Mabel Hargreaves sat in her study at the Hargreaves family home. It was formerly her dead husband's. Her blue eyes skimmed through the reports her agents had collated on Asher Evans.She'd suspected something was amiss when Asher suddenly declared himself Joan's fiance at the emergency meeting. She didn't believe for a moment the pair were engaged. Before her father's death, on rare occasions, she and Abraham talked Joan had never made the mistake of informing him she was dating. Maybe Joan and her father's relationship had become so strained, but would she get engaged and not tell her father? She also pondered how they could've been engaged when Joan was in Washington for the past six years. She hadn't even come home once. She was only in New York right now because of her father's death. At the emergency meeting, the pair looked more like strangers than lovers, and importantly she had not spotted an engagement ring on Joan's finger. However, rumors had started spreading, and they'v
Joan sighed as her amber eyes gazed back at her from the depths of her dresser mirror. She was dressed in a silky pink dress.She wasn't sure she wanted to go to dinner considering what happened earlier in the day. Would Asher be present, would he be in the right mind to come?"You look just like her," Francesca said from the doorway."Oh! you scared me, what are you doing sneaking up on me like that." Joan was startled by her aunt's sudden appearance."You look so beautiful," Francesca blurts out. It seems with every day that passes, Joan looked more like her mother."Why, thank you, ma'am," Joan said with a chirpy tone. It felt good that someone as pretty as Francesca considered her beautiful."Shall I let you in on a secret?" Francesca asked conspiratorially."Of course, spill your guts." "When I was a girl I was jealous of your mother's looks. Lauren had the most gorgeous eyes. Beautiful fiery locks and a so perfect smile."Joan felt pangs of sadness hit her as Francesca said her
"So... uh... I wanted to ask what your relationship with your uncle is like. What's his deal with my family's company, and why did you hide me from him in such a manner?" The questions she blurted out have been on her mind since Nolan's visit in the afternoon. They'd stemmed from Asher's conversation with his uncle that she heard while hiding. She became curious about them and made sure to remember them. Yet she felt she's missed something important.Asher's breath became shaky as he sighed. He'd expected Joan to ask questions after his uncle's visit. But he didn't expect it would be so soon, he hoped he would have until the next day."And why should I answer any of your questions?" Asher asked, trying to circumvent Joan's inquiries."I told you that I'd like to know you, remember? And you agreed to it. This is me getting to know you." Joan said simply, she couldn't think of anything else to say.Asher's lips curled in frustration. He was impressed and at the same time irritated, he
Joan read through the article multiple times. She could see the details in the finely written art of deceit that was the tabloid article about her and her family.It seems her stepmother had pulled out all the stops for this article. But to what end, just to humiliate her, or is Mabel planning something bigger?Whatever Mabel was scheming Joan knew she couldn't bear to lose to her stepmother."How could they say such awful things about me? They don't even know me," Joan laments referring to the various comments from netizens. Most of them were either cursing at her or directing hate-fueled words at her."You shouldn't let such things get to you," Francesca said fuming. She was angry that she hadn't been successful in keeping this from Joan. "I've called the Dailypost and asked them to take down the article, but they refused. They told me they will contact you soon, so you can tell your side of the story."Joan became enlivened as Francesca spoke. She would fancy the opportunity to def
Jackson expertly treads across the familiar floors of Grey's lounge. His destination was the bar where Asher awaits him. He and Asher have shared quite a history at the upscale lounge. It's where they'd sealed their first business deal at the start of their partnership.Back then they were young and reckless, Jackson more so than Asher. Asher has always been a bit of a sad lone wolf. However the situation of Emily's death and his accident made him a total recluse, he became distrustful of other people. For a long time after the accident, he believed someone was coming for him and so he built up walls around him. Asher's movement has remained the same since then. He comes to work in the morning and then goes back to a lonely apartment in the evening. His only contact with society remains with Jackson and the women he has shared congress with. The only reason Asher would socialize is for a realization of his set goals, which he is quite strangely proficient at. "Drinking during an eme
The Nouveau-Riche RomanceChapter Twenty"Oh! That looks wonderful on you," Kathy said cheerily as she examined Joan dressed in a long green-colored dress. The pair were picking out dresses at Alice house. Alice house is a luxury brand that caters exclusively to women's garment needs, they are also quite expensive. When Kathy invited Joan to an afternoon shopping spree she didn't hesitate to accept. It did help when Kathy assured her that all costs would be covered. The payment for anything she buys however would be Joan's presence and some quality time with Kathy. Joan surmised Kathy invited her to distract her from the ordeal she's experienced the past couple of days.It has been four days since Joan's article was released and some really strange occurrences have happened since then.It all started the morning after the articles were published. Brenda Fischer the journalist that was hell-bent on destroying her renounced and deleted her writing. She also quit her job, publicly apolo
It was late afternoon when Joan finished her outing with Kathy. Taking note of Kathy's urgency concerning the Cooper party Joan decided to quite literally, drop in on Asher. She hoped to catch him in the office. It seems that Asher's office is the default location whenever they meet. She still had no idea what to do with the pictures Mabel sent to her. She wasn't sure what her next course of action should be. Joan decided she wouldn't talk about the pictures with Asher just yet. With that in mind, she convinced herself that her visit to Asher wouldn't be a social call. She would just be meeting him to fulfill one of the terms of their contract. That was what she had in mind as she entered Maven enterprise. Her ears picked up a familiar voice and her sight instinctively zeroed in on a familiar figure where the voice came from. It was Asher standing just ahead of her, with his back towards her. Joan strolled forward approaching Asher from behind. Her amble abruptly stops as she go
Asher was peeved, Kathy had stolen Joan from his arms and had left him alone in the company of her young friends. While he knew Kathy took Joan to help ease her into socializing with other women in the room. It still rankled him that Joan was not by his side. He especially hates how the eyes of more than a few men followed Joan around the room.Kathy finally letting him stay in one place without the constant fraternizing from table to table gave Asher a chance to take in the room.There was no shortage of people seated at the tables, ingesting the fare before them. There were others to the side of the hall socializing with new acquaintances or catching up with old friends. Needless to say, there's a considerable amount of chatter floating around the room.Yet Asher found that to get the really important discourse you have to be around or at the bar. After all Imbibing on spirits always loosens the lips.And so here he was standing close to the bar in a conversation with the group Kat