CHAPTER FORTY-SIX: THE PARTY 2

The party was going on as planned, without any issue out of place but, Anna was not happy when she saw Stuart with a stunning looking woman enter the hall. She couldn't take her eyes off hee since she came in with her hand on Stuart's arm. Anna felt little beside Ashley's beauty and class. She couldn't help thinking of what came to her mind that if Stuart had such a beautiful and classical lady like the one he came to the party with, why then the interest he was trying to show in her? Maybe he was only interested in bedding her after he knew of her having a child out of wedlock.

She there made up her mind to avoid Stuart like a plaque. But all the same, she felt a bit jealous that he should bring another woman to the party knowing fully well she was the party planner and her presence would definetely be felt. 'Have you ever given him a reason to think you two are together?' Her mind asked her.

'Oh shut up.' She muttered. 'Even at that, can't he fight for me?' She said while using her eyes to follow both Stuart and Ashley around.

'Who is your opponent here? You of course.' Her mind reminded her.

'But he has a girlfriend, thank God I never encouraged him, I would have been heart broken by now. Moreover, we are sea wide apart in class.' She said aloud.

'Consolation!' Her mind screamed at her. As she was about making a retort, she saw him approach his grandmother and she used that time to converse with her crew.

'Hey beautiful!' Luke called to Alistair who happened to look as if she came all by herself as Gary was running up and down.

She turned around to see Luke close to her. 'Hey Luke, are you just coming?' She asked with a big smile as she opened her arms for a hug.

'I needed to run some errands for Stuart.' He explained as he pecked her cheeks.

'I'm not seeing you with any woman.' She said looking around for a new face.

'I don't want excess luggage so I came to enjoy myself.' He gave her a sweet smile. 'Moreover, where are my guys?' He asked looking around for them.

'Since Gary dropped me here, he's been going up and down. You care for a drink?'

'Sure.' He picked a wine flute from the waiter passing in their front. 'I'll stay around you while waiting for anyone of them to come around.' He took that time to look around the venue of the party. 'This is a nice decoration and color combination. Olive green with sky blue. It makes the hall to look so serene.'

'You have eyes for colors?'

'Have you forgotten that one of my subsidiaries is entertainment in closure?'

'You're right, the colors are so blended and beautiful.'

There was silence while both sipped their drinks. 'By the way how is our napping Green going?'

'It's a bit complicated because from my investigations, Christsbel is pregnant so we need to tread carefully.'

'Christabel is truly pregnant? I was thinking it was a plot to trap George?'

'Until we know who fathers her child we just have to stay low.'

'Does George know about this?'

'I came to inform the team so that we can decide the next step of action.'

'Oh mine, how would Sheila take the news?'

'Now Alistair, the paternity of the baby has not yet been confirmed so don't jump into conclusion.'

'I'm sorry, maybe I'm allowing my emotions to get ahead of me. In actual fact, the wedding preparations and George's campaign took my mind off that woman. I need to be prepared so that the other journalists most especially those paid by Green would not meet us slumbering.'

'That's more like it because I have never been told the presence of any other man in her flat since the scandal.'

'What are you implying?'

'Nothing, I just want you to think deeper as a reknown journalist how to counter the accusation which I know in a day or two would be published in a newspaper.'

'What about those who visited her flat before George and those who did immediately after George? The scandal came out a month after George announced his official dating with Sheila.'

'That's a point you raised there but no one took the attendance of her visitors then.'

'The CCTV cameras would record them.'

'Dealing with a person like Green, you believe the recorded footages would still be available?' He scoffed.

''Ian Green is such a bastard!' She spat. 'So what do we do now?'

'We wait while we do our underground work.' He gulped the remaining of his drinks and put the glass on the tray of a passing waiter. 'I think I sighted Felix, I'll see you later.' He patted her back and left.

Sheila looked at George who was looking nervous and constantly wiping sweat from his forehead. She wanted to overlook his action and enjoy herself but she started feeling uneasy. 'Bunny boy are you alright?'

He looked at her and smiled. 'Sure honey, I'm okay.'

'You look so nervous, is there anything you need to tell me? This is the second time I'm asking you this this evening.'

'I'm good honey.'

'Or do you want us to leave?'

