CHAPTER TWELVE
"Hello ma'am, have you made a reservation?"
Jordyn and I looked at each other with amusing expressions, then turned to the short man in a black suit standing at the door. We shook our heads to indicate that we hadn't made a reservation.
"Unfortunately, I can't let you in without a reservation. Please come back after you've made one," he said smugly and continued to stare at the other side.
"Can't you let us in just this once?" Jordyn pleaded in a tone I hadn't expected from her.
The man remained silent, maintaining his unwavering gaze elsewhere. Defeated, we turned around and left, our spirits deflated.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a black car not far from the building. "Look, that's Pierce's car," I pointed it out to Jordyn. We exchanged glances, and a glimmer of hope remained.
Following Jordyn's suggestion, I let her take me to the location depicted in the photo. I didn't hold high expectations of finding Pierce there, but seeing his car in the vicinity gave me a glimmer of hope.
"Since we can't get in, we'll have to wait for them to come out," Jordyn proposed, a mischievous smile forming on her face.
"Good plan," I nodded in agreement.
This decision would prove more eventful than we anticipated.
We waited for what felt like an eternity, but there was no sign of Pierce or Johanna. I was convinced it was Pierce's car, but my doubts began to creep in. What were they doing inside? And why had Pierce been so secretive about this meeting?
We hid behind a white car parked next to Pierce's vehicle, peeking out occasionally in hopes of spotting them.
"Are you sure that's his car?" Jordyn inquired, her voice betraying fatigue. I, however, was not ready to give up, not yet.
"I'm sure, Jordyn. It's his car," I insisted, shooting a glance towards his vehicle. "By the way, you were the one who suggested this."
"I am—"
"Shh." I hastily pulled Jordyn behind the car as I saw Pierce and Johanna exiting the restaurant.
"They're coming this way," I whispered to Jordyn.
Johanna's eyes sparkled with excitement, and she tried to get a better look. However, I held her back, not wanting to risk them spotting us.
As they approached, I could hardly contain my anticipation. Johanna was in a red dress, and Pierce wore his typical plain suit. His expression appeared neutral, while Johanna sported a happy smile.
"Find your way from here. We'll meet at the venue," Pierce coldly said to Johanna as they paused near their vehicles.
"I didn't bring my car today. How about giving me a ride?" Johanna asked, her tone dripping with seduction. It was clear she had left her car behind intentionally.
My desire to support women's empowerment waned at that moment. I couldn't help but feel a surge of jealousy.
Pierce sighed, "No, Johanna."
For some reason, this rejection made me smile. But Jordyn snapped me out of my daydreaming with a nudge.
"Remember, you owe me, Pierce," Johanna said with a sly grin. I was consumed by curiosity – what exactly did Pierce owe her?
Suddenly, the car that had been our cover started to move, taking us by surprise and causing us to fall to the ground. In the commotion, Pierce made a hasty exit, leaving Jordyn and me on the dirty ground.
"Aurora?" Pierce stared at me in disbelief.
Johanna also appeared equally surprised. She pointed to Jordyn, saying, "Why does she look a bit familiar?"
Pierce's expression quickly shifted from astonishment to anger. "Why are you here, Aurora?" It was evident that he was not pleased to see me.
I got up, defiant. "Is there any reason why I shouldn't be here?"
"Did you follow me?"
"No," I denied.
"Then why are you—"
"Because you wouldn't tell me anything, Pierce!" I shouted, my words creating an awkward moment as Johanna seemed to find the situation amusing.
Pierce's expression softened. "Can we talk about this later?"
"When is 'later'?"
"I'm sorry, Aurora. I have to take care of urgent matters. I'll see you when I get home."
"Pierce!"
Ignoring my plea, he got into the car. Johanna was already in the front seat, waiting with a triumphant smile. They sped away, leaving Jordyn and me behind.
I felt a consoling hand on my shoulder as I struggled to hold back tears. "It's okay," Jordyn comforted me.
Jordyn insisted that I spend the night at her house, but I refused. I needed to hear Pierce's explanation, to understand what he owed Johanna, and to decide if our relationship could endure these challenges.
I glanced at my phone:
11:56 p.m.
I stared at the time anxiously. He had promised to be home tonight and provide an explanation. He hadn't answered my calls or messages, and Barbara had stopped spamming me. I was left in the dark about their whereabouts, what they were doing, and if they were together. I felt like I was losing my grip on reality.
I stayed up all night, but he never came home.
The following morning, I awoke in the chair, my back aching. I reached for my phone with hope, but there were no notifications, not even from Barbara. Her silence only added to my anxiety.
Uncertain about my work situation and my life's direction, I decided to watch TV. It was the only distraction I had from my chaotic life.
I grabbed the remote and collapsed onto the couch, attempting to escape reality, even if just for a short while.
The TV turned on, and I sat up in terror as the screen displayed Pierce's car in ruins. A blonde reporter held a microphone next to the wreckage.
"Popular billionaire Pierce Vegas was involved in an accident on his way home yesterday, accompanied by the Vice President's daughter, Johanna. Both of them were injured and immediately taken to the hospital for treatment. We'll provide more information as it becomes available."
Panicking, I grabbed my phone and dialed one of Barbara's spam lines, hoping she would answer.
"I see you must have heard the news," Barbara said as she picked up.
Furious, I exclaimed, "And none of you thought it would be a good idea to let me know?"
"Who are you? We don't know who you are."
I was about to argue when I remembered why I had called in the first place.
"What hospital is he in?"
Barbara laughed, "You must be quite naive to think I'd tell you that."
I swallowed my pride. "Please, I need to see him, to find out how he is. I just need to know he's okay."
"That's sweet, but it's still a 'no' from me. I don't think my parents want you here either. I assure you, Pierce is fine. Your presence is not welcome."
With that, she abruptly ended the call.
I gripped my phone tightly, fighting the urge to throw it to the floor. Anger and frustration welled up within me. I had been left in the dark about Pierce's condition, and I didn't know where he was or what had happened. My knees gave way, and I sank to the ground, burying my face in my hands as tears flowed uncontrollably.
The doorbell rang.
Startled, I hurriedly rose from the floor and rushed downstairs. I expected to see Pierce, but instead, I found his father at the door.
It seemed to be a recurring theme that people in Pierce's life showed up unannounced. I was too stunned to speak, so I simply stepped aside to let him enter, which he did without a word.
"How are you, Aurora?" he asked as he entered the living room.
"Not very good," I admitted, my emotions still running high. "How is he?"
His gaze flickered for a brief moment. "Pierce is fine."
The way he said it made me doubt the truth of his words, but I desperately wanted to believe that Pierce was truly okay. However, a nagging thought lingered – if Pierce was awake and well, shouldn't he want to see me? His father appeared to be holding something back, and there was something unspoken in the air.
"Aurora..." He trailed off and I braced myself.