♡♡♡
ACE
She seemed so different.
I couldn't put my mind around it. I watched as she got into the car and looked at me through the window. I quickly plastered a smile across my face and waved.
"Come and visit me soon," she smiled. "I know you don't like seeing your old man, but for my sake."
I know I won't, but I nod anyway. The car park was quiet and only the sound was of the car she was presently in with the driver in front.
"From now on, don't be scared of anything. Everything that's meant to be yours would be yours. I promise you that."
I was about to reply to her when someone hastily walked toward us. "Ah, Granny," Nana said heartily.
"How are you? You haven't changed much since I saw you last," Grandma laughed and Nana gleamed.
"I guess I stopped growing early. I've learned to be proud of that."
"Yes, that's the spirit. Be comfortable in your skin."
"You're leaving now?" Nana implored and pouted then whirled to me. "You didn't inform me that she was around. I would have prepared my famous cookies that she likes."
"I've missed your baking my dear. I'll be at home now. You're welcome anytime," Grandmother found no fault in Nana. I didn't too, she was almost the definition of perfect I was head over heels in love with her. Keyword was. But she doesn't stick to what she wants, she lets her dad control her entire life and indirectly ends up controlling mine.
Grandma turned to me. "When you come to see me again. Make sure to bring her."
Nana clenched my arms and laid her head on my shoulder. "I'll definitely make it."
The car drove away. And I realized that I didn't say a word since Nana arrived.
"Hey...." She began peeking at me from below her lashes.
"Hey," I breathed and immediately took my arm away from her grasp.
"How's Quinn? I heard about her fainting."
"She's awake now."
Xenia phoned me earlier to tell me that Quinn had finally regained consciousness and that she would be getting discharged tomorrow. She had been unconscious since last night. But I just couldn't bring myself to visit her in the hospital. Yes, I was a coward! I admit. I just couldn't help but feel guilty about what happened. She fainted after I told her that I didn't have any feelings for her. Just saying it again makes me realize what a terrible person I was.
Did I have feelings for her? That's such a huge deal for me... my perception on love has been damaged since both my parents decided to abandon me and ruined my life. I totally blocked my heart from trivial things like feelings, it just made people weaker which was why I never truly dated again.
"Ace?" Nana called drawing me back to reality.
"Yh?" I broke out of my train of thought.
"I said, you're my plus one for my father's event tomorrow night. You know I have no one to take and it's the launch of his new pharmaceutical company in New York. We would look so good together, making headlines," She said bubbly with dreamy eyes.
Quinn and I haven't finalized our break up yet and being seen with someone else in public would not be a good show.
"You're thinking about Quinn," Nana muttered. "Carl told me that an article would be coming out tonight on your break up. My dad has finally agreed for us to date again, he's coming here for a long time and it'll help both our companies. Carl told me that your fake relationship with Quinn was to appease the public and your grandfather and you both knew. Ours would be an actual relationship."
"An article tonight?"
"That's all you took from everything I said?" She sounded hurt.
I immediately walked away and got into my car. I was about to drive off when I saw Nana looking bewildered through the window. "I have to do something. I'll be back soon."
With that, I drove to the company. I know what I told Quinn and I still stand by it. I don't want to be in a fake relationship for the sake of 'the companies' I wanted a real relationship. Everything with Quinn and even with Nana would be for the sake of the company. There were no real emotions involved, I didn't want that.
I went into my grandfather's office only to see him having a meeting with Mrs. Manchester. They both had full cups of tea infront of them.
I bowed out of courtesy, trying to hide my surprise. "Oh Ace dear," She smiled. "How are you?"
"I'm very well..... How's Quinn?"
"She's awake now. Her dad is by her side, don't worry."
She seems to be close to her dad. Her mum seemed to be the arduous parent considering that she's the one who's always with my family members.
"It's good that you're here take a seat." My grandfather said sternly.
I sat across them and it suddenly felt like an interrogation.
"The Manchester group would be helping us with our AI project, it would be a joint effort now. And they would be our major sponsors," My grandfather began.
I never expected that to happen, considering the breakup.
"We would announce it to the public once we've reached stage three of the production. I assure you that you'll be in good hands," Mrs. Winston smirked and showed me a document on the iPad she slide to my side.
It had everything planned. From the help we'll need to get the project approved and the loans and stages of production. I had to voice out my curiosity and the reason I went there.
"This merging.... It's still going to happen even after Quinn and I announce our break up?"
"What? What nonsense are you on again? What did you do to mess this up?" My grandfather glared at me and stood up, pointing fingers at me.
"Ah Mr. Winston calm down," Mrs. Manchester laughed and urged him to sit. He slowly took his seat while still shooting laser at me with his eyes.
Wasn't he the one who commanded Carl to initiate the breakup? Why was he acting so surprised now? Or wait.
Did Carl make that decision by himself?
