CHAPTER 45: WHAT IF I DON’T?
They were totally back to square one!
The first set up when Jade moved in to Marcus' house suddenly started. The man ignoring her and her taking the bus to work and going home. He's been ignoring her at the office either.
Rachelle had been constantly visiting the office too. And flaunting how they go out together upset Jade so much.
"Jasmine, are you free tonight?" She called her best friend as soon as Rachelle and Marcus left the office hand in hand.
"I'll be out by 8pm. Why?"
"Wanna drink with me? It's Friday."
"If you can wait for me then sure why not."
"Yes, I will. Zion will come too." She teased.
"I'll be out by seven!" Jasmine hanged up and continued doing the paper works assigned to her.
Well, she won't miss seeing Zion again! She giggled when the man's handsome face popped into her mind. She was prettily smitten by him the first time Jade introduced the man to her. However, she halted for a second when the thought of Jade calling her for a drink crossed her mind.
"What's gotten into her?" She furrowed her brows since this was the first time she invited her to drink.
Jade's original plan was to drink until she passed out so going to a bar with her trusted friends would be fun. However, Zion refused and invited them for dinner at a fine restaurant instead. Still, Jade can drink there until she would be satisfied.
"Reservation under Zion Harley." He replied when the host greeted them.
"This way, sir." The host showed them their table before handing them the menu.
"I made a reservation here as soon as you disconnected the call. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner that I don't usually go to clubs." Zion explained.
"It's okay. I don't either." She nonchalantly replied while looking at the menu.
"Then why do you wanna go there?" Zion raised his brow as he looked at the woman who was checking on the menu.
The woman sighed. "Well, I just feel like drinking today."
"I bet you're not in good terms with your husband again." He muttered knowingly.
"Are you a fortune teller or a mind reader?" She joked before checking on her ringing phone. She just got a message from Jasmine that she would be late for a few minutes.
"I'm a doctor who took up behavioral psychology in college."
"Okay, you win, Dr. Harley." She chuckled when her eyes suddenly caught some familiar figures at the veranda table. She blinked many times in case she was hallucinating, but she was not.
She could see Marcus talking with an old man. Was it a client? How come she didn't see it on Marcus' schedule? She was thinking when she spotted a woman nearing their table.
Rachelle? Why are they together? Sadness was painted all over her face.
"Jade, are alright?" Zion tapped the daze woman whose eyes were somewhere else. When he didn't hear any response, he followed her eyes and saw Marcus and Rachelle together. And they were talking to an old man who looked like his... Grandfather? He furrowed his brow.
"Hey.�� He shook the woman once again.
"Z-zion… A-are you saying something?" She finally snapped out.
"Do you want to greet them?" His eyes looked at the people at the veranda one more time.
"No! definitely not. They are in a business meeting so why mess it up?"
"We won't ruin their meeting. The old man was my grandfather." He chuckled.
"You can go if you want but I'll stay here. We are not in good terms right now." She lowered her head and checked on the menu once again.
"I'll just say hi to my grandpa, okay?" Zion smirked as he stood up and went at the veranda.
"Hey, Grandpa." Zion tapped the old man's back.
"Zion? What are you here?" The old man asked when he got a glimpsed of his smiling grandson. "Come and join us. I'll introduce you to Mr. Hanes."
"It's okay grandpa, we already know each other. Besides, I'm here with my friends."
"Your friends?" The old man's tone was seemingly taunting the man.
He chuckled. "Grandpa, believe me it��s not what you think. Anyway, call me if your done so I can send you home."
"There's no need for you to do that, Zenia will be here any minute now."
"Oh, okay. Then please excuse me." He kowtowed and left.
As for Marcus, his eyes were following the man until he reached a certain table inside. Seeing who his companion was suddenly upset him.
"Oh, what did I miss?" Rachelle sat on the chair beside Marcus after a fan asked her for a photo together just a while ago.
"Nothing much. Just my grandson dropping by to say hi." The old man beamed but he was quick to notice Marcus glancing at a specific corner from time to time. Following his eyes, he saw Zion along with a beautiful woman. Oh… He smirked meaningfully.
Marcus doesn't understand why but he was quite disturbed to watch Zion showing his teeth from time to time. And judging at how fast Jade drink her wine gave him the expression that the woman is already drunk.
'What is she possibly thinking?' Marcus irritatingly mumbled. It was almost a whisper therefore, no one heard what he said except him.
"Did you say something, babe?" Rachelle stared at him confused.
"No." He looked at the old man right away.
"Is something troubling you, Mr. Hanes? You don't look good." The old man uttered.
"No, I'm good. Sorry, I was just a little distracted. Please continue where you left off."
The old man continued discussing his business proposal and finally handed him a document.
"Please review these documents and if you deemed it beneficial for both parties, then please let me know."
"I will, Mr. Black." He smiled as he received the papers.
*************
She couldn't stop drinking.
As soon as Jasmine arrived at the restaurant, Jade excused herself and went to the restroom.
She must admit, she's a bit drunk. Or maybe not just a bit since she staggered her way to the rest room. She knew she has low alcohol tolerance but getting drunk to numb her aching heart when she saw Marcus dating another woman was quite effective.
"What do you think you're doing?" She heard a stern voice as soon as she got out. She lifted her gaze and saw the man of her dreams. Oh, seems like hallucinating once in a while is not that bad at all.
"Marcus, my handsome husband. Did you come to pick me up?" She was wiggling while walking towards him. Then she wrapped her hands around his torso.
"You're drunk, you should go home. Let me call the driver." He was about to reach his pocket when Jade held his hand.
"No. I don't want to. I don't wanna go home without you. We should go home together because we live together."
"I'm in a meeting with a client----"
"Ah, I forgot, you are on a date with your ex-girlfriend." The woman broke away. "Fine, I won't disturb you. I'll just go home all by myself---"
"Jade!" Zion called out and rushed to where the woman was. "You're drunk. Let me take you home." He held her arm but Marcus stopped him.
"Let her go." His tone came as a threat. ���I'll take my wife home."
"Mr. Hanes, I think you have forgotten that you are with someone else right now. Wouldn't it be rude to leave your date?"
"That's none of your business. So why don't you let go of my wife?"
Zion met the man's stern gaze and match it with his. "And what if I don't?"