Chapter 21 Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-One
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Mirah
I padded over to the kitchen, clad in my sleepwear. My eyes were half open, as I took a bottle of juice from the fridge. I'd only taken a second gulp, when voices from the door halted my movement. Nessa should have gone to work by this time. So I wondered where the noise was coming from. I placed the bottle on the island, and hurried out of the kitchen.
Nessa stood at the entrance talking to someone. I'd never seen her so worked up before.
“Just leave, Mr Qyle.” She hissed, getting ready to shut the door. I craned my neck to catch a glimpse of who Mr Qyle was, but all I could see was a blue suit. He was saying something, when she banged the door on his face. She abruptly turned, and was startled to see me. “Hey, you're up?” She asked in the guilty tone of someone who'd been caught doing something bad.
A mischievous smile tugged at my lips.
“No, don't even start.” She held up her hand, and went over to take a seat.
“Is that how estranged our relationship is? I can't even know who your boyfriend is?” I teased.
“He's not my boyfriend, Mirah.” She retorted through gritted teeth.
“Oh, okay.” I shrugged, and went back to get my bottle of juice. She was on her phone, when I got back and took a seat beside her.
“So, since the mysterious man isn't your boyfriend, who's he?” I uncorked the cover, and took a hearty gulp. Using a glass cup didn't even cross my mind.
“That's Qyle George, my client's son.” She snapped. “And don't even think about it.” She added.
“Hey, think about what?” I raised my hands up in mock surrender, my eyes twinkling.
“I know that look, Mirabella Aurel.” She arched a brow, and went back to her phone.
“Qyle George? As in Qyle George, CEO of George Corporation?” I asked, to be doubly sure.
“Any problem?” She asked without lifting her head from the phone.
“Of course not. Why are you giving him the cold-” She cut through the rest of my words.
“You are familiar with my rule, Mirah. Why are you acting ignorant?” She threw me a weird look.
Of course. Of course I was aware of her ‘No fraternizing with clients,’ rule.
“Rules are meant to be broken sweetheart. Grow up.” I clicked at the invisible air.
“Not my rules, young lady.” She argued.
“Okay, Miss Vanessa. There's no way I'm going to force you into something you don't like. Even though I'll very much like this ship to sail. That's by the way. I wasn't expecting to see you at home this morning.” I snuggled fully into the couch.
“I took the day off. The CEO deserves her much desired rest.” She waved her hand, barely sparing me a glance, before focusing her attention on her phone once again.
Nessa, better still known as Vanessa Davis in the socialite world, was a popular fashion designer. Patronized by the rich and who-mattered-in-America, she made her mark without depending on her identity as a heiress.
‘Unlike me,’ I thought to myself. I was just a bartender, still searching for my passion. In the midst of which I'd been forced into an arranged marriage. An arranged marriage from which I was rescued by an unfeeling vampire. An heiress-turned bartender, who was being chased by her father who wanted to kill her.
Yup, the description fitted my character profile. Nessa was looking at me with sparkling eyes, when I looked up again. I groaned.
“What now?”
“After careful deliberation, I've decided that the only way to help you cheer up is to go on a shopping spree with me.” She winked.
“Does taking a day off in your vocabulary mean- going shopping?” I heaved a sigh, and shook my head.
“Of course. Not with that I-want-to-die look that's been on your face, since you came back from wherever it was you'd been to. I don't know the details, but I can tell it isn't good.” She rose to her feet, and pulled me up.
I felt guilty for keeping the details from my best friend. But I doubted if she'd believe that aside from our human world, there was another that consisted of vampires whose ages ranged from centuries to millennia.
I looked at her again. Nah, she'd deem me as a lunatic.
“Okay, okay, let's go.” I forced a smile, as she dragged me along.
An hour later, we walked out of the shopping mall with lots of shopping bags.
“These are a lot, Nessa.” I'd complained earlier on, but she brushed me off. Picking and choosing any item that caught her fancy, the end result was my arm getting numb from holding the bags as we walked towards our car.
“You'll thank me later.” She blew me a kiss, and walked ahead of me. Just then, a car braked to a stop right in front of us. The inscription on the name plate made my head pound furiously.
JD.
In capital letters. Nessa turned to me with a worried expression. “You can go ahead, I can handle this.”
I shook my head. “Don't worry.” I assured her.
The tinted window rolled down revealing golden-black hair. Sharp jaws, and arrogant look. Jayden.
Jayden fucking Damion.
The bags in my hand suddenly felt heavier. Nessa came over, and stood in front of me protectively.
“Look who we have here.” His insincere smile didn't meet his eyes. Nessa placed the bags on the ground, and held my hand.
Her warmth seeped into my already numb arm. I tried calming my nerves, and managed a cold smile.
Nessa spoke first. “Stay away from her, Jayden.” She warned.
“I should be telling you that, Vanessa. This isn't your business.” Jayden retorted, while regarding me with that arrogant look of his.
My stomach churned. “What do you want?” I asked.
“A smart question at last. You're looking good, Mirabella. More curvaceous, though.” His eyes roamed from my head to toe, and I felt the urge to gouge out his eyes.