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2024-10-29 19:42:56Bernard's 4th Family Reunion…
Chase was moving around the hall, trying to serve all the guests at the same time. Before he could finish handling one, Raven would call out to him, making him bump into people in his haste to meet up with her unending requests. “Instead of moving around the whole place, why don't you serve only us?” Kirsten asked, peering at Chase as he re-filled her glass. “I'm sorry, I have other duties to handle.” He replied with a smile and a little bow. Meanwhile, Raven who was sitting directly opposite him was seething with anger. Her friends have kept bugging her to make Chase serve them because they wanted to make fun of him. Pursing his lips, “I will take my leave now.” He said. “No, sit with us.” Raven said, making him halt as he slowly turned in her direction with a raised brow. “I…” he tried to talk but the glare she sent his way sent the rest of his words back into his mouth. Lowering himself on the closet chair, he tried to calm his raging breath but the stares he was receiving from Raven and his friends were boring holes inside of him. When he couldn't bear it anymore, he quickly filled his glass with some wine and then gulped it all at once. “Why did you decide to make the life of our friend miserable?” Kirsten asked, she was sitting next to him. “I’m sorry, it's not my intention to do that.” Leaning forward and with his hands clasped together, he said, “I’m working my ass off each day so she would live a comfortable life but I just can't… Please don't misjudge me, I'm trying my best.” He rapped, still staring at the girls who wouldn't take their eyes off him. “Your best isn't enough. I can't flaunt you as my best friend's husband because of the backlash we will receive.” Prisca snarled. “I'm sorry…” “Can you even afford a ring?” Diane asked, swirling the content of her glass. For a moment, Chase was quiet. He had endured the insult he was receiving from his in-laws on a daily basis and now Raven had given her friends the leverage to insult him too. While he was trying to bottle up the anger that was threatening to tear him apart, he dug his fingers in his palm, drawing out blood in the process. “...I even doubt if he can even afford the cheapest earring in your jewelry box.” Kirsten said and at once, Raven and her friends burst into a mocking laughter. “I can.” Chase said suddenly and the laughter died down. He had his head to the ground but when they didn't say anything to him, he raised it, looking from Raven to the rest of her friends before he settled his gaze on her. “I can afford the ring you want.” He said, his voice firm and unwavering. Startled with his sudden change of mood, Raven quickly emptied the content of her glass as she darted her eyes around. She was becoming uncomfortable with the stares she was receiving from her friends. She knew they all wanted her to put him up to the challenge but she was scared, knowing fully well that he didn't have the money he was claiming he had. “Stop bluffing.” She said after a while. “Bluffing? Come on Raven, he admitted he could afford the ring you so much wanted and you are saying he is bluffing? You really need to stop underestimating him.” Diane said with a little chuckle. After this, the mockery resumed and Raven couldn't help but feel embarrassed with it all. Right there where she sat, she was already cooking up the tale she was going to tell to her mom so they would deal with Chase jointly for embarrassing her. Suddenly, Diane cleared her throat and then placed her phone on the table. With a smile at the edge of her lips, she began to swipe through the catalog of jewelries she had found online. “Raven, you need to choose from all these rings. They are of high quality and they suit your taste.” She said. “The cheapest one here is just $50,000.” Prisca said. Her eyes first went to Raven before fixing it on Chase who was just staring at them. “I don't like that one.” Raven snorted. Since she was a lover of jewelry, she threw caution into the wind and then began to fill her eyes with the pretty items. Chase allowed her to make her choice and when she was done, she pushed Diane’s phone towards him. “I will take this one.” She said, staring intently at him. The silver ring she had chosen was sold for $200,000. Leaning close, Chase began to stare at the jewelry and after what seemed like forever, he started swiping until he stopped at a pure gold ring of twelve karat. Pushing the phone back to them, he said, “I will purchase this instead. It suits you more than the other one.” At once, the friend began to exchange glances among themselves. For a while, they tried to contain the laughter that was threatening to burst through them but it didn't last for long though. This time around, it was Raven that led the laughter and her friends joined her. Their action did nothing but to draw the attention of others who began to wonder what the issue was. Chase was now left with the duty of trying to let the onlookers know that it wasn't a cause for an alarm. “Why do you like embarrassing yourself?” Raven yelled at him, her eyes glistening with anger. At this point, she wanted to lunge towards him and snap his head out of his neck. She was livid and trying to keep still was difficult for her. “I can afford it.” he said with a calm voice which did nothing but to increase her rage. Tilting her head to the side, her hand went to her forehead as she tossed it backwards. “Enough of your talks, prove it.” Kirsten said.
