Chapitre 74: Chapter 74: Paige's Past
"Very well." Fiona replied standing up from the seat. She hurriedly walked away from him holding back the tears that were threatening to fall.
Just as the conversation was going on, Paige walked into the hall holding Franklin Tedson by the arm and smiling warmly to the guests who occasionally stop them to speak with Frankie. She looked down the hall and caught a glimpse of a smiling Simon sitted with Fiona Ruben and both seemed to be in a very deep conversation. The first pang of jealousy hit her with great intensity that she looked away immediately. The next time she looked towards them, Simon was already staring at her with a glass of wine on his hand. Their eyes met. She looked to his side and noticed that Fiona was gone. "You didn't have to send your girlfriend away because of me." Paige murmured inwardly and flashed a cute smile when Frankie looked her way.
The Butler walked up to them and whispered to Frankie who nodded and pulled Paige along with him. "Easy Frankie, you're hurting me." She said walking so fast to meet up with him while attempting to release his hold on her with her other hand.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't notice." Frankie apologized releasing his hold on her. "A very important business associate called and they are on hold for me. I'll take you to stay with my parents while I quickly attend to him." He told her as he still maintained his walking pace irrespective of Paige's struggle to meet up with him. Simon watched them leave the hall and he heaved a sign of resignation.
"Brother." He heard someone call him from behind and he smiled knowing that it was his sister.
"Anna." He called turning back watching her walk up to him. "What are you doing here?" He asked standing up to hug his sister.
"I should be asking you that. The last time we spoke, you said you won't be coming and asked that I drop by after my business dinner." She reminded him.
"That was before I realized I wanted to come." He replied taking his seat.
"You mean before you realized that Paige was invited." She said smiling as she took a seat beside him. "I saw her with Frankie in the garden few minutes ago. Would you mind telling me what is going on?" She asked.
"Honestly, I don't even know. I have no idea. One minute we were good and the next minute, she started pushing me away. I mean, it felt like we've never smiled at each other before." He explained.
"Why? What did you say to her?" Anna asked giving him a suspicious glare.
"Nothing Na, absolutely nothing. Except that I was in love with her." He confessed.
Anna looked at the garden through the open hallway as people gathered round obviously listening to the celebrants talk. "Why come to the event If you have no intention of partaking in it." She said absent-mindedly. "Have she signed the contract?" She asked regaining her thoughts and shifting her attention to her brother.
"Yes, she did that two days ago." Simon replied sipping his wine.
"You didn't force her?"
"Why would I? Stop asking stupid questions that you already know the answer to Annabel. It's annoying." He said.
"I'm just surprise. Why would she willingly sign the contract If she doesn't like you that much." Said Anna.
"Because I have her family home and she want it back. That is the most important thing to her. I think she want to pay back everything she owe though." Simon told his sister.
"She's using Franklin." Anna said smiling. "She's a fool to think she can use Franklin. That guy is not so dumb and naive like he seem." She said. "Besides, she can't pay you back. The contract she signed doesn't permit that." Anna told her brother who stared at her in shock.
"What do you mean?" Simon asked.
"You heard me." She replied.
"You altered it?" He asked again.
"I had to." She started. "Paige is not so innocent like she seem. She did lots of things just to get by in school. I had to snoop and ask some questions when we went to Acubana. I visited a friend of her former roommate back in school. I posted one of the selfies I took with Paige on social media and she commented that she knew Paige. That girl out there is pretending so much that I wish I could ask her about the things I heard." Anna told Simon.
"Annabel, why dig into her past? It's called a past for a reason." Simon replied.
"You knew?" Anna asked in surprise.
"We all have an ugly past Na. She's moved past that now. She's no longer the same person." He told her.
"I doubt that Si. She might be a gold digger. She might be using you." She told her brother.
Simon shrugged taking a sip of his wine. "I'm using her as well to overcome my addiction. So, I'll feel better knowing that we're both using each other to achieve our heart desires. Her past is nothing. She did what she had to do to survive. Loosing your only parent and only financial block while in school can be hell. I can't judge a pain I've never experienced. We were born into wealth, so we don't really know exactly what poverty looks like. I see the less privilege everyday and I can only imagine what they go through. She tried seeing herself through school singlehandedly. She's a strong woman." He said.
Anna looked into space allowing everything her brother said to sink in. "Did she tell you?" She asked.
"No, she didn't." He replied.
"So what now?" You want to leave her with Franklin?"
"I can't force her to be with me. She's an adult. Any choice she make goes. Why did you alter the contract?"
"I was just looking out for you." Anna replied. "I'm sorry." She apologized knowing that Simon might get annoyed with her behavior.
"That's fine, I'll do something about it." He said.
"What?"
"It's nothing you should concern yourself with." He replied. I'll be at my ranch at Galvile from tomorrow." He told her.
"What? Why? What happened to the house? I'm bringing Emily home on Tuesday. She will love to see you once she gets back. What should I tell her if she ask of you?
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone