Chapter 128 Chapter 102
Jovanka was searching for Altezza. She visited the hotel owned by the man's family. However, her presence was vehemently rejected by the owner of the hotel himself. Who else but Sir Benjamin Quirino.
The elderly man approached her after the commotion she caused in the hotel lobby. Not wanting to deal with the police, the former father-in-law of Jovanka finally came down and met Jovanka face-to-face.
"What are you doing in my place?" He asked coldly. Benjamin Quirino was someone who always yielded to his wife's desires. But when it came to matters outside his family, he was a firm and often cold man.
Now, the man, still standing tall at sixty-two, was staring at Jovanka with a cynical look. If only this gaze were directed at his business associates, it wouldn't be the gaze they desired. But this time, he was facing Jovanka, a woman he considered to have lost her sanity. So, she wouldn't be disturbed at all.
"Padre..." Jovanka uttered pleadingly.
"Who are you calling Padre?" The man asked again in a flat tone.
"Padre, however, I am also your son's wife," the woman said loudly, intentionally drawing attention.
"I know. You've made that announcement to everyone. Isn't the whole country aware that a supermodel like you is 'claiming' to be my descendant's wife?" Benjamin retorted sarcastically. "But that doesn't give you the right to call me 'Father,' just as you don't have the right to come here and disrupt my business, Miss."
“Padre…”
"And let me emphasize once again. To you, and to everyone listening here. This is the first and last time I'll speak, and you must pay attention because I don't want this to happen a second time," Sir Benjamin exclaimed with a booming voice, capturing the attention of all his employees. "I, Benjamin Quirino, have only married my son, Altezza Quirino, once. To a woman named Adaline Scott, who is currently carrying my grandchild.
"So if in the future, there's a woman claiming to be my son's wife, other than the one I mentioned earlier, then all of you, immediately eject her and don't let her set foot in this place again.
"All of you, take a good look at this woman's face. Put her on the blacklist of all my hotels. Spread the word to all branches of my hotels, including cottages and all my entertainment companies.
"Tell them not to let her become a guest. Not even stepping foot on my land is allowed. If anyone violates this, pack your belongings immediately," he ordered sternly. Jovanka paled in front of him, while Benjamin appeared unshaken. "Are you all hearing me?" He asked again.
"Yes, Sir!" His employees replied in unison.
"What are you waiting for? Eject her from here!" He commanded, then turned back towards the elevator.
Jovanka screamed. She thrashed around, angry and shouting. She vehemently resisted when the security guards forcibly escorted her out of the hotel lobby.
Her feet kicked. Her mouth spewed curses. Her behavior was far from graceful as she had portrayed on the screen all this time.
The employees and newly arrived guests whispered with their eyes and fingers pointing towards her.
The tall security guards urged her into her car and politely asked her to leave, though their tone was chilly.
"Watch out! I won't stay silent!" She threatened, then quickly stepped on the gas pedal and drove away.
The woman did the same thing at Altezza's private office. She threatened the receptionist that she would mess up Altezza's office if the woman kept saying that Altezza was not there.
Fearing, the receptionist eventually called security. But before security could get to her, Jovanka had already run up to the second floor and started looking for Altezza.
The mesmerized onlookers didn't realize that the supermodel was actually causing a scene there.
She kept calling out Altezza's name as she walked. "Excuse me, Miss. But Sir Altezza hasn't been to work for the past four days," Altezza's secretary replied. Jovanka glared at her. She ignored the secretary and continued to advance towards Altezza's room and forced it open. Altezza wasn't there. She walked into the bathroom in the room. And still, no sign of him.
Security arrived at the door. "Please leave, Miss. You're causing a disturbance here," one of the tall guards said.
"Call me Mrs. Quirino. I am your boss's wife!" She ordered harshly.
Instead of obeying, the two security guards approached and once again forcibly dragged Jovanka out of Altezza's room.
"What's wrong with you? How dare you treat your boss's wife like this. I'll report this to Altezza so you get fired!" She continued shouting relentlessly until the security guards escorted her back to her car.
"Damn! Damn! Damn!" Jovanka pounded on her steering wheel.
Where is he? She wondered. Could he be at Coskun? Jovanka thought hard. Yes. Coskun is the place I could look for. I'll go there and bring Altezza back. How dare he disappear like this and I can't even reach him.
Jovanka sped her car towards Coskun Company. And exactly twenty minutes later, she was in its parking lot.
Jovanka fixed her makeup, ran her hands through her hair, and straightened her clothes. The sleeves of her outfit looked wrinkled from the grip of the security guards. And she had to admit that her arms were sore as a result.
But the pain was nothing. Once she got Altezza back, she would get rid of those people. The people who didn't respect her at all.
Jovanka walked in, ignoring the receptionist, and headed straight for the employee elevator to the floor where Altezza used to work. The doors opened. The hustle and bustle on the executive floor froze as soon as they saw her. Jovanka smiled proudly. They knew her, of course. Who didn't know Jovanka Lawrence?
But Jovanka was mistaken if she thought the looks they gave her were looks of admiration. They were clearly shocked because just moments ago, their superiors had announced to put her on the blacklist of the office guests.
Someone called the security office as Jovanka strolled casually towards Antony's office. Antony glanced up from his meeting with Gian and Duncan as his office door was forcibly opened, and Jovanka barged in despite his secretary's attempt to stop her.
"Sir..." his secretary's face paled with fear. Antony raised an eyebrow for a moment then nodded, signaling for his secretary to return to her desk.
"Well, well, well, Brother. It seems we have a distinguished guest. Or Miss, are you looking for me again?" Gian asked, looking at Jovanka with a mocking smile on his face.
Jovanka casually chose to sit on the single sofa across from Antony, looking at the three men in front of her in turn.
"I'm looking for my husband," she said calmly.
Antony raised an eyebrow again. He adjusted his glasses and leaned back in his chair, crossing his right leg over his left. His elbow rested on the armrest of the chair, while his index finger stroked his lower lip slowly and his right hand tapped the armrest on the other side.
"Husband?" Antony asked flatly and coldly. His eyes narrowed sharply. "Do you have a husband with the surname Quirino?" Antony asked again.