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At first, Chase wanted to go back on his words, he continued reviewing his actions in his head while Raven and his friends kept pressuring him to fulfill his words. “What's the website?” He asked and at once the banter ceased. No one said a word as they were all staring blankly at him..When he didn't get the needed response, he browsed the website on his phone and while they were still watching him in awe, he made the purchase. “I already made the purchase. The courier will bring in the ring before the party folds up.” He said, showing them the screen of his phone. Laughing nervously, Raven said, “I think you are trying to pull our legs here. You can barely afford a car but you are buying a ring worth a million dollars.” Her tone was dripping with mockery. Kirsten, Prisca and Diane couldn't say a word to him, all they could do was to stare with their mouths wide agape. They were still in a state of shock as they were trying to comprehend what had just happened. Seeing their reac
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After leaving the bathroom, Chase returned to the table and after apologizing profusely to them, he took his seat. “We have just thirty minutes left for the party to round off, are you certain that the courier will be here before then.” Prisca asked, setting the stage for a new backlash. “Yes, it will be here in twenty minutes even.” He replied with a smile as he stared at his watch. After a brief silence, Kirsten clasped her hand and then leaned towards him, staring intently at him, “While we are waiting, why don't you tell us about your family” she said. “There's nothing interesting about his family.” Raven scoffed. “Then let him entertain us.” Kirsten retorted and the rest of them readily agreed with it. Pursing his lips, Chase dug his hand into his hair and after a brief silence, he cleared his throat, to get their attention and in preparation to speak. “My father was laid off from his work a few months after my birth and my mom was just a worker at a local day care whose e
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Rubbing his palms together in glee, Chase reached out of his cutlery and immediately began to dice the meat in his plate. After eating for a while, he took a sip from his glass of water before shifting his gaze to Wembley who had his glass to his lips, glaring angrily at him. “I did nothing wrong so I'm not going to apologize.” He said, starting up a conversation. “Are you comfortable with your current lifestyle?” Wembley asked, leaning towards him. He was tired and frustrated from repeating the same thing several times. “Yes, why? Aren't you comfortable with yours? Don't ever think of committing suicide because if you do, I will personally dice your body into tiny pieces.” He said, pun intended but Wembley wasn't buying it. Grabbing his cutlery, he started to fill his mouth with food, trying to forget all that was happening but it was impossible. Chase on the other part had resumed eating. He was glad that Wembley hadn't pushed in with his request for him to return home. “Sinc
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Standing in front of room 184 was Chase. He had his head bent to the ground as he contemplated on whether he should go in or not. Having spent four months with Raven with no dates or even a friendly conversation, he was skeptical about the whole thing. His instincts kept bugging him but at this point, he didn't know whether he should leave or not. After several minutes of standing in front of the room, he grabbed the handle and then pushed the door in only to be greeted with an empty room. “Raven.” He called, looking around but there was no sign of a human in the room. “I knew it was room 284.” He muttered as he walked towards the door. Grabbing the handle, he tried to pull it open but he couldn't. Wondering what the issue was, he did it the second time but it was the same result. Suddenly, he heard footsteps and he swirled around only to see a lady who was half naked walking up to him. “What are you doing here?” He asked, his eyes bulging with fear as she closed the distance be
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Now standing outside the hotel, Chase exhaled and with a hand tucked into his pockets, he made his way towards the road to flag down a taxi. “Where are you heading?” Zara asked, appearing in front of him. He didn't see her coming so he was a bit startled seeing her standing in front of him. “What are you doing here?” He asked, taking in her features. This was the second time he was seeing her after he got married to Raven. “I came to speak to my husband to be… is that a crime?” She didn't allow him to give a response before tossing her car key towards him. “Can you drive?” She asked. “Yeah.” “Gray Honda Civic.” For more than five minutes Chase remained where he was not making any effort to move his feet. He had his gaze fixed on her as he tried to wrap his head around what was happening. “Fine, if you are not driving, I will.” Zara said, trying to snatch the key from him but he didn't let her. Holding her arm, he pulled her to himself, “Why are you doing this?” His voice was
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Getting home after spending the whole day outside with Wembley, Chase was greeted with a strong odor of burning food that he flew into the house to find out what was happening. Getting to the kitchen, he pushed the door open, only for smoke to welcome him in and he began to cough. Relieved that it wasn't the house that was burning as he had thought earlier, he proceeded into the kitchen and then pushed the windows open before proceeding to open the door so that the smoke would get out. About half an hour later, he snapped his head upwards, he had just remembered Zara who was now living with him. Facepalming himself, he began to look around the house, searching for her since she wasn't in the kitchen.When he got to the rooms, he started checking them one after the other until he started hearing sobbing sounds emanating from one of the rooms.With a speed he never knew he possessed, he reached out for the door handle and then pushed it in, revealing the coiled-up figure of Zara at
