CHAPTER 1

THREE YEARS AGO

"Once again the author of Heavenly tears Black Rose has taken us to another level and won the Diamond Literal award. No one knows who this author is but over and over again Black Rose kept on keeping us on our toes with more fascinating and well written novels. Congratulations once more to Black Rose and as a reminder I would like to point one thing to every person out there who wants to get into this field that you can all do it. Black Rose has acquired the tenth award ever since the author's first novel Dark Romance was published. Whoever you are, keep on doing your best."

Jasper smiled as he watched the e-news, he was a hard fan for Black Rose. He had read all of Black Rose's novels and they were all superb. He only had one wish and that was to meet his idol, if only someone could do this for him then he was willing to even trade his popularity for just a chance at this.

'I can tell that you are all smiles, did she won another award?' his mother asked as she sat down on the couch.

'Mom, why do you always insist that Black Rose is a woman?' he asked his mother.

'It's my intuition, I guess but whoever it is. I'm very proud. And thanks to Black Rose, I get to see my own son all the time on TV,' his mother said and he smiled at her.

'I should thank you for that. If you had not agreed back then to follow that woman, I wouldn't be like this.'

'You have always been photogenic and it wouldn't hurt for you to do something for yourself. I know how much you have always loved this ever since you were a child. I didn't want to deny you of your dream.'

'Thank you for believing in me mom,' he thanked his mother with a smile.

'Thank you for being here with me. I don't get to spend much time with you because of your schedule,' his mother complained.

'I am here, aren't I?'

'I'm happy now. So will you spending your off days here?' she asked him.

'Unless you want to send me away, I will be here to spend some quality time with you,' he told her.

'Aren't you supposed to be out there dating just like any other man of your age is doing?' she changed the topic to one he was sensitive about.

'Mom, I told you that I am not ready for this. When I am ready I will get you a daughter in law, I promise,' he said looking at his mother.

'How can I just sit down and not worry? Not even once had there been a scandal of you. Do you know how hard I wish to hear a scandal of you with just any girl? My son, you aren't possibly gay right?' his mother asked him and he choked.

'Mom, stop it. How can you think about me in such a way?' he answered with another question, shocked to hear what his mother had been thinking about all this while.

'I am just curious. You are my son and yet for the last twenty two years, I have never seen you with a girl except for those that are your colleagues. You are my son and if your sexual preference is male then I can just make peace with it. You have to tell me now,' his mother sounded worried and he felt bad that all this while, his mom had been keeping it in having such hilarious thought in her head.

'I love girls' mom. It's just that I haven't met the one at the moment,' he confessed.

'You know son, it doesn't mean that you have to date a girl and just marry her at once. You can just date one for now and in the future marry the one you love,' his mother made a suggestion and he laughed seeing how cunning it was.

'I wouldn't want to hurt anyone's feelings but I promise you that once I find her, I will personally come and show you. I want my heart to belong to one person,' he told her.

'I hope you won't get hurt in the process, my child.'

'I promise you that I will protect myself and not get hurt.'

'If that is what you want then I will wait for you,' she told him with a smile.

'I won't disappoint you,' he told her.

He had made a great choice by deciding to stay with his mother especially after finishing the drama project he was on. He was an actor and a model. He had always wanted to become an actor when he was young. Even though he didn't start as an actor, he began as a child model. He was just eight years old when he was scouted into the agency he still had a contract with. They saw his potential and made us of it. With time, he debuted as a child actor and ever since then he never stopped. It was hard managing his career and studies at the same time but he did it. He graduated the previous year and he was done with school. Now he was just focusing on his career and thanks to Black Rose's novels, his career was doing great.

Black Rose's last book the Heavenly tears was adapted into a drama and he got casted as the main lead. It was one project that made him tear up even as he acted it. Now that the project was over, he got some time off to rest since the project had taken eight months of his time just to make sure it ended perfectly. The drama was still being aired on TV and to him it felt weird seeing himself in a dram with his mother by his side. His mother was his hugest fan and he was grateful for that.

The stress from work and all that makes him to have fewer friends. Sometimes all he would want to do is just get into bed and sleep. Once work resumes then he will be so busy that he will get to sleep only two hours every day. He made a lot of money through all that but he just hoped that he will retire soon, marry a wife and spend his time with his family. He might be young but he made a fortune ever since he started this line of work.

He managed to buy his mother a house and a car, now he didn't have anything to worry about. After growing up with a single mother who suffered day and night to see him fed and clothed, all he wanted was just to give her a better life. As long as she was happy then he would have fulfilled his duties as a son. However the tissue of marrying was going to be very difficult. He couldn't put someone else in his heart because a year ago, he fell for someone. It was love at first sight, something he was embarrassed to talk about. It was his birthday when he saw her and that was also the last time he saw her again. If he could see her once more and put an end to all this then he would move on swiftly. If he finds someone else now, he would be just lying to himself and his partner. He didn't want his first relationship to start with lies.

