Spencer paled as he realized the last word that slipped from his lips.The atmosphere in the office became uncomfortable. Spencer’s hands become sweaty.‘Why are you so careless and nervous whenever this girl is around you?’‘Collect yourself, Spencer!’ He reprimanded himself and made sure that he didn’t accidentally speak what was in his mind.“I’m sorry, Mr. Goulding, what did you say?” Maya hadn’t heard him clearly so she asked him to repeat.Spencer was relieved that Maya didn’t hear him clearly.
Emerald sensed that he had fallen in love with Maya. But Emerald could not understand why he would not pursue her daughter.Spencer lifted his eyes in shock.Did Maya know how he felt for her?He kept his feelings for her underwraps. To avoid arousing suspicion, he treated her as a superior would treat a subordinate. He always wore a serious face whenever he was with her and only talked about work with her.The only time he called her first name was yesterday. Is that enough to hint Maya about his feelings?Wait, did Maya hear him call her 'love'?“Are you in lov
Emerald hung up the phone after answering and looked back at Clayton. “You wanted to say something when my phone rang. What is it?” Emerald said, smiling brightly at Clayton as she caressed his broad shoulders. Clayton was mesmerized by her beauty and forgot what he was supposed to tell her. His face inched forward and his lips covered her lips. The kiss was gentle and tender but after a minute or two it turned passionate. And they both immersed in their passion. Sighs and groans of pleasure and delight filled the room. “Clayton,” Emerald sobbed his name, her eyes filled with love for the man. “I love you, Emerald,” Clayton whispered in her ears. Clayton whispered sweet love words to her while they both satisfied each other's needs. Soft knocks came as the couple came out of the walk-in closet. “Madam, Mr. Goulding is here to see you,” the maid informed Emerald. “We’ll be there in a minute,” Emerald answered and the maid left. Spencer was standing in the middle of the drawing
Maya wanted to run out of the room as Clayton and Emerald left her with Spencer. Her heartbeat was racing like it was doing a marathon.Skydiving did not make her nervous like the way Spencer made her nervous. She felt like she’s going to faint at any minute.“Ahem,” Spencer cleared his throat as Maya had not said a word nor looked at him.She peeled away her transfixed eyes from the door where her parents went out.Seeing Spencer’s fascinating smile, Maya’s breathing became erratic.Maya had crushes before but they didn’t have this effect on her.
Theo was exuding a cold aura as he stood by the door.“What are you doing?” Theo’s brows were knitted together.Maya stood up before Spencer like a lioness protecting her cub.Theo chuckled and said, “I will not hurt you man, okay. Dad and mom are asking the both of you. Lunch is ready.”Theo stepped out of the drawing room, leaving the two.“Let’s go,” Maya held Spencer’s arm as they strolled to the dining hall.“Tracy!” Maya was elated to see her best friend and sister - in - law.
“Dad!” Maya pouted while Spencer chuckled. He’s used to the father and daughter’s antics. Clayton ignored Maya’s protest and talked to his granddaughter. “And don’t take your grandma and mother’s love for extreme sports.” Clayton looked at Spencer. “Make sure that your daughter won’t get involved in any extreme sports.” “Yes, dad.” Spencer nodded. He too didn’t want his daughter to take a liking to extreme sports. He would surely have a heart attack. “Are you going to make her life dull? No hobby? Just study and take over a company?” Emerald asked in a teasing tone. “Of course not, just no dangerous sports. There are sports that aren’t life threatening. She can choose from those. I can’t teach her to play golf when she grows up.” “That’s a great idea, dad.” Spencer agreed and added. “Maya and I also planned to enroll her for piano, dance and art lessons.” “Really?” Clayton was excited. Clayton wants diversity in their family. He wanted his grandchildren to have different hobbie
Zoey bit her lips. The feeling she had for Maurice was an elephant in the room that she was unwilling to face. Maurice was in a relationship and Zoey didn’t want to be the third party, destroying a relationship. Ignoring her feelings for the man would eventually kill it. That was the reason she didn’t want to admit to herself that she had fallen for the man. “Do you like me, Zoey?” Maurice’s voice was so gentle that it touched Zoey’s heart. Despite knowing that Maurice was currently free and had no girlfriend, she had no courage to confess. “If you say you don’t like me. I will tell mom and ask her to search for another woman that wants to be with me. I don’t want to force you into this relationship, Zoey. I won’t bother you again. ” Zoey's heart thumped painfully in her chest. Just the thought of losing Maurice to another woman was tearing her heart to pieces. “Do you like me, Zoey?” Maurice repeated his question a while ago. “How about you, Maurice?” Zoey asked with teary eyes.
