FOUR DAYS EARLIER."So? What's going on?" Erika demanded as soon as she was alone with Jason. After much persuasion from Erika, Chris had agreed to go on a date with Rose and Jason refused to leave her alone."I know everything that happened must he strange to you,""That's an understatement. I saw my boyfriend kiss another woman and then I sold off my ex- boyfriend to that same woman and I'm fifteen million dollars richer." When she finished, Jason leaned back into his chair, a cute smile on his face. "What?""Boyfriend." He said simply and Erika rolled her eyes. "It's nice to see that you still consider me your boyfriend.""Oh JP, I never stopped considering you a boyfriend it's just… you have to talk to me. I don't know what's going on. Is there a specific reason you're going after the Board? And what about Lauren? I need to know what's going on with her too.""Right, you're right." He knew he couldn't explain everything to her just yet but at least, he could still tell her some th
"So what you're saying is… he agreed?""Yes!" Rose nodded again and Jason couldn't believe it. For someone who was so hell bent on taking Erika from him, he found it hard to believe that he just agreed to get married to another woman after a couple of dates together."You asked him to marry you… and he said yes?""Oh yes for the love of God Jason, stop repeating the same question over and over!""Right, my bad. I'm just so happy for you I guess.""I know! I'm so happy for me too." It was obvious that she was excited, anyone could tell. But anyone could also tell that she wasn't in love or anything. She probably rejected Jason's advances of love because she thought he was some kind of lovesick puppy, but even at that, if he had given her the chance, she would have had intimate relations with him because she found him attractive.If not completely, Jason had known Rose to a specific amount, and it was very easy to tell that what she felt for Chris was not love. Instead it was probably
The stars. Very beautiful.Thousands of sparkling diamonds just sitting up there in the sky, making the night sky look uniquely beautiful. Jason loved looking up at the stars, watching each one twinkle in the clear dark blue sky.Whenever he looked up at them, he always felt… at peace. He couldn't quite understand it but seeing the moon and stars always made him relax. He didn't remember his childhood days but he could remember that he loved looking at the stars.As he laid on the bench by the pond, his mind, replaying the words of his private investigator over and over like a broken record, to the extent that Jason started to feel bleak. He felt dejected. He began to question every word, every feeling, every moment with her."JP?"He sat up at the sound of her voice."Are you okay? You've been acting weird since you got back from work. Did something happen?" The tone in her voice was unmistakable. She was worried. Worried about him.Was there a chance that he had made a mistake some
While they were having their breakfast, Jason pretended not to pay attention to Lauren as she told him about her mother taking Phil to her brother's office but he was listening to her very attentively.Apparently, it had angered Mabel so much that she had to call Lauren to vent it out to her. Jason knew Marcus rejected Phil because he knew the kind of man he truly was. It was just relaxing to know that one of his major opposer was on his side for once.While he was driving to the cafe he had chosen to meet his brother in law, Jason could only think about one thing. Erika. When Matthew told him about his parents, he said they had helped a couple who eventually ruined his life and his entire family.Then he also remembered Mr Anderson's words, he said when he and his wife first got to the US, he was working with his grandfather, was there a chance that they were actually the ones who kidnapped him? Amd eventually caused trouble for his family.He told himself he wouldn't hold any grudge
After Jason left the Sandler mansion, he wasn't sure of the next step to take. He thought about calling Rose and accusing her but he decided against it. He didn't want to go back to the apartment because he wasn't in the mood to see anyone. (Sir, are you busy? It's about what you asked.)As he read the message, Jason instantly remembered what he had demanded that his private investigator do for him.Before Jason was reunited with his butler and his grandfather, the only thing he remembered about his childhood was growing up in an orphanage, anything further than that always just gave him a splitting headache so he gave up on trying to remember.Then he was reunited with his family, and since then he had been remembering some things, just bits and pieces like a scene from a movie he had watched a long time ago.Mathew told him about his parents, and he also told him about the untimely and heartbreaking deaths they had, but something deep in Jason's heart kept telling him that his butl
"Hey!"Jason paused his movements but he didn't turn around. Rose had been calling from for almost a week but he didn't answer any of her calls or reply her text messages. He didn't know what she wanted to talk about and to be frank, he didn't care. After the stunt she pulled with her father, Jason decided it was best to cut ties with her completely."Are you just going to stand there?! Don't you think you should apologize for what you did?"Right. He should just apologize to her. He should apologize and disappear from her life completely. "I'm sor—" Wait. What the hell was he apologizing for?He didn't do anything wrong. If anything, Rose was supposed to be the one to apologize for the way she ruined his reputation with her father."Apologize for what, exactly?""Excuse me?""I didn't do anything wrong. I only told the truth.""That was not our agreement!""Right, and it was our agreement that you tell your father that I broke up with you? What, are you trying to get me killed?""I
