-JOANNE.
“Good morning, Joanne.” –
I opened my eyes to see Trinity staring at me and grinning from ear to ear.
It caused me to flinch.
She was so close to my face.
“Fuck!” I cursed and sat up. “That scared me!”
“That’s mean. I’m not that pretty like you, but at least I’m not that bad to scare someone,” Trinity added, and I scoffed.
She briefly glanced down at my body and cleared her throat.
I glanced down at my body, and I gasped and immediately pulled the blanket to cover my nudity.
“Since when do you sleep naked?” Trinity asked, picking up my shredded night dress and tossing it in the hamper in her hand.
“Trinity,” I called, and she laughed.
She picked up some parts of my shredded night dress and titled her head at it.
“Was there a tiger in here last night?” She teased and watched me roll my eyes.
“Look at you. You’re glowing!”
“Okay, Tri, please stop talking!” I scoffed, and she laughed-a genuinely happy laugh that filled the air. It caused me to smile too.
“Why do people always lie about the glow after sex? It’s not real,” I scoffed.
“So you did have sex with Hardy?” she gasped.
“Stop acting surprised. Like you didn’t see him running out this morning or whenever, you see everything.”
Trinity smiled, but her smile slowly faded. “Well, he stormed out of here by four a. m. this morning. He looked pissed and still reeked of expensive alcohol.
I smacked my lips. “Well, that was it. Is this how it’s going to be? Hardy ending up in my room after being drunk?”
Not that I was against it. I was just curious.
Last night wasn’t half bad.
It wasn’t bad at all.
I shamelessly enjoyed every dying minute of it. Begging Hardy to never stop.
My cheeks heated up just thinking about it.
“Let’s hope this is the last.” Trinity sighed. “I mean, it’s still Hardy.”
“The last?” I asked. “Does he look like he would stop drinking?”
Trinity nodded. “I overheard him cursing his personal bartender, Brandon, to stay away for now. So maybe you’re good for now. Hardy gets different when he drinks.”
I slowly nodded.
“What?” Trinity scoffed.
“What?” i retorted
“Why do you look like that? You’re looking like you actually don’t want Hardy to stop.”
Gosh, why is she so…
“What do you mean?” I scoffed, rolling my eyes for the hundredth time.
My cheeks heated up.
“Do you like Hardy ending up in your room after drinking?” Trinity’s voice was disgustingly playful and obnoxious.
“Please, I’m no different from a call girl to Hardy. So please, let’s change the topic.” I sighed.
“You’re way different than a call girl to Hardy Joanne.”
I shook my head. “I will be getting compensated for all these at the end. So basically, I’m being paid a huge amount of money for sex.”
I was surprised; I sounded a bit nonchalant. I didn’t know accepting my fate would come as easily as this.
“What call girl gets pregnant for their customers?” Trinity is looking horrified.
“With Bailey here, I’m basically a surrogate who’s getting paid for the baby and for getting fucked!” I slammed and tried not to laugh as Trinity shrieked at my words.
“You’re different,” she tried to say assuringly.
“Same thing.” I carefully came down from the bed and headed to the bathroom.
I got to the bathroom and hid my body behind the almost closed door, only sticking out my head.
Trinity was still staring at me, and I wanted one of those horrified expressions again, so I said.
“I’m only a high-level paid pregnant prostitute to Hardy, nothing again.”
Trinity gasped heavily, and I shut the door, laughing to myself.
Strangely, I was feeling good today.
***
I was eating brunch alone in the big, wide, and empty dining room, which I had suspected might be haunted sometimes, when a maid walked up to me with a white envelope in her hand.
“Miss Joanne… This came for you, and Trinity said to give it to you.” She rushed her words and carefully placed them in front of me.
Before I could make an attempt to speak, she dashed to her feet and disappeared into the hallways.
I paused and gawked around.
For me?
I picked up the envelope and stared at it for a while before opening it up and pulling out the white paper inside.
It was an invitation.
Because it had the word ‘invitation’ written boldly in gold above the paper.
Like a child learning how to read, I read the writing out loud.
“Good day, Mrs. Joanne. I, personally, am happy to invite you to my private gala at the grand castle in the city center. Which will hold at exactly 8:00 p. m. tomorrow and will feature a three-course dinner, entertainment, and an auction. I look forward to your presence. I hope to see you. Sincerely, Trevor Jones.”
