Chapter 33: Chapter 33

“Hey, Jessica, ain’t you gonna do anything about Annie taking over like this?” Selena asked.

“I hear ya, Jessica. Look at Jeremy now, all in a trance over that Annie. Can barely watch!” Yolanda echoed.

“That sneaky little fox, never knew she had it in her to be so crafty,” Selena seethed.

“You know, some folks, you think you got them figured out, but you never really do till you dig deeper. Who knows what lurks beneath?” Yolanda said.

Selena and Yolanda were laying it on thick about Annie in front of Jessica.

Surprisingly, when it came to Jeremy, Jessica didn’t bat an eye. She just raised her wine glass elegantly, gave it a swirl, and sly smile danced across her lips. “Let her have her fun for now. This might be her one shot.”

Selena and Yolanda shot each other puzzled looks.

Just then, a guy in his forties or fifties waltzed in through the door.

Jessica’s smile widened. “Mr. Quinton Chandler’s made an entrance.”

Back in the day, Brian, head of the Chandler family, was a real ladies‘ man. He had four sons and six daughters, with a slew of unknown kids out there. Only the first two sons were born outta wedlock. Quinton, the second son, was from Brian’s proper wife. Burned by a woman in his youth, Quinton sought payback through women later on. At first, young celebs and models would flock his way, oblivious to the truth because of his status. But soon, folks began steering clear of him. Everyone knew of his “adventures.”

Yolanda followed Jessica’s gaze with curiosity. “Hey Jessica, who’s that just walked in?”

Turning back, Jessica asked her, “Yolanda, do you reckon Annie, a country bumpkin, is aiming too high by trying to snag Mr. Quinton Chandler?”

“Jessica, you wouldn’t be suggesting…” Yolanda caught the drift and shivered. Jessica was indeed ice–cold; that move could lead to a bloodbath.

*****

Annie stood right by the banquet hall entrance, taking up the prime real estate. When she heard the call for “Mr. Quinton Chandler,” her eyes shot up, fixating on that sharp and stern face fists clenched tight. Finally, he’d shown up.

Once Quinton strolled into the hall, his eyes fixated on a striking silhouette. Annie, all dolled up, stood out in the crowd like the first bloom of summer, elegant and shining. She had caught his attention.

“Hey, Quinton.” Jeremy, returning with a drink, spotted Quinton making his way toward Annie and stepped in, blocking his path. Annie was a critical piece for him–any interest from his uncle could spell trouble.

Quinton’s gaze bypassed Jeremy, locking onto Annie. “Jeremy, who’s this?”

Jeremy’s place in the Chandler family was a tad tricky. His father, Kenneth, was an illegitimate son of Brian, while Jeremy himself was Kenneth’s illegitimate child. Such a lineage usually wouldn’t cut it for family inclusion, but Jeremy’s mom, a well–connected woman, paved his way into the Chandler family through Brian’s favorite mistress. Jeremy hustled his way up among the grandkids, keeping it chill and not raising any flags. So, when he met his uncle, Jeremy’s vibe was smooth. “She is my friend, Annie. She’s the big shot heiress Mr. Yosef Sanders recently reeled in. Annie, say hi to my uncle, Quinton. These lines introduce Annie while hinting subtly at her status, slyly signaling that Quinton should steer clear Annie stared straight at the man before her. She knew him, even if he turned to ash, she’d recognize him still. Quinton Chandler, the man who wrecked Mira’s life!

In Annie’s previous life, Tom got into trouble, and Jessica, to gain favor with Quinton, handed over Mira to him. Mira suffered under his torment all night, was found in a horrific state, and later discovered she was pregnant. It crushed Mira. Jeremy suggested the only justice was for Mira to birth the child and accuse Quinton of assault, a decision Annie agreed to in a moment of madness. Only when Mira fell down the stairs in a bid to end the pregnancy did Annie realize her grave error. Then Mira vanished, leaving Annie uncertain of her state. Yet, the memory of the blood from the miscarriage haunted Annie, fueling a desire to get back at them. With those memories haunting her, she held back from taking Jeremy’s life, waiting for this moment to arrive. She wanted to personally send Quinton straight to hell!

The more hatred she felt, the sweeter her smile became. Annie’s lips curved innocently, like that of a naive young girl. “Ah, you’re Mr. Quinton Chandler, right?”

Seeing her innocent look, Quinton felt a tug at his heart. He shot a glance at Jeremy, “Your girl?”

Jeremy sensed the hidden message in that look and cursed silently. Yet, this was his shot. If he came clean now and explained things to Annie later, she’d be grateful, and they could play along with a fake relationship.

But before he could get a word in, Annie piped up, “Mr. Chandler, you’re just kidding. Me and Jeremy are just buddies.” Quinton grinned at Jeremy. “Ah, what a pity. Annie’s a real catch.

Jeremy’s face fell a tad. He needed the Sanders family’s influence, and if Quinton took an interest in Annie, his plans would go belly up.

With his social duties calling, Quinton didn’t stick around. As he departed, he shot Jeremy a meaningful look.

Jeremy furrowed his brows, lost in thought.

Annie, watching Jeremy closely, could see him mulling things over. She was curious if he would risk his uncle’s ire or seek support from the Sanders family.

Before long, Jeremy decided. “Annie, being new to Betrico, you might not be aware of some of my uncle’s antics. Seems he’s keen on you.”

“Huh? Really?” Annie feigned innocence.

“It ain’t pleasant to say this about my uncle, but some of his methods ain’t exactly righteous. I’m worried he might pull something. So, let’s play pretend for now. Once his fancy for you fades, we can call it quits. At least then, he’