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It's been three days since Chase got married to Zara. These three days had been the best in his life after a very long time. Unlike Katherine and Raven who always loved to make his life a living hell for him, Zara was different. She was lively and always loved indulging in every phase of her life. This morning, since it was the weekend, they had a late breakfast and at the moment, Chase was in the living room while Zara was preparing to meet with her friends like she always did during the weekends. Scrolling through TV channels absentmindedly, he had his hand under his chin as he thought of the direction his life was now headed. He was tired of sitting at home idle all through the day and it seemed Wembley was finding it difficult to find the right spot for his proposed restaurant. Zara had no idea about this plan, she strongly believed that he was hunting for a job whereas he wasn't even making any move. Digging his finger into his hair, he let out a low sigh and then reached o
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After getting off the bus, Chase pulled his phone out of his pocket, “Oakdale.” He muttered and then snapped his head upwards. With a smile on the side of his lips, he allowed his eyes to roam around his current environment for a while. Oakdale was a little town which bustled with different activities all through the year. Pubs, restaurants, clubs and several other businesses were found there. Out of all the restaurants that were in Oakdale, the best belonged to the number one food company in the state. Still looking around, Wembley walked up to him and then intertwined his hand in his. At once, Chase pulled away and with a scowl on his face said, “Are you crazy?” “What?” Wembley chuckled. He knew Chase hated bodily contact but he still went ahead to hold his hand whenever he had the chance to do so. “So why did you call me?” He asked, digging his hands into his pocket as he exhaled. “I'm done.” “Done?” “Come with me.” In silence, Wembley led Chase to a buildin
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Fuming with anger, Finn tossed the throw pillow he was holding aside, yelling out his lungs as anger coursed through him. Shutting his eyes, he titled his head to the side only to fist pump the air the next minute. Meanwhile, while all these were going on, his mother was watching him from the dining table where she sat. “Son, is anything the issue?” She asked, joining him on the couch and holding his hand. When he wouldn't stop throwing a fit, she decided to question him. Still filled with rage, he didn't waste time in telling her what had happened, making sure not to leave any details. “Really?” She asked, raising her brow. “I can't believe they want me to bring back their staff who voluntarily left. Also, he shouldn't even be there in the first place when he can't cook good meals, how did they intend to retain their customers if they turn a blind eye to it.” He huffed. With his hands across his chest now, he leaned into his seat, tossing his head backwards. “It's sickening.”
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On arrival, furious that her family had decided to create a scene, she stormed into the building only to meet Chase, Wembley and Jasper seated around a table. “What is going on?” She asked, looking from one person to the other. “I want to leave. I can't handle my duties anymore.” Jasper replied, biting his lower lips. The previous night, some customers were complaining about the food in low tones, and then he also stumbled on the comments on Zara's page. Just when Zara was about to speak, the door flung open and Finn walked in, grinning from side to side. “Good morning boss.” When he was done exchanging greetings with everyone, he plopped on the next seat, wondering what they were talking about that made them wear a serious look. “Am I missing out on anything?” He asked but he didn't get a response, instead, Jasper pushed his resignation letter towards Zara. “Please endorse it.” He said, taking off the badge from his shirt. “I can't believe you're doing this.” Zara snapped, gr
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With her hand under her chin, Zara was pacing around her living room. She had been trying to come up with the perfect strategy of curbing the issue at hand but couldn't come up with anything. Frustrated, she grabbed her purse off the table and then headed straight for the door. Immediately she stepped out, her eyes went straight to Chase's apartment and for the next few minutes that followed, she kept staring hard at it until a neighbor came along. She was already scurrying away when the woman grabbed her shoulder and with a little smile on the edge of her lips said, “Do you know who your next door neighbor is?” Not knowing why she had asked, she nodded, pushing her hair away from her face. “Yeah.” She replied. “I haven't gotten a chance to speak to him even for once but I can tell he is a good man. Last night, he got my granddaughter a cake at the confectionery shop when I couldn't afford it…” she kept on talking about how he had helped her until she exhausted everythin