Since the day Jason had asked Matthew about the relationship between his father and Erika's father, he hadn't heard from either of them. Neither his butler, not his grandfather. He wanted to call to confirm if there were still any hostile feelings towards him but he decided to wait a bit longer. But how long?A day?Or maybe two. Jason didn't know how long he was supposed to wait. Or maybe he wasn't even supposed to wait at all. Maybe instead of wasting time thinking about it, he should just march down to the mansion and apologize for ticking them off. He couldn't decide and it was driving him crazy. When he arrived at his apartment he heard Lauren's voice and then he also heard the louder, harsh voice of her mother. What now?"Just answer my question already Lauren. Is he here?" He heard her demand urgently."No." Lauren replied her, then asked. "Is something wrong?""Lauren, Phil came to me earlier today. He said he just got his hands on a really big deal. He said it was so big th
Jason wasn't sure he heard him right. His father… had an affair?With another woman. The woman who just happened to be the mother of the woman he was currently in a relationship with.He wasn't sure how that information made him feel. "Sire, I know this doesn't change anything but the relationship wasn't imposed. It was decision- though a wrong one- made by two grown adults."Jason never met his father so he couldn't tell what he was like, but he had met Erika's mother. Personal and up close, and she didn't strike him as someone who could do such a thing. Then again, he never knew Lauren could cheat on him until she actually did."So why did Mr Anderson make such a report to the police?""He found out about his wife's affair with your father and he was not happy about it. He concluded that your father must have forced her.""So he just assumed and ran to the cops? That's unfair.""He knew he couldn't win your father because of his financial status, so he intended on ruining his repu
SOMEWHERE IN SWITZERLAND.MABEL'S NEW HOME."They think they've won, just like that. They think they can just toss me to the side and expect me to stay still. Me, Mabel Kings, a woman of high status, forced to live as measly as a beggar. I am not going to take it.""If you are not going to take it, then what will you do about it?" After the tables turned on them, Mabel and her husband relocated to a remote island far from New York where she was sure that she was a wanted person because of what she did to Jason as a child. What she didn't know was that Jason decided to bury the story, telling the media that he was sure the culprits would get what was coming to them. What made Mabel even more enraged was the fact that her son joined sides with her mortal enemy. She was expecting that much from Lauren who was blinded with love, but Marcus… she still couldn't believe it."That bastard son of mine is definitely on my list of enemies. How dare he double cross me? I have to make him pay fo
FRANCE.Meredith regained consciousness with a huge gasp for air like she had been drowning. She quickly surveyed her surroundings and saw that she was at a hospital. She tried to remember what happened but everything was fuzzy. "Ugh, my head." She tried to sit up but a all man eased her to lay back down. "Easy now, you shouldn't sit up just yet. Just lay there for at least thirty more minutes." He said, holding her down. "How.. how did I get here?""Your brother brought you here, he said he found you unconscious at the park.""The park? Wait my brother?""Yes. He'll be here soon, he just stepped out to use the bathroom. How are you feeling?" He placed a hand on her forehead to feel her temperature. "Like my head is about to explode. What happened to me?""You mean you don't remember?""Not really, everything is just so fuzzy.""Don't worry, it'll come back to you in a while. I'm doctor Brady by the way." He said with a warm smile. "Meredith.""Okay Meredith. Just take it easy ok
NEW YORK."Hey Steve,""Mr Decker! Is it weird to say I missed you?""Not at all. Because I missed you too." Steve was one of the reasons Jason was actually looking forward to resuming work. "Man, working without you has been really boring." He confessed, walking with Jason through the busy halls of the company. "Well, I'm back now.""Completely?""One hundred percent. My grandfather told me you helped greatly in planning for this ceremony, I'm really grateful.""When he said you needed my help, I was more than eager to assist. I'm just glad I could help.""You know, I am really happy I decided to make you my personal assistant." Jordan was very competent when it came to working, even more than Steve was, but there was one place she was lacking greatly… and that was her social aspect.Steve knew how to cheer a person up and being around him always made the room more lively. But Jordan believed in going straight to business. She believed that once she was at work, the only thing sh