'We can't do that to Stuart, moreover grandma Donald would never forgive me if I left in the middle of her party.'

'If you say so.'

At that time, he sighted Luke talking to Felix. 'Honey, can you excuse me I want to say hello to Luke.'

'Sure George.' George left without noticing that Sheila called him George. She looked as he made his way to where Luke and Felix stood and wondered why would George leave to greet Luke all alone without her. At least she got along with him. Her uneasy feeling grew more as she believed that there was something they were all hiding from her. She drained her drink and followed her husband.

Gary eventually came to join Alistair and apologized to her for leaving her on her own for so long. 'Don't worry sweetheart, I know how busy you are.' She responded with a smile.

'Thank God you're an understanding woman.'

'And I know what has got you people worried?' She said giving her boyfriend a knowing look.

Gary looked sharply at her. 'Would you mind telling me what you mean?' She moved closer to him and whispered.

'Don't forget that I'm an investigating journalist, is it true Chrstabel is pregnant?'

'We came here to facilitate with grandma Donald and I intend enjoying myself to the fullest.' He held her hands. 'I'm yet to dance with you, would you do me the honour and dance with me babe?' Without waiting for her response, he led her to the dance floor.

Stuart drew Ashley to the dance floor and held her tightly knowing that Anna must be seeing them.

'Easy man, I'm not your girlfriend.'

'Come on Ashley, we need to convince her that you're my girlfriend.'

'If you make me look like your girlfriend then you're driving her away the more. You could have made me look as if I'm chasing you so as to make her jealous.'

'No I don't want to make her jealous but to regret her words.'

'You're too big for such game Stuart. If you want her to regret whatever she must have done, then you're either be nicer to her or avoid her.'

'And that's exactly what I'm doing. I want to forget about her.'

'Then, I'm not the best candidate for you. Find someone who may likely have interest in you to make you forget her.'

'I keep on thinking about her and I don't want to continue hurting any girl.'

'Then, confess your feelings for her and wait for her reaction.'

'She hates my guts.' He said sadly.

'You said she has a child already?'

'Yeah, she does?'

'How are you sure she is not trying to save herself from another heartbreak?'

'But I will not break her heart.'

'Then you need to prove to her and let her see how much you like her.'

'She never wants me around her even, she keeps her son away from me and it hurts.' He said pouting.

Ashley laughed at him as she punched his arm playfully.

'Ouch! That hurts!' He said still pouting.

'You're such a kid Stuart.' She said laughing.

'Are you really laughing at me?'

She stopped laughing and looked at him amusedly. 'You know what Stuart, fight for her and she will become yours.'

'You know I've never chased a girl before.'

'The more reason you should chase this one for a change. Just be persistent and patient with her. With time she will come around, if she feels jealous of me, then she likes you and that's a green light for you.'

'Thank you my best girlfriend. What would I do without you?'

'Absolutely nothing, dummy.'

'Ouch, that's harsh.' Both of them burst into laughter.

This did not go unnoticed by Anna. She decided not to look at Stuart and his girlfriend till the party ended if not she would find herself crying. But could she succeeded in doing that?

'Luke, you made it.' George said giving Luke a buddy hug.

'Yeah man and how are you?' He responded tapping him on his back.

'I'm good guy. Where is your date?'

'I came alone maybe I could catch some willing babes.' He joked.

'Just look around and you'd find it difficult to be able to make a choice.' He joked.

'I'll surely get one before the party ends. Where is Stuart, I have a gift for the celebrant.'

'I'll take you to her and do the proper introduction. She is always inquisitive on what goes on in Stuart's friend's lives so we all call her grandma Donald. Also, don't joke that you're looking for a girl because she would fix you up with one.' George said with fake seriousness.

'You're joking right?' Luke asked trying not to laugh.

'Do I look like I'm joking?' Both of them burst into laughter.

'Hello Sheila.' Luke said as he saw her near them.

'Hi Luke, it's so good to see you.' She gave her cheek to him for a peck.

'You're looking radiant as always.' He complimented her.

'You're looking so good yourself.'

'Thanks.'

She turned to George. 'Why didn't you wait for me to come and greet Luke?'

'I'm sorry honey, it escaped my mind. I'm still learning to get used to being married.'

She rolled her eyes while Luke and Felix laughed at George.