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Due to the large amount of workload they had to handle every day, Zara brought up the suggestion of hiring more workers which was accepted by all. On Saturday morning, D-Day for the physical meeting of all the applicants who had shown interest in working in the restaurant, Zara and Chase sat in the office while Wembley ushered the applicants in one after the other. Since customers on Saturday mornings were always minimal, Maurice and Jasper were able to handle them without a hitch. The physical interview went on for a long time, yet Zara couldn't pick her choice. She kept on making a fuss about each applicant. It was either their appearance or their language skills. “At this rate, we aren't going to get any workers at the end of the day,” Chase said, placing the files of the applicants they had interviewed on the table. “I cannot afford to employ someone who will cause trouble. I need the best and so I will stick to my laid down principles.” She said, pushing a list in front of
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Zara, not wanting Chase to catch up with her, increased her pace as she climbed down the stairs and at the same time, trying to hold back her stubborn tears which were already rolling down her cheeks. The feeling of being rejected was the only thing on her mind. She didn't care about Raven's mockery. Since Chase came into the household, she had been a secret admirer, always fantasizing about getting married to him and all that. When she learnt of how he was being treated by her mother and Raven, she was bitter but there was nothing she could do about it.That was why she decided to stand up for him when they plotted to accuse him of cheating. And now, she got rejected. “Where are you hurrying to?” Wembley asked when she brushed past him. “Out.” She yelled, not bothering to look in her direction. This single act made Wembley turn towards the stairs, trying to fathom what was going on. “She is crying.” Maurice walked up to him, staring at the path she had taken. “Crying?” “Yeah
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With disappointment written all over her face, Raven returned to her mother. The moment Katherine saw her, she sank into her chair, she didn't need anyone to tell her it didn't go well, Raven's face and countenance says it all. “Mother, we have lost Chase completely. There is nothing we can do anymore rather than to let go of the strife against him.” She mumbled, plopping on the creamy couch. With her lips caged in between her teeth, she pushed her hair away from her face and after a few minutes of silence, turned her attention to Katherine who was staring at her. “What… is anything the issue?” She asked with a raised brow. “You have just five minutes to make the decision.” Katherine replied, her tone cold and icy. Confused, Raven began to dart her eyes around, trying to read a meaning to what she had just heard but the more she thought of it, the more confused she became. “I already told you that I'm going to deal with Chase until he comes crawling back to me. All
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When she arrived, Chase was drumming his fingers against the table. Though he hadn't requested for her earlier, she was now present, so he decided to spew what he had been saving up until now. “Are you busy?” He asked, nodding at the iPad she was holding. “I’m not. I was going through the sales stats. It's impressive boss.” She mused and even without Chase asking her to tell him what it was about, she went ahead and started blabbing. “Thank you, I mean it.” He flashed her a coy smile as he patted her head. “Come on, I didn't do the work alone.” Smacking her lips she pulled a chair out and now seated across from him, said, “What if we have a team dinner to celebrate?” “It's up to you, fix it.” His response made her smile widen as she drummed her fingers against the table in excitement. “Wembley said you wanted to see me, is anything the issue?” She asked, breaking the short silence in the room. “Not really.” He shook his head sideways, contemplating on if he should spill on not.
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With a huff, Zara pulled her last luggage through the door and with a tired look on her face, she banged the door shut only to fall on the next available couch. Shutting her eyes tightly, she pushed her hand into her hair as a little smile appeared on the side of her lips. Before dropping by FlavorQuest the previous day, she had made a stop at a housing agent who showed her a catalog she should choose from after which she paid her rent fee.“This is a dream come true.” She mused, now lying on her side as a bright smile appeared on her lips. For a while now, she had been fantasizing about getting a house of her own and now it was a reality. Her excitement was what lured her to sleep that night. ***“Shit!” Zara muttered as she sat up on the couch she had spent her night on. Throwing her legs off the couch, she hurried towards the bathroom to have a quick bath. She was already getting late for work after reading out the new rule and regulations she had drafted the previous night.
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Still on the rooftop talking, a strong smell began to circulate around the air, making Chase who was seated before to rise as he began to look around. “Seems something is burning.” Wembley said, sniffing the air too. Suddenly, Chase, who had been trying to come up with a reason for the strong odor, slammed his fist against the table, “Shit.” He grunted and before Wembley could even grasp what he was saying, he was already running down the stairs. A customer had dropped by, requesting for a meal. Instead of Zara calling Wembley like he had instructed her, she decided to try her hands on it only to get the food burnt. She was already crying when Chase pushed the door open, revealing Maurice holding a pan and Zara who was sobbing as she paced about. “I'm sorry, I should have come around soon enough. I have no excuse to give.” Maurice rapped with his head bent to the ground. Brushing past him, Chase walked up to Zara and then held her shoulder. In fright, she bent her head in a bid