Meredith had trouble sleeping all night because of two reasons. The first one, Jason still hadn't replied to her offer and it was making her feel anxious. The second reason was because Josh had called her the night before and he said he wanted to see her. He said he realized how harsh he sounded and he wanted to apologize. He also said she didn't have to go to his place and if she was feeling unsafe in letting him visit her that they could just go to a cafe to talk. Joshua was her best friend and she didn't like fighting with him, but another part of her was feeling scared to see him. "Well since it's going to be a public place, I guess it's fine." She texted him and asked him to meet her at a cafe that wasn't too far from the mansion.When he arrived, he was smiling brightly, looking like the Josh she used to know. "Thank you for agreeing to see me." He said as he sat across her."It's okay.""I must admit, I lost my temper there for a while, and it made me go out of line. I'm sorr
"You're free to go.""What? Did someone settle my bail? Was it my daughter?" "Just get out already, or maybe you're already used to the lifestyle here? It's totally fine by me if you want to stay a while longer."Mabel's response was an irritated look, followed by a nod of disapproval. "Where do I get my things?" She asked. "At least get out of your cell first, then you get your things." The warder led her out of her cell and back to the reception, where she was asked to write her name down and some other information. Then another officer brought her purse, jewelry and her phone that were taken from her the day she was detained.She went outside, hoping to see Lauren or Marcus waiting with a car but neither of them were there. She took out her phone and was about to dial Lauren when she noticed her car pull up at the front of the station. "Mother?" She seemed surprised to see her mother out of prison already. "How did you get out? Did Marcus come here?""You mean, it wasn't you?"
Jason was feeling skeptical on whether it was okay to invite Marcus or not. Without his family involved, Marcus was a good person and Jason wanted to keep working with him and he didn't know why but he was getting the feeling that he had changed. But what if he hadn't? What if Marcus was still the same person? There were lots of what if questions that could hinder their friendship and even their work relationship. But Jason decided to trust him. He texted him and personally invited him to the ceremony, and to his surprise, Marcus replied almost immediately, saying he wouldn't miss it for the world.Jason texted him the venue and time and even told him the dress code as well. then just as he was done texting him, he received a call from his not so favorite cousin in France."What do you want Meredith?""What do you mean by that question? Didn't you see the video I posted?""So?""You know what it's about, right?""And if I do?""Then I'm also guessing that it would be bad if I were t
Marcus had been thinking about his family for a few days and the conclusion he was always arriving at was not a good one. All his life, he had always tried his best to be the good son, the best child he could be to his parents. He was quiet, obedient and he always made sure he came in top in his studies. He never did anything to get on his parent's bad side, neither did he ever taint their image. If anything, he was the perfect child.They say all teenagers always have a rebellious phase, but he never did, he was always properly behaved.His father never really had their time so he leaned to his mother's side, always wanting to please her, to make her happy, to make her proud of him, and eventually… he became his mother's pet.His childhood, his teenage years, and even some of this adult life was dedicated to making sure his mother was proud of him, making sure she loved him. He didn't think about anything else. Not the life he could live for himself, not the name he could make for h
For their date, Jason wanted to do something that would be memorable for both of them but he didn't know what. He tried long and hard to decide on where they could go, but nothing came to mind.Erika still insisted that they just went back to the mansion to prepare and look after his grandfather and the twins, but Jason knew that was because she was not having fun yet. So he had to fix that. At the moment, their car was currently parked at the gas station where Jason decided they stop for a refill, but it was just to give himself more time to think. He had never really think about it, but deep down, it felt like he had been anticipating the day that they would go on such a date. A day where they could do whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted to. A day where he didn't have to worry about work, and she didn't have to worry about looking after the store. A day where they could just be a couple, just two people enjoying all the sweetness life had to offer. Obviously it was impos
Jason was skeptical when his ex brother in law suddenly asked for his help, but he decided to trust him, of course he was not going to let his guard down though. "Need my help with what?" He asked."Like I said, we can't talk here. Let's find somewhere more private.""Can't we just go in?""You mean in the bakery? No thanks. I would rather keep my distance from baked food. I know how hard I had to work to get this body, I can't risk jeopardizing it again."Jason smiled at his statement, he remembered when he first met Lauren, then Marcus had just been her chubby, cake loving baby brother. She said he was obsessed with cake and that was the reason he gained much weight in such a short period. The reason Marcus stopped eating sweets was because other kids made fun of his size, and the girl he liked back then called him a fatso and said she could never be with a guy like him. "Right." He said simply. "So where do you want to go?""Personally I would prefer it if we just spoke in my car