'J, your phone is ringing,' his mother called out and he woke up from his day dream.

'I'm sorry I didn't hear it,' he said and stood up. He took his cell phone and went to the balcony to answer it. He didn't want to disturb his mother who was now busy watching a reality show.

'What is it?' he asked as soon as he picked up the cal.

'Is that the way you talk to someone you haven't seen for a while?' his manager asked on the other side.

'You were at my house yesterday, I thought you were going to take some rest too,' Jasper said.

'Fine, I know aunt will probably scold me but we have a situation right now.'

'What is it?'

'Our sponsor for the dram Heavenly Tears is throwing a banquet tomorrow and you should be there as the main lead of the drama,' his manager told him.

'Okay, I will attend. Just text me the time and dress code,' Jasper said.

'I will be there to pick you up at twelve. Just be ready,' his manager said.

'Okay I will. I will go back inside, mom is waiting.'

'Pass my greeting to her,' his manger said and Jasper hung up the call.

Jasper returned back into the living room and his mother looked at him as he sat down.

'Is something wrong?' she sounded worried as she asked him.

'No, everything is fine. I need to attend a banquet tomorrow, that's all,' he told her.

'It's just a banquet, cheer up and make sure to interact more with the ladies. I still don't believe that one lady out there will melt your heart,' his mother joked with him and he nodded.

'I will make sure that I do that,' he agreed to what his mother was saying.

He was going to use this time to have some fun and quality time with his mother and wait for the time of the banquet to arrive the following day.

...

'I was wondering why you had time to take me out today and it's just now that I am realizing that I am part of a huge conspiracy. So tell me, what do you want from me this time?' Emerald asked her best friend who was busy watching her as she gets her massage in the parlor.

'You know me so well, Emmie. How about you get done first and I will tell you all about it,' her friend Simon said.

'Okay,' she agreed and turned her head to the male masseuse and addressed him, 'I think I am done now.'

The masseuse left the room and she got up and put the robe on top of the towel that she had wrapped before laying down on the massage table.

'I will go and change, wait for me,' Emmie called out as she left for the changing room.

It didn't take her too much time to change back into the summer dress she was wearing when she came to the mall earlier. She joined Simon in the lounge and the two of them left the massage parlor for the boutique where Simon was leading her too.

'Aren't we done yet?' she asked as they entered the boutique.

'How can it be done when I haven't given you your present?' he answered with another question and she smiled at her friend.

'So what else have you got for me?' she asked.

'Take a look at this,' he said as his eyes stared in a certain direction. Emerald followed his gaze and she opened her mouth with amazement. What she was seeing was something extraordinary and something that only Simon could pull off.

'I really like this. When did you find this?' she asked as the sales lady brought the emerald green gown with her.

'I saw it the other day when I was checking over the mall and I knew this one was meant for you. I decided to get it for you,' he told her and she hugged him tightly.

'You know, I love you right!'

'I know that especially when I buy you presents,' he said jokingly.

'I'm glad that you don't forget. So can I change into it now?' she asked as she touched the gown.

'Yes, you can. How about you do that right now? I want to see if it fits.'

'I will do that now,' she said and was escorted to a V.I.P changing room by the shop attendant.

She undressed first before getting some help from the young lady who had came with her into the room. The dress was made for her, it fits perfectly and it hugs every curve that she had. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. She felt like royalty. A tiara was the only thing that was missing. As she was still in there, Simon came over and entered the room.

'Cant you I am changing?' she asked him.

'I can tell but knowing you, I know you were already done and besides do you want me to return this where I got them from?' he asked as he swing a pair of silver high heeled stilettos in front of her.

'You can make yourself comfortable dear,' she said as she offered him a seat and he smiled at her.

'You look gorgeous in that dear,' he complimented her and he gave her the shoes.

'Thank you.'

Emerald put the silver heels on and looked at herself for a while in the mirror.

'Thank you for all this, I really appreciate it,' she told her friend and he stood up and walked to where she was standing.

'It doesn't come for free,' he told her and she laughed.

'I know but still thanks.'

'You deserve so much Emmie. I'm glad you like it,' Simon said looking at her through the mirror.

She later changed back into her clothes and had her new ones packaged for her so that she may go back with them home.

After their visit at the mall, they both went to one restaurant which they both loved. It was a place they had been going to for years and the restaurant happens to be hers as well. Like any other time, they sat in their usual corner with a nice view of the city and the lights.

'It is more beautiful every time we come here,' Simon said as he looked through the glass.

'It is, that is one of the reasons why I bought this place in the first place,' Emerald said.

