"Red! What a coincidence," Emerald said while she chuckled and looked at Freya. "It's fate that I met you here," Red answered, he wasn't aware that the woman whose back was facing him was Freya. "Join us!" Emerald said in a jovial tone. "Sure!" Red took his seat and his face turned grim coming face to face with Freya. "You, why are you here?" Freya's lovesick puppy expression when around Red wasn't there, in place was a stone cold face. Her hazel eyes had no sparkle in them as they used to when looking at Red "Mr Stanford," Freya nodded curtly and then looked back at the menu. Oddly, Red felt uneasy that Freya treated him coldly. The Freya he knew was clingy and sunny but this Freya in front of him was detached and bleak. "Did she come to seek trouble with you?" Red asked Emerald, worried that Freya came to trouble Emerald again. "She came to apologize, so we came here to eat." Emerald smiled. Red looked at Freya dubiously. 'What possessed her?’ After a while t
Wallace grimly stared at Charlotte. She was the one who left Clayton when Leonardo's company was at the brink of collapsing.Now that Clayton is a household name in the corporate world, she pesters him and hinders him from being together with Emerald."I'm glad that my grandson isn't fated to be with a gold digger like you," Wallace spoke in anger."So you'd rather have your grandson choose a lowly orphan like her who had nothing to offer? Isn't It obvious that she's a gold digger?" Charlotte spat her acrid remark while her finger was pointed at Emerald.Giovanni clenched his fist upon listening to Charlotte degrade his granddaughter.
Clayton called again when Emerald hung up the phone. But his call wasn't answered.Going to Ytania while having a misunderstanding with Emerald unsettled him. He was beginning to reconsider his decision to go to Ytania.But going to Ytania is crucial to ensure Emerald's safety.Thinking about Emerald's safety Clayton decided to talk to Emerald when the dust settled down.***"Mr Strong, I am not interested," Henry Jackson, the eldest son of Frederick Jackson said. "My father banished me from his presence to please his wife. Not content that I was still breathing, he ordered someone to murder me."
Red glared coldly at Freya. "You disgust me, Ms. West."Unexpectedly, Freya laughed out loud instead of responding to him in anger. "Yes, you're right," Freya agreed, nodding her head. But Red's anger flared on her next remark. "So disgusting that it repulsed you to touch me." "Freya?" That voice hindered Red from making a comeback. Freya's dark countenance instantly lit up as she heard the voice, fueling Red's anger. Red felt that Freya had toyed him. She used to follow him like a lost puppy. Now, he was nothing to her after what happened between them. "Justin!" Freya threw herself at his open arms. Justin caught her, then twirled her round and round that made Red's mood become more sour. "I'm happy you came!" Freya giggled as Justin settled her feet on the floor. "Of course, I should support my girl." Freya and Justin talked as if Red wasn't there and it made him feel worse. "Freya, you're something else," Red said in anger. He hadn't experienced it from Freya before. Re
"Excuse me," Clayton walked past them, emanating a cold aura that would send chills down their spine. "Isn't that Mr. Strong?" One of them recognized Clayton's back. "Oh, no!" The employee who ran her mouth exclaimed. "Why did I run my mouth without looking at my back? He must have heard what I said." "So what?" Another employee reacted. "He is just a business partner and had no say on Miss Emerald's personal life." "You're clueless are you? The whole Kingston Ltd knew that Mr. Strong likes Ms. Emerald." "Really?" "I'm envious of her." "It's unfair, she's beautiful and rich. While me, I'm not only ugly. I'm as poor as a mouse, too." One of them complained. "Come on. Be thankful and content with what you have. Greedy people can't find happiness because they want more. And greed can never be satisfied." *** Olivia saw Clayton strode out of the elevator. Instantly she bolted to Emerald's office and stood in front of the door, blocking Clayton from coming in. "M - mr
They were all happy that Clayton will be married to Emerald. It only meant that the old Kingston had thought of the future of Kingston Ltd. Clayton will be the man behind Kingston Ltd when he and Emerald get married. Because of that, their attitude towards Emerald took a one hundred eighty degree turn and they became amicable with her. All through her presentation they did not interrupt her unlike before. "That's all. Please feel free to ask any questions? Or perhaps you want to give suggestions?" Emerald said. Assuming that her presentation came from Clayton, the executives didn't make a fuss and started praising her. "That was a great plan." The truth was Clayton had not contributed to the plan and even he marveled at the clever presentation. Clayton adoringly stared at Emerald. And mulled over as how did she manage to be unassertive and dull all those years? Everyone left with a satisfied grin on their faces. "Let's go," Clayton reached to hold her hand but only grasped t
Emerald pursed her lips. Truly, Clayton is as stubborn as a mule just as Leonardo said. She can't persuade him to leave her and there's no way for her to stop him from going with her to the art gallery opening."Suit yourself," Emerald went to her lounge room and took a shower. On the other hand, Clayton called Constantine. "I'm going to an event, I need to change. I'm at Emerald's office." Constantine whistled. "Sure, lover boy." "Shut up!" Clayton snapped at him. "What's wrong with you? You should be in a good mood that she asked you to be her date." What he said only worsened Clayton's mood instead of making it better. Is he insulting him? Emerald didn't ask him to be her date. He insisted and Emerald acquiesced. Clayton hung up the phone as he didn't want to hear anything from him. Half an hour later, Constantine came with a new set of suits and the other things he needed. "Why do you look like the world owes you?" Constantine asked as he laid the thing he brought on th
The following day, the death of Charlotte has become the talk of the entire upper society in Westfield. "Who would have guessed that she's such a despicable woman." Freya's mom, Francine, said while having a coffee with her friends. "No you're wrong, there are a few people who knew about her illicit affairs while her husband was still alive." Helen replied, shaking her head. "Her involvement with a gang leader had proven the speculation that her husband has shady business." Cynthia chimed in. "It's a shame, they have tarnished the name of the Jacksons." Francine said. "Do you know that Henry Jackson is alive?" Gloria asked the group. Gloria learned it from her uncle, the lawyer of the Jacksons. "Really?!" Francine exclaimed. Her eyes grew wide in surprise. Henry is her husband's friend. Why didn't they know it? "Yes, my uncle told me." Gloria said, nodding her head. "And you know what, his step - mother had plotted against him and hired someone to kill him. Fortunate
“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