And that was it.
I flipped the paper sideways to check for any other hidden writing, but there was nothing.
And who the heck was Mr. Jones?
Trevor jones?
The same Trevor Jones who celebrated his birthday?
I am trying not to question myself. I dropped the letter and finished my plate.
As I got on my feet, Trinity burst into the door, wearing an apron.
“You got a letter? A private letter from Trevor Jones?” Trinity gasped, swiping it off the table.
She looked way over the top excited.
“You already read it?” I asked.
“I recognized his label,” she said, pointing at a golden-lion-looking stamp on the envelope.
“How come you’re getting a private invitation from Trevor?” Trinity asked, a look of bewilderment on her soft features.
“I don’t know.” I shrugged.
She smacked her lips.
“How could you not know? Trevor Jones is the prime minister’s son. And aside from that, he has quite made a name for himself in this city, and he’s untouchable and quite respected. He and Hardy are two of those people above the pyramid, not even in it. Well, some news outlets still talk about how he’s still a puppet for his father, but that’s not what I’m trying to say. You got a freaking invitation from Trevor Jones?”
Trinity was talking fast, and it amused me a bit. I saw how childlike she was being over such a thing.
When she saw my befuddled expression, She took in a deep breath, and her tired lips pressed into a smile.
“Okay, look. Just understand that Trevor Jones is a big deal. And you getting your own invitation is something to be proud of; you made your cut with him. Did you ever speak to him? I mean, I get that he speaks to a lot of people. But he doesn’t just privately invite everyone to his party.”
I shrugged. “I kind of spoke to him at his birthday party, but it was a really brief conversation. So maybe he invited me because of Hardy. He is a big deal too, right?”
Trinity nodded. “Yeah, but like, if he wanted you there for presence’s sake, he would have just given Hardy his invitation, and it’s up to Hardy to bring his partner or not. But this time. He personally gave you your own private invitation, so it’s not up to Hardy to make your present! It’s up to you. You got personally invited.
“Okay, and a private invitation means I’m on his good side?”
I asked.
“It means you’re one with Trevor Jones.” Listen, these people Hardy rolls with are some of the nation’s wealthiest. If you want a better ribbon in your life, You have to stay connected to them.”
“But this isn’t even my life,” I scoffed. “Connected with who? When I give birth, Tri. It’s all over. I can’t make any friends here, and I shouldn’t. I can’t. I mean, they all hate me; it feels like everyone has something against Hardy, especially the ladies at the Ale-o house, but I can’t get attached to anyone here when I’m like a substitute fiancé; I’m Lisa’s replacement, no matter what I do here. It’s all going to end.”
Trinity looked disappointed, but she didn’t try to say anything.
So I continued. “And I don’t know why Mr. Prime Minister’s son personally gave me his invitation. But everything will be useless in the end. I just need myself when it all ends.”
Trinity nodded and brushed at her slicked-back bun.
“Well… I’ll head back to my room.” I nodded and walked away.
°°°
The next day, I spent my entire day with my doctor after almost puking around the entire mansion.
Since I got pregnant, I haven’t really witnessed any pregnancy symptoms. But today was entirely different. I wasn’t just puking; I felt like crap and actually wanted to die.
I got better around 3 p. m. and started moving around the house again.
Hardy knew about my sudden nausea but didn’t come out of his room to actually try to check up on me.
Such a prude.
–
It was around six p. m. when the maids ganged up on me and started to dress me up. As the head maid, Trinity had instructed them on what to fix me in. I said Hardy had let her do whatever was comfortable for me.
I was dressed in a simple black summer dress that was perfectly fitting my torso but wasn’t tight. It flowed around my thighs, and I was helped by a silver three-inch heel that didn’t feel any different from the floors; my neck held only a single diamond necklace and an exact pair of diamond earrings to match.
My hair was curled, and beautiful pins were fixed on it to unwaver some strands of hair.
***
Hardy and I left the mansion and went to Trevor’s, and it was weird; Hardy and I would never be on good terms. But tonight, Hardy was acting really weird.
Like I was totally invisible. Like actually invisible.
And he looked angry.
–