17 "People Change...."

Ann opened the door and got off the car immediately after the driver parked the car opposite Mrs. Shu's restaurant.

Zoe followed closely behind her curiously, "How do you know a place like this?" She asked her sister with a distasteful look as they entered the restaurant.

Grace, who had been serving a guest, saw them coming into the restaurant from the corner of her eyes and shot Ann a glare.

"What's the meaning of this nonsense?" She asked Ann when she walked up to their table.

"Hey! Watch your tongue. Don't speak to my elder sister in that manner," Zoe scolded her with a mean look making Grace eye Ann angrily.

"You shouldn't talk to your elders in that manner," Grace scolded Zoe.

"Who are you to talk to me in this manner?" Zoe retorted.

"Zee, you really shouldn't be so rude to your elders," Ann said to Zoe, giving her a stern look.

"Zee? What sort of an awful name is that?" Grace asked distastefully, making Zoe and Ann glare at her without responding to her question.

"I'm sorry, sis, but you taught me to be this way. I guess your accident has made you forget all about it. But I just couldn't stand you being disrespected," Zoe said apologetically.

Ann simply gave Grace a pointed look and then patted Zoe's arm. "I'm sorry your elder sister has been such a poor example. I'll do better," Ann said, smiling at Zoe.

"So when is your personal assistant joining us? I can't wait to meet this person," Zoe said with a smile as she completely ignored Grace, who was giving her a sad look.

"You've met her already. Ann meet my younger sister Zoe, but I love to call her Zee. Zee, meet my personal assistant Ann," Ann said, introducing both sisters to each other.

"I don't like her," Zoe said bluntly, eyeing Grace.

"It's a good thing she is working for me and not you," Ann said with a pleasant smile.

"Can we talk outside for a second?" Grace asked Ann.

"Sure. Excuse us, Zee. You can order for something nice if you like," Ann suggested.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Grace told Zoe with a snort as she led Ann outside.

"What the heck do you think you're doing with my sister?" Grace asked angrily.

"You mean my sister?" Ann asked with a pleasant smile. She was beginning to get the hang of it, especially now that she had told Chairman Jiang the truth and was no longer scared of exposure or being called an imposter.

"What has gotten into you? Why are you suddenly so bold?" Grace asked, giving her a weird look.

"Now you listen. I'm doing you a favor by employing you, so you better behave yourself. I don't want you being rude to anyone around me," Ann said and turned to leave.

"Why are you calling my sister Zee?" Grace asked through gritted teeth.

"My sister. How many times do I have to tell you that?" Ann asked.

"Are you being delusional right now?" Grace asked with a frown. Did something go wrong with her brain? Why was she suddenly sounding so crazy? Grace wondered.

"By the way, have you told Mrs. Shu and Sara that you just got a job and you're leaving?" Ann asked.

"No. Why do I have to?" Grace asked, eyeing her curiously as she wondered what was going on in Ann's head.

"Because they're your guardians. If you don't get her permission, you're not coming with me," Ann said and walked back inside to join Zoe.

"You have ten minutes to do that," Ann told Grace as she walked past the table.

Grace gritted her as she walked up to Mrs. Shu and told her she had just gotten a job offer. She pointed at Ann to indicate her new boss.

Mrs. Shu walked up to Ann. "Ann says you just offered her a job as your personal assistant," Mrs. Shu asked her.

"Yes, ma'am. That's if you don't mind, though. I think she is full of potential and will really be useful to me," Ann said with a small smile.

"She was involved in an accident recently, and I'm not sure she is sound enough to work, though," Mrs. Shu said, giving her a concerned look.

"I'm fine. You have nothing to worry about. I can go with her," Grace said reassuringly.

"Don't worry, ma'am. I'll take good care of her," Ann said, trying to calm Mrs. Shu down.

"You'll have to say goodbye to Sara, but she isn't here right now. Can't you wait? She'll be really sad if you leave without saying goodbye," Mrs. Shu said.

"I'm just moving somewhere else; it's not like I'm about to... ouch!" Ann pinched Grace's leg before she could finish the statement.

"I'm sure she will be happy to wait and say goodbye to Sara before leaving. Won't you, darling?" Ann asked, giving her a look that dared her to say otherwise.

"Yes. I'll wait," Grace said through gritted teeth as she shot a glare at Ann.

"I don't like her!" Zoe muttered beside Ann.

**********

"Your fiancee called while you were at the meeting," Tae-joon's personal assistant informed him immediately after the meeting was over.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" He asked with a frown as he quickly took the phone and dialed her number.

"Hello," Ann greeted cheerfully when she received the call.

"I'm sorry I wasn't available when you called. How're you?" Tae-Joon asked in a concerned manner.

"I'm okay, I wanted to discuss something with you, but I can't right now. I'm with company," Ann said, referring to Grace and Zoe.

"Okay. Will you like to, uhm, maybe go out with me later?" Tae-Joon asked.

"Absolutely. I'll really love that," Ann said with a wide smile.

"Okay then, I'll pick you up later," Tae-Joon said before disconnecting the call. He hadn't planned to ask her out on a date... So what had come over him? He wondered.

"You've really cozied up to him. Didn't you say you'd rather marry a real pig than that obnoxious swine?" Zoe asked her with a teasing smile.

"People change, you know. Right, Grace?" Ann asked with a small smile.

"They sure do," Grace responded with a tight smile. She was still trying to figure out what had prompted this change in Ann.