All Chapters of Stand Still: Please Stay: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

“Bring her. Knowing Alex, I'm sure she’ll bring her new guy,” Lance whispered to Gabriel while pretending to pay attention to their parents.“As if it’s that easy to convince her.”“But I’m telling you, it’s better if you bring her.”“What if I bring Gene instead?”“You’re crazy, brother. She’ll assume you’re just messing with Anna. Would you like Anna to look like a fool?”“You're right. I’m sure it’ll be in the headlines. I could hear it now. ‘Jerk CEO made a fool out of a multi-billionaire businesswoman’.”“Right, and you don’t want that, right?”“Anna will kill me. That’s for sure.”“Praise the Lord! I hope Anna Hemsworth Miller would straighten your way.”Both of them laughed.---Anna answered her phone quickly when it rang to Clarity’s familiar tune.“Hi,” Gabriel said from the other line.“Hello. Do you miss me already?” she said playfully.“Maybe,” he said. “I think I’m going crazy for you.”“No,” she interrupted. “You’re just a natural crazy.”“You are one funny girl, Anna M

Everyone in the room made a fuss. She didn’t hear but she knew they were judging her.“It was him, the man of my dreams. Unbelievable, isn’t it? Anna Hemsworth Miller had a love life even though she wanted a private life, but you heard me right. I met the man of my dreams in that blogging team. He was kind and sweet. He was caring and thoughtful. He does not pretend to be anything that he’s not. He was just a humble blogger waiting for the right time to shine. And what brought me closer to him? He was not rich.”Everyone went quiet, even Dianne and the Anderson Family. Joshua, however, was sweating like a pig.“Yes. Once upon a time, I fell in love. I loved someone who was not rich. I know you’re wondering why I’m saying this, but this is just to prove that I was not a gold digger or a social climber to get to where I am. My family belonged to the lower class, but we were lucky enough to afford three meals a day. I was attracted to that guy because he understands me and because I thou

“Congratulations, Dianne!” Anna hugged her. “I’m excited for you!”Anna looked at Gabriel who was smiling from ear to ear and also looking at her.“Good job, Dude! I’m happy for you,” he said, averting his eyes from Anna.“Kuya, I’ll be first this time.”“Don’t worry, Kid. I’m not too far behind,” he smiled and looked at Anna.Don Miguel cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention. “Let’s enjoy the night people. Hit it, DJ!”***Anna and Gabriel went out. The party’s getting a bit noisy for them. Old people went home to rest, leaving the party to younger people. The speakers blasted electric music, almost blowing them out“I envy them,” Gabriel said.“Why do you envy them? Once upon a time, you’ve also been married.”“So, you’re the one who should envy them.”“Me? Why me? I’m perfectly fine. That’s why I’m still single. Why should I envy them?”“What?”She knew he'd react.“You heard me right, Mister Gabriel Anderson. Besides, I don’t have anyone courting me, so, I don’t have any b

“Are you okay? What’s on your mind?” Dianne asked when she saw Anna staring blankly at her cup of coffee.“Nothing,” she answered.“Nothing? Daydreaming is one thing, but smiling while daydreaming is another,” Dianne pointed out.“Yes, this is nothing,” she denied and went up to get an apple from the fruit basket on the table.“Fine,” Dianne admitted her defeat.*** “It looks like your prince charming misses you,” Dianne pointed at Anna's cell phone. It was ringing to Gabriel's call.“Shut up!” Anna said mockingly while grabbing and answering the call.***“Hello?” Anna answered the call shyly.“Hi,” an unfamiliar woman’s voice came from the other line.Anna pulled the phone away from her ears and looked at the screen. She made sure it was Gabriel's number.“Hello?” she said again, hoping to hear Gabriel's voice.“Anna? Anna Miller?” asked the woman on the other line.“Yes. This is she.”“Gabriel asked me to tell you that you are fired. He said you don’t have to bother going to the o

“What are you doing?” Anna asked Joshua, who was following her.“I just want to talk to you.”“I don’t want to talk to anyone. Especially not you.”“Why? Are you that angry?”“You’re making me crazy. I don’t want that.”“I just want to explain.”Anna stopped and faced him. Her face was turning red from anger.“Explain? After all, that’s happened? How dare you? Do you think your explanation would change what’s already happened? After how I’ve felt, do you think I would believe you?”“I just want you to know why I left. You deserve to know.”“Well, you should have thought of that before you went AWOL. And what’s the point of that? Are you here to make me feel bad or do you just want me to forgive you?”Joshua did not react. Anna could see tears welling up and when a tear fell, he looked down as to not let Anna know how he was losing his faith.“If it makes a difference, I forgave you the moment you left.”“Then us alone – Alexandra and me.”Anna did not hold back when he slapped him. Sh