"I spoke to Carl about this. He believes that since Kim Nayong is back and her family and your family planned her marriage to Ace a long time ago, Ace and Quinn should break up for it to happen. I laughed so much when he told me that. I had to sit him down and explain that Quinn and Ace can't be separated for some daughter of a pharmaceutical company. The Winston and Manchester company would be way too powerful together, don't you agree Mr. Winston?" Mrs. Manchester Poured out and my eyes narrowed at her.
Wow, what a woman!
She knows exactly what she wants.
This is the exact reason why I didn't want to do this. I knew it would come to this and before I know it, they'll be talking about marriage. It's one thing for me to defy my grandfather but when it comes to a stranger like Mrs. Machester I prefer to observe her from afar before striking.
My grandfather looked taken back for a second but quickly masked it. "Yes of course. The Kims are our old family friends and we just promised the marriage as old friends years back. Times have obviously changed."
"That's what I'm saying. Quinn and Ace are also very much in love already we can't force them to break up, that'll be cruel. Isn't that right Ace?"
My eyes wavered between the two of them. "Yes," I breathed.
I need to learn how to say no!
~~~~~♡♡♡~~~~~
XENIA
I kissed Milo.
I kissed my best friend.
And he kissed me back.
On the day I found my boyfriend cheating on me with my nemesis.
I looked around and found the girls from the fencing department walking past me and I waited for them to move because they were a lot and seemed to be carrying heavy loads inside their boxes. The school would officially open tomorrow, so everywhere is crowded with people getting ready for the final season and freshmen joining. I was in school for only one reason.... To meet with Myra.
I left the dorm and went to find her in the gymnastics department. Trying to pass through the students who were excited about resuming tomorrow I finally made my way to the practice rooms and saw her alone near the mirrored walls practicing her balance.
Ignoring the weird looks from the others who were wondering what I was doing in their building, I made my way to her. She was so involved in what she was doing that my presence went unnoticed. I gently tapped her shoulder and she turned with an obvious irritation on her face.
"What?"
"We need to talk," I spoke out and realized that everyone has their gaze on us. Wonderful! I don't blame them it must be a surprise to see the two of us having a conversation.
"I noticed you entering the room, I ignored you. I saw you coming towards me, I ignored you." She rolled her eyes. "So what exactly makes you think I would want to talk to you?"
Tired of the nonsense drama she was putting on. I grabbed her roughly and pulled her close enough to whisper in her ear. "If you don't want me to publicly embarrass you in front of all these people, you would follow me now. Because if you don't I would gladly talk here and now."
She gave me a death glare and snatched her hands away from my grip.
She finally got her senses back and we went outside the building. It was chilly outside so we both had our hands inside our jackets pocket.
"Speak, I can't freeze to death outside."
"I'll just be straightforward." I sighed. "Do you know Ryan?"
She spared me a glance for half a second and looked away. "What does he have to do with this?"
"He's the main reason I called you here. Myra, I guess the fact that we have this feud and aren't close helped him do what he did."
"What are you talking about?"
"He's my boyfriend," I said harshly and her hands fell from her pocket. "I mean ex-boyfriend now."
"What the fuck are you trying to do?" She spat emphasizing each word.
"And I saw you guys kiss. I got so mad then I realized that you didn't know about us dating. Nobody did. He always said he liked a secret relationship. Now I know why."
"That's exactly what he always told me." She breathed. I turned to her to see that he eyes had begun to water and the tip of her nose was turning to a bright pink color. "We didn't just kiss. We are dating. You saw me kissing MY boyfriend."
I didn't expect that. My highest guy was that he was still trying to just flirt with her. But them dating?? Wow, Ryan really played his game well. Andrew Tate who?
"And I love him." She choked on her tears and wiped the fallen ones but they were quickly replaced with new ones. "I can't believe this."
I tried to caress her back and even raised my hand but I stopped myself when she said, "In fact, I don't believe it. Why would I believe you?"
What the fuck? How dumb can she get?
"Why would I lie about this?"
"I don't know. To see me sad and miserable."
"I already see that every day."
"Ryan loves me." She yelled and the tears dropped from her eyes. "And I love him. I trust him."
I paused. I saw myself in her. This is how I was when I found out too. I was in total shock, it was right in front of me and I didn't want to believe it.
Then I figured out that I had only one thing left to do. I showed her our pictures and chats. She almost has a heart attack right there and dropped to the ground in despair.
"See Myra. Wake up. I'm not telling you this because I hate you, I'm telling you this because I have a plan." She looked at me confused and I proceeded.
"A plan to make him wish he never messed with us or any girl like this ever again."
~~~~~♡♡♡~~~~~
Hellooooooo
So many conspiracies 😭😭😭✋
Is a friendship forming between Xenia and Myra👀
What do we think about how Ace sees the situation? 😭 Any Ace supporters in the house??
Anyways the next chapter will leave you all at the edge of your seat🤭🤭🤭
QOTD: What's your favorite tv show?
My ultimate tv show is friends 😭😭😭 I love that show so much and almost cried when I reached the last episode.