vanessa's POVAfter circling, I caught Silvi moving around like a madman. The alcohol had made her lose her mind, and she was now half out of control."Hey... hey, never mind. Lighten up a bit. You're attracting a lot of people, Silvi." I whispered in her ear while watching my surroundings.Of course, I was overwhelmed by her. She was a little thinner than me, but she was tall, and her strength was no joke. I'm so tired, especially since the bar is not exactly quiet at the moment. Even though it was still early afternoon, the bar had already been visited by a group of people who were probably in the same situation as Silvi.Silvi suddenly stayed where she was, her eyes looking at me with a serious gaze that made me both suspicious and wary. I was stunned when her hand gripped my arm tightly. "I'm so upset!" she exclaimed loudly.I widened my eyes as I moved closer to her to listen and make sure she realized my concern for her.She grimaced with a small whimper, covering her face with
Vanessa's POV"Andreas?" I turned around at the sound of a voice that my ears recognized all too well.My head snapped around to find Andreas panting and standing there. "What medicine are you talking about?" he spoke urgently.I looked at him in confusion and wondered what he was doing in this place. Why would he be here and know this room? I stared at him dumbly.Andreas pushed my shoulder right, facing the entrance and blocked it. "What are you doing here, Andreas?" the question came as he barged in in a hurry without asking my permission.He turned his body around and looked at me. "Instead, I should be asking what are you doing in this place, Vanessa?" he spoke in a stiff and cold tone, while his gaze towards me was not as friendly as before. "You were in a hotel room and asked for medicine? Are you talking about a pregnancy delay drug? You came to this place with a man? Did you hire a gigolo?" Andreas interrogated me without pause.Throughout the breaths he took while talking, I
Vanessa's POV"Do you know each other?" Silvi leaned closer to me and whispered as her eyes caught Andreas smiling at me.I breathed in and stayed awkwardly silent. I honestly didn't like the situation where I had to explain, but Andreas was walking with us all of a sudden, and I didn't want to make him hear what he didn't want to hear, what might hurt his heart.My eyes glanced at Andreas, as my fingers twisted around each other unconsciously, revealing my nervousness in the situation. Andreas gave me his smile again as our eyes met. I took a deep breath and made a decision. I slowly nodded my head, looking at Silvi beside me while I was in the middle of them. "Yes, I know her."Silvi perked up. Her face, which had been looking sluggish due to drunkenness, now became enthusiastic. "Really? I thought she was smiling just because your eyes met." She looked at me curtly and glanced at Andreas who was on the other side of me. "You don't know him like I know him as a businessman, do you?"
Vanessa's POVSilvi looked so surprised, her eyes moving to look at me and Andreas in turn. "Don't tell me he's..." she gasped with her eyes wide. Silvi approached me with her hand over her mouth, she whispered, "Is he your stepbrother?"I looked at her with a frowning face, my lips pressed tightly together. I honestly felt a little embarrassed until I averted my eyes from her because I couldn't bear to look at the expression on Silvi's face. I nodded my head in agreement with her words. "Yes, he is my stepbrother.""Crazy!" Silvi exclaimed. She almost got up from her spot and startled me. She made me panic and reflexively held her body to stay there. "Her lips were tightly closed, and she was staring at me intently. It felt like I was being skinned layer by layer, and it made me feel like I was being exposed in front of her. "It's unbelievable."As expected, this is pretty unbelievable!Everyone in their right mind would think so. This relationship between us is quite crazy and a lit
Jaxon's POV"How did she get close to a guy like that?" I couldn't take my mind off Vanessa. Something about her made me feel weird.If you think about it, something about her is strange. She never brought me to her house for a visit, a drink or anything. She didn't tell me much about her parents or how many siblings she had. She just said that she didn't have parents. Her parents were dead.The only thing I knew from her was that she claimed to work in one of the factories in the area. Maybe she went back to work there after parting ways with me. "I just need to meet her there, then persuade her. I'm sure she'll accept me. Vanessa still loves me so much. She won't reject me."I'm sure of that.I know women very well, they are objects that I am good at, and it's not hard to control them if I am determined. I can definitely get her back."I just need to give in to her a little, be lenient with her until I finally conquer her again. When she has again confessed her feelings for me, I ju
Catherine's POVI looked at Uncle Erick, who suddenly came to my room without giving any news. What did he want to discuss with me in person? I knew he was swamped, but seeing him come alone without sending others to convey what he wanted to discuss meant that this conversation was critical.I don't know why he makes me nervous, even though I've been waiting for news from him, but now it feels like I want to buy time to meet him later because the expression on his face looks serious. Suddenly, I feel bad. "What's the news, uncle?" I got up from my chair and approached him, sitting on a different sofa in the same room with a small teapot in which I had steeped green tea.I wanted him and me to remain calm, or I just wanted to calm my nervous self with the tea. I don't know why I brought the tea to the table. I quickly placed it there, sitting right in front of her while pouring tea into each cup on the table. I offered the first one I poured to her."Drink it first," I told her so she
Catherine's POV"Argh..." I grimaced softly as I opened my eyes, curling up on the side of the bed deeper against the throbbing in my head.I tried to control myself slowly first, and as the throbbing subsided, I looked around the room. "Where am I?" my eyes tried to recognize the place and recognized it as my bedroom.What's going on? When did I come home? And who brought me to the room? I lowered my gaze, seeing someone's hand on the blanket covering my stomach. I turned my head and saw Jaxon still lying on the bed peacefully.I watched him reluctantly for a moment. "Jaxon brought me home? What did I do last night? Wasn't I at the office?" I reviewed my memories, intersecting again with the throbbing in my head that came back when I tried to remember.Ah, yes! Last night I went drinking at the bar.My hand lifted Jaxon's arm, removing it from resting on my stomach. I massaged my head lightly. Last night, I drank quite fast. No wonder now my head was suffering the consequences.I got
Catherine's POVI gasped at the screen of my phone after reading an article widely reprinted on various news portals on social media, all the news was about Vanessa who now recognized her status as the heiress of the Hector family.Shit! I haven't even gotten to do anything yet.Why is he doing it all of a sudden now? She's lived as a rich man all her life, but why? Why is she only now publicly acknowledging her social status? What exactly is she planning to do? What does she want to do by acknowledging his status?That woman really infuriates me. Is it possible that she has lost her mind? Is she not content with her situation? Why does she want to get all the attention? Why does she want to snatch all that attention away from me?!My heart was beating fast, my chest was getting tight. My breathing was ragged and short, my lips trembling. I was trying to control my inner eruption from exploding in front of everyone there. My hands under the table were clenched tightly into fists while
Vanessa's POVI stepped into a beautiful place with a vast expanse of grass. I hadn't seen Andreas since earlier, so I wondered to myself. Where else would Andreas be? Why did he suddenly disappear?I took a deep breath. I tried to ignore my thoughts about Andreas and chose to enjoy this beautiful place I was visiting. This place is so lovely. I didn't get tired of stretching my arms while occasionally taking a deep breath of air. I was really in love with this place.I've been struggling with my feelings of comfort for a while when Andreas suddenly appears behind me. The man smiled sweetly at me as he handed me a bouquet and a box of cakes. "Vanessa, I brought you a bouquet and some cake," Andreas said.I smiled enthusiastically. I immediately grabbed the bouquet and cake with my right hand. Meanwhile, my left hand stretched out to cup Andreas' free wrist. "You're so romantic, Andreas." I smiled mockingly at him. Being nosy is my hobby these days with him.Andreas chuckled. "How was
Vanessa's povI was annoyed when he took me away from our still-unfinished wedding party. Was it okay for the guests to stay without the person who owned the event? I mean, was it polite to just leave them there? But Andreas didn't seem to care.He impatiently carried me into the room without turning my head to the right and left. I then put my hand to hold on tighter to him. In case he was having trouble, I murmured near his ear, "I hope this marriage continues to work well, Andreas."I saw Andreas nodding. "Sure, this will go on forever." He lowered me from his arms and then took off his suit. The man then smiled and walked towards the bed.I, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, did not dodge when Andreas suddenly touched my arm. And was groped my arm until I have amused myself. "Andreas, stop it! I felt ridiculous when you touched me."Instead of stopping the touching, Andreas moved to grope my neck. Then, his palm moved to my back until he embraced me completely."Why are you
Vanessa's POVStep by step, I walked closer to him, slowly gazing at him. The moment felt very sacred like it was filled with blessings and happiness. Each step I took toward him made what happened and what I went through with that man flash in my head.I felt like I was the one who rejected him so harshly, the one who mistreated her and denied my feelings, and when I thought about it now, I felt guilty for him, especially after seeing how much effort she put into making our relationship an approved one.Throughout his absence, I kept cursing him, not knowing what he had secretly prepared for me. He kept his promise to me, kept his promise to his father, and melted his mother's heart. He almost did everything just to accept me into his life.I laughed, looking at him on the other end, who gestured with his hands for me not to cry. We laughed at this happiness that was about to be achieved and only a few steps away.Right in front of me, as we stopped by the Altar, Andreas extended his
Vanessa's POVMy wedding day finally arrived. Two days before the wedding day, the others and I had prepared a private jet to take you to the private island where our wedding would be held.It wasn't for nothing that the island was chosen as the location for the wedding. Father decided on it because he knew his daughter well and didn't like her private life to be highlighted by people and enjoyed by the public. Even though I realised that I had become a public figure, I didn't want that kind of thing, on the contrary. I hoped that everything would go smoothly."Vanessa, I'll put the necklace here, then return later." Maria put down the jewellery box I knew contained a necklace she gave me yesterday.I nodded my head. "Yes, ma'am. I'll make sure to ask them to wear it." I glanced at her, who passed beside me with a nodding smile.It was hard for me to look at her because I felt like I was being used as a mannequin by the makeup and fashion artists in charge of my appearance today.They
Vanessa's POVI was walking out of the house doorway with my eyebrows raised when I found Andreas pacing back and forth incoherently with a worried expression like that. He was worried about something. He didn't usually look that worried.I let out a short breath. I tried to steady myself before stepping towards the man who now made me feel better than ever.He turned to me. "Vanessa?" he sounded panicked for no reason, even though I had only been out of sight for a few moments.Suddenly, I heard a voice that sounded worried. Andreas quickly pulled my hand away, and I was told to face him fully, close enough that my breath and his breath almost met.Andreas touched my cheeks hard enough to make me feel out of breath. I patted his waist, and sure enough. Andreas immediately released the choke hold."I've been waiting for you. What took you so long?" Andreas asked later. He seemed incoherently annoyed. "What are you guys doing?"I stayed where I was standing. I let the seconds pass by,
Vanessa's POV"I don't think this is a necklace that just anyone can wear. Why did you give it to me?" I touched the necklace carefully around my neck, then looked at it in the mirror with an enchanted look.That necklace was so beautiful. It was like wearing a tiara around my neck and seeing firsthand the necklaces that nobles used to wear years ago. Compared to how much it could cost, I was more fascinated by the history of what it had gone through to reach this generation, and it was still well preserved. One thing I was sure of was that this necklace seemed to be a precious treasure belonging to the Andreas family.My fingers clenched into fists, and suddenly, my courage to touch it shrank. "Are you sure you gave it to me?" I turned to her, staring doubtfully.Maria nodded her head. Now I understood why when I saw the sapphire stone, I felt familiar and like I had seen it before. It was because the blue stone had the same colour as her eyes, the same as the colour of Andreas' iris
Vanessa's POV"Let's take a short walk before we go home." Andreas stood up from where he was sitting and extended his hand to me.I grabbed his hand and pulled him so I stood beside him. "Where are we going?" I asked him, holding my hand tightly as we walked out of the café where Steve and I had signed off on our project."Mmm... just walk around here. I saw a park when we were walking here earlier. It's nice outside, so let's go outside." He glanced at me with a warm smile on his lips.I nodded my head, walking out of the place with him. The park, she said, is not far from there. The park was near an artificial lake in the city's centre, but even though it was an artificial lake, the lake's size was quite large.The atmosphere in the garden looked very shady and pleasant. In the sunny weather with a brightly lit sky, the garden showed its dominant, alluring green and brown colours. Walking there felt cool because the wind first hit the leaves and made the breeze feel cooler.I sighe
Vanessa's POV"Are you sure you want to join us for the meeting? Don't you want to wait in my room?" I asked him as he opened the car door for me.Andreas shook his head. "Why, you don't want me to interrupt your meeting with him?" he glanced at me with a serious look, even though I knew he was joking, while extending his hand to me.I grabbed his hand and joined him, walking out of the car. "I'm not." I denied it. He was still being nosy about it. "I'm just worried that you'll get bored waiting for us to talk about work," I replied casually. I was hooking my arm tighter around his.Andreas turned to me with his eyebrows knitted together and a fierce look on his face. "Me? Bored with talking about work?" He twitched her lips with a playful face. "Seriously, have you forgotten who I am?" he pretended with his annoying face.I stare at him in astonishment, right? For a moment, I forgot that Andreas was someone like that. He was a workaholic, and it was impossible for him to feel bored w
Vanessa's PoV"Are you tired?" I asked him with my hand gently stroking the head. As he breathed deeply into my shoulder, I could hear the sound of his breathing in time, with his heartbeat beating in a matching rhythm.Andreas shook his head. "I'm tired of talking to them, welcoming their congratulations and other pleasantries." He raised her head slightly, peering at me. "I bet you went here too because you were tired of everything."Andreas laughed. He looked at me with a nosy expression, like he had read what was going through my mind. "You must be getting sick of them talking like sycophants, right?" he grinned.I raised my eyebrows at him in astonishment. "You're just like a psychic." How could he know? Was he reading my mind? Or was the expression on my face too evident and easy to read? I furrowed my eyebrows.He chuckled as he wrapped his arms around my waist. "I'm not psychic. I know you well." He replied with a smile on his face that seemed to tease me. "Let's go out. We ne