'You really do have a good choice when picking things. I still wonder why you refused to come and work for me,' Simon said and she looked at him.

'Don't act as if you don't know. My life is already busy as it is, I don't want to add more troubles to my plate,' she said as she sipped water from her glass.

'I respect you especially with all the wonderful work you have done. You are so famous and popular, why do you still keep on insisting on not showing yourself?' Simon asked her and she looked at him. She understood well what he was saying but it was better that way.

'I value my privacy more than anything; I would just be one business woman and a friend to this cold person in front of me than to make myself known. Let's have something to eat before I change my mind.'

'I wouldn't want you doing that,' he said with a smile.

They took their orders and chatted a lot about work and life while they waited for their food. When their food started coming, they could joke around about certain things and laugh. Emerald met Simon five years ago when she was very depressed. After her relationship turned so bad, she was so stressed that she went clubbing every night just to keep her mind off her worries. One day on her way home, she was so drunk that she was staggering in the road. She almost got hit by a car and the owner of that car was Simon. He scolded her a lot but in the end took her to the hospital. Ever since that day they started talking, he understood what was happening to her and he got her through of that bad situation.

'So, now that we are done with our meal, how about you tell me why you did all that?' Emerald asked.

'I nearly forgot that I didn't tell you. Tomorrow, I am hosting a banquet and I want you to be my plus one,' he finally told her the truth.

'What are we celebrating this time?' she asked.

'You know the recent drama Heavenly Tears was a huge hit and I just wanted everyone to celebrate it with me and we both know that if it wasn't for you, this would be impossible,' Simon said.

'There is no need to flatter me like that but I wouldn't miss this for the world. It's high time I get to see the actors and actresses that made this drama so famous like that,' she said as she sipped her white wine.

'It's a good choice. I bet many faces will be happy to see you,' Simon said.

'Your mother will be the first one. Not everyone knows who I really am so I am safe. What time is the banquet?'

'It will start at around six in the evening. I will come and pick you up at five,' he said.

'Okay, I will be ready for you by then and I will make sure to wear this lovely gown you bought for me today,' she said with a smile.

'I will be honored if you do Emmie.'

She was so happy to be spending her time with her friend like this. The two of them were busy people and sometimes it was so hard for the tow of them to spend a lot of time together like they did today. At least for now she wasn't so busy since she finished her last big project. She still had time before she had to start on a new one.

'It's getting late, let me drive you home,' Simon aid as he stood up.

'As if you want to take me home; why don't you just be honest that you can't wait to go and see that lover f yours?'

'Come on Emmie. Don't say it out loud,' Simon hushed her and she closed her mouth.

'I want to see my lover okay. So let me drop you home now,' Simon said.

'Okay, just pass my greetings and tell your lover that tomorrow if he doesn't come and talk to me, I will make sure that he pays for it tenfold,' Emerald made a threat and Simon looked flustered upon hearing that.

'I will make sure he does that. I wouldn't want to miss him or have him gone simply because he offended you,' Simon said as he helped her to get up.

'That's a wise choice my dear friend, now take me home.'

Emerald followed Simon out after Simon paid for the bill. He opened the door for her and she got inside before Simon followed her too. Once they were all settled, the driver took the two of them back to her home. She felt happy as she saw the car approaching the huge gate to her house.

'You can just drop me out here,' she said.

'But..'

'You have to go and besides I am home already and there is security,' she said showing him the cameras.

'Okay, take care of yourself and I will call you tomorrow,' he said and she kissed both of his cheeks before closing the door.

She walked towards the gate which opened automatically. She waved goodbye to her friend and walked inside her yard.

It was a long day but a very paying one. She had spent some quality time with her friend and at the same time, got an addition to her wardrobe.

'Good evening Ms Rose,' her security guard said as she came to the door.

'Good evening Jack. How was your day?' she asked as she unlocked the door.

'The day was fine, thank you for asking. Portia already left for the day,' Jack told her.

'Okay, thanks. Good night, it's been a long day,' she said as she entered inside.

'Goodnight.'

She smiled as she locked her door. Jack had been working for her for a couple of years now. He was a loyal man and a friend. He stayed with her in his own quarters, he didn't have a lot of relatives in the city and since she admired his expertise she took him in and gave him a job. He found himself a woman whom he loved and married and now they were expecting their first child together and she was happy for them. She must be sleeping since it was late. Even though Jack was her employee, his wife wasn't.

She placed her clothes nicely in the closet before changing her clothes for some fresh nightwear. She drank a glass of water first before she crawled into her bed. It felt so good to feel these silky sheets of hers once more.

It was going to be another long day tomorrow and she needed all the rest she needed and she had a face she wanted to see so closely. Who could blame her for being a huge fan?