Zoey bit her lips as her entire body and heart turned cold. “Sir, I’m not making an excuse. My phone and wallet had been stolen.” Zoey’s distressed look moved Emerald’s heart. She can’t just watch at the sideline and do nothing to help her. She couldn’t help but imagine her own daughter. What if her daughter, Maya was the one in this situation? Of course, she wanted someone to step in and intervene to help her daughter out of her predicament. “I’ll foot the bill,” Emerald passed on her black card to the server. Grateful that a good samaritan had stepped in to help her, Zoey stood up and bowed several times and unceasingly said, “Thank you.” She was in a foreign land without her phone and any money. If this kind hearted person didn’t take the initiative to help her, she couldn’t imagine what would have happened to her. She didn’t know if justice prevailed in this nation. “Come with us,” Emerald said in a soft voice. Since she had started helping her, she will follow through a
“Ms Desmond,” the man called out, his voice having an edge of huskiness. Recognizing the man, Zoey nodded and said, “Mr Fuller.” Jonathan Fuller was the president of the company that hosted the event. The event was exceptional and everything went well and beyond what he had expected. Since taking his father’s position, this was the first time that he hosted such a big event. He got curious about who was the event specialist that handled their event so well. His assistant took Zoey to meet Jonathan before the event concluded. Jonathan was smitten by the woman’s beauty and grace. “Get in the car. I’ll drive you home.” Confident that Jonathan wasn’t a pervert, Zoey didn’t refuse and hopped into the car. It was almost one in the morning when they arrived at Zoey’s apartment building. Zoey could not unbuckle her seat belt and Jonathan volunteered to help her. Not far from them, Maurice saw everything. From his vantage point it seemed that the man and woman in the sports car were
Zoey was snapped back from her own world and remembered that she wasn’t alone in the living room. She sat on the couch still hugging, Chubby the giant chubby penguin. Having no idea what to talk to, Zoey said nothing. Exhausted from the long journey, Zoey could not stop her eyes from closing when she was hugging the plushy. Maurice observed the sleeping woman, her eyebrows were drawn to a frown and her mouth slightly parted. But it didn’t lessen her beauty to a tiniest bit. “Here you go,” Trina served the hot chocolate drink. One for Maurice and one for Zoey. Trina smiled sheepishly at Maurice. “Zoey, sweetie.” Trina tried to wake Zoey by pulling the plushy away from her. “Mom, no, don’t take away Chubby from me. I missed him so much, I haven’t hugged him for two weeks,” Zoey murmured while she hugged Chubby tighter. Something flashed across Maurice's eyes while listening to Zoey. He took a sip on the hot chocolate while his eyes never left the woman who was mumbling in
Zoey felt Maurice’s body turned rigid. She bit her lips and wished that Maurice would go along with her. The man beside her looked down on her with an unreadable expression, and Zoey gave him a pleading eyes to act along with her. Zoey’s heart thumped strongly, banging her ribcage as she waited for Maurice. “Let’s go,” Maurice said indifferently and guided Zoey to his car. He opened the passenger seat and protected Zoey’s head from hitting the car frame. It was quite a romantic gesture that crushed Nick’s sliver of hope. Inside the car, Zoey fiddled the strap of her handbag, guiltily. “I’m sorry for using you Mr Strong. Please tell me how do I compensate you?” Zoey said but Maurice remained silent. Zoey felt goosebumps covered her entire body at the eerie silence that enveloped the car. “You can compensate me by making a plan for a marriage proposal.” Maverick spoke after an undetermined time of silence. “You have a girlfriend?” Zoey exclaimed in shock and added, quickly. “
Maurice pressed his lips into a thin line, waiting for Zoey to react and decline Tracy’s proposal. Caught unawares, Zoey's mind went haywire and she couldn’t form a word to refuse the idea. She swallowed several times to moisten her dry throat. Seeing that she wasn’t refusing the idea, Maurice frowned and said. “Her apartment is in the opposite direction to the manor. I have to go to bed early.” At this time, Zoey already recovered from her surprise, nodded in agreement and said, “It’s still early, taking a cab isn’t dangerous and I have learned some self - defense. So you don’t have to worry about me.” “Ten o’ clock is already late. Maurice, do me a favor. Drive Zoey to her apartment.” Theo spoke this time, he knew that Maurice would not refuse him. Maurice's hand that was in his pocket balled into a fist. “Please, don’t worry about me. I’m used to taking cabs.” Zoey was telling the truth. Before she managed to buy a second hand car, Zoey used to take cabs even in the dead
“Congratulations, Mr Strong and Ms Wagner,” Zoey said when she was near them. Maverick and Esther, shook hands with Zoey. On the other hand, Maurice who was near them took his phone and pretended to check on his messages.“You did a great job, Ms Desmond,” Maverick gave her two thumbs up. “Thanks Mr Strong but I only managed to come up with that idea because of the information you gave to me about Ms Wagner.” Zoey didn’t want to take all the credits. With clients' willingness to give her an input she was able to come up with such ideas. “By the way, Ms Desmond, I will introduce you to my siblings and in - laws, who knows, perhaps they will be your clients soon. That man wearing a black suit with gold tie is Theo, my eldest brother and his wife, Tracy. Next to her is my sister, Maya. Well we are triplets, and Maurice is my identical twin. Next to Maya is her husband, Spencer. And also the one seated on Maurice’s left side is Esther's best friend, Betty with her boyfriend, Rex.” Zoe
Although she had made a decision to let her know that she saw Maverick leaving the hotel with a beautiful woman, she found it hard to begin. “What? Cat got your tongue?” Esther teased her to alleviate the tense atmosphere. Betty swallowed before opening her mouth to speak but the phone atop her desk rang, stopping her from disclosing what she saw. She picked up the handset. “Come to my office,” Betty heard the familiar voice and her body went straight like a ramrod. “Okay sir,” Betty answered and she looked at Esther while putting down the handset. “I’ll talk to you later, the boss wants me to report to his office.” “Okay,” Esther sighed. Meanwhile in his office, Maverick was tapping his fingers on his table as he waited for Betty. “Come in,” he said as the first knock. “Betty, I need your help,” Maverick said as soon as he saw Betty enter the office. Betty couldn't help but frown, she couldn’t forget that he and a woman got into the same car, leaving the hotel. B