JOANNE-
Bailey?
My Bailey,
and her father? Found?
My head felt light and my body felt spritzed, but I kept up a really good composure and decided to listen more.
Theodore’s voice was subtle but thankfully audible.
“They were found at a bar in this almost unknown town, and one of your men who had been residing there saw them, thanks to the fact that the information reached him.”
“Good job,” Hardy’s voice took over. “I want her back at Villa; she and her damn father. She tricked me and pushed someone else to pay her debt.”
Hardy sounded pained, and my heart twitched a little.
Not my heart, but something below my heart.
Maybe a muscle twitch.
“You wouldn’t believe this.” Theodore’s voice began to sound low, so I took a giant stride forward, which caused the flip-flops on my feet to drag and shuffle.
Theodore stopped talking, and I realized it was solely because of my noises.
I immediately turned around and dashed back into my room.
Suddenly, my head was all over the place, my breathing matched my scattered thoughts, and I attempted every possible method to calm down.
I resolved to delve deeply into the worry that was clouding my head. And it was the fact that Bailey had been discovered and delivered to Hardy’s feet.
What will happen to me? I was already pregnant with Hardy.
Essentially, his idea was that if Bailey was located, I would be returned and she would take my existing position.
I was upset and outraged. At myself and for Bailey.
I was angry at myself because I should have been angry at Bailey since she was my best friend and she duped me and basically sold me as collateral. But I wasn’t really upset at Bailey for what she did; I was mad that she decided to return now.
It wasn’t like I enjoyed the life I was leading for Hardy. But I didn’t detest it any more.
And if things ended with me now, despite having come so far with Hardy, how would he try to do it?
Everyone already recognized me as Hardy Bensimon’s fiancé.
Things wouldn’t feel right with Bailey here or in Hardy’s life.
Not after I stood my ground and stopped Hardy from treating me like trash.
–
***
It was a Tuesday afternoon, and after every maid had finished scurrying around me and my room, I knew I was set and ready to leave for the gazebo.
The ladies at the Ale-o house suddenly called up a meeting on a Tuesday, which seemed a bit suspicious and too much.
But it was great; I’ve kind of wanted to get out of this place.
It has been tiring, waking up every day with the thought of Hardy finally getting rid of me. It was excruciating.
I didn’t know the reason why a meeting was called at the white Ale-o house, but as soon as the invitation had come, Hardy didn’t need to look me twice in the eye or even if he would never-persuade me.
I would have left on my own accord, even if he ever tried to force me.
He wouldn’t know. He shouldn’t ever know, but despite the fact he saw me only as switched collateral, I was much more pumped to help him get to the root of Lisa’s case.
It’s almost quite pitiful to look away.
–
“Remember, do not let them trample on you.” Hardy’s voice was thick, and his hunter eyes had me fixated.
We were both in the car that Theodore would drive and take me to the gazebo.
I was ready to leave, and somehow, I know he wished he could go with me if he could.
I nodded.
“If they do bring up Lisa,” He paused-
“I know what to do.” I cut him off and pressed a smile.
A glint of assurance flashed across his face, and his eyes almost softened.
Almost.
Hardy was difficult.
“Good.” He nodded.
His eyes did a last-minute check on my outfit, and something in me wanted to dive into his mind and see what exactly was going on in there while he checked me out.
Maybe he thought I was pretty enough? Well, I know myself to be pretty, but was I Hardy’s standard kind of pretty?
Was Lisa pretty?
I immediately mentally slapped myself for internally asking myself that question.
I shouldn’t act like a jealous or curious bitch when I am nothing but a stand-in.
He gave me a look that said I could go on, the same look of assurance that had gone around my neck before he had placed his tongue on it.
Get yourself together, Anne!
I got into the car, and Theodore had already taken off.
–
The ladies were already gathered and seated in the room inside the gazebo.
There was a new, expensive table with new teapots and golden utensils that spoke high class and quality.
They all welcomed me with a warm smile I could definitely tell was fake coming from Chloe and Ruby.
Anne didn’t bother to smile. And as for the rest, I didn’t get enough time to study their faces as Aneesa immediately directed me to my chair.
Despite the table being round and fixed, I felt like I was at the centre of it all.
In front of me was my own cup, with no tea but a little napkin folded in it. Thousands of teaspoons are arranged by the side, with forks on the other side.
Great.
I pressed a smile as Aneesa opened the golden plate of biscuits and let out a “Tada.”
I wasn’t impressed, but I let out a tiny gasp that looked like I was.
“These biscuits are from Liverpool; they’re expensive and almost hard to obtain; they’re sweet, salty, and cakey all at once, but help yourself out.” Sasha offered, and I nodded, not making progress to reach for one.
“Ophelia?” Anne yelled, and a young-looking girl ran out from a corner. She was dressed in a weird maid’s outfit, and goodness, she was beautiful.
And she looked young too. Way too young
“Yes ma’am” The girl answered.
“Pour Ms. Joanne tea,” Anne ordered.
I wanted to protest that I wasn’t ready to have tea yet, but the girl’s tired look on her face as she steadied my tea cup and started to fill it up with the most keen focus made me keep to myself.
“Thank you,” I breathed out when she was done filling my cup.
She smiled at me. I didn’t know if it was my imagination or if she looked like she wanted to fill me out on something, but with a glance at Anne, she looked away before finally walking away.
“Go, on… You can drink now,” Anne smiled.
“Thanks,” I said, picking up my cup.
The smell of the tea hit, and my stomach started to turn in ways I could never decipher.
I had the urge to gag, but I didn’t want to be rude to the ladies.
This is stress itself.
I pushed down the tea cup and grabbed myself a single so-called expensive biscuit.
Aneesa was having tiny bites, so I just copied her.
“So… How was the minister’s son… yeah, Trevor Jones party? I couldn’t make it, sadly.” Anne sighed, like she was actually sad.
Minister’s son?
“It was okay.” Chloe glanced at me.
“Yes.” Ruby glanced at me too.
“Just okay?” Jane asked. “Joanne, was it just okay for you too?”
“It was fine,” I nodded.
Another bite of my biscuit, and immediately the topic switched, and indirectly, I knew what everyone was coming for.
Me and Hardy. Again.
“I heard you were the talk of town during Trevor’s gathering, with the rare diamonds on your neck.” Anne smiled at me bitterly.
“Oh, it was nothing, just a silly gift Hardy thought was pretty on me.” I waved it off.
To get them off my back, I had to act like one of them.
I had no idea how long Hardy wanted me around him, but since I was carrying his baby, It still feels a bit longer.
And I’ve gotten enough time that night to understand how these people think.
They get something expensive-crazy expensive-and act like it’s the cheapest thing you could reach for.
Like getting a private jet and pretending it’s a stupid toy.
“Silly gift?” Chloe’s voice is thick against the rim of her tea cup.
“Yeah, that’s what Hardy called it,” I lied, with a smile on my face.
“Honestly, I wish Foreman could be like Hardy, but I give gifts without getting to ask. Foreman is a great man, but. We should all be honest and say that Hardy is setting the standards here,” Sasha beamed.
They should see Hardy at home.
I smiled in return.
“And I heard he was all lovey-dovey with Joanne at the party; you’re one lucky lady, Jo,” Aneesa beamed at me, and I beamed back.
“Marry him already to lock that man around your fingers before he gets stolen!” Ruby chimed in aggressively, and giggles passed around the table.
Through everyone’s laughter, you could tell who actually found Ruby’s word funny and who was secretly mad behind the smiles and laughter.
Anne didn’t even try to hide how mad she was.
Ruby and Chloe looked mad, as I could tell, despite their laughs being the loudest.
“Well, Hardy is always this way… You know. Should I let you ladies out on a secret?” Anne breathed out, getting comfortable in her seat.
Whatever she had in mind. I could tell it wasn’t any good; she looked like she was about to spit out a fire that was either going to make me or Hardy look bad.
We’ve been praised enough.
“Before Hardy ever got with Lisa… I-
I intentionally dropped the cup I had picked up, cutting Anne off and getting everyone’s attention on me.
“Oh Goodness!” I gasped, internally congratulating myself for pulling my incident off perfectly.
“I’m so sorry.” I started to apologise, pretending like I was about to cry.
“No, no, it’s okay,” Anne told me as I tried to reach for the pieces of ceramic on the floor. “Ophelia!” Anne yelled.
The young maid dashed out with a broom, falling at the scene, to clean up my mess.
“I’m so sorry,” I said again.
“It’s okay, Jo,” Aneesa nodded with an assuring gaze.
Anne still looked mad.
“I’ve been so clumsy, ever since I got pregnant with Hard-
I gasped at the exact same time as everyone else. Knowing my accidental slip of the tongue was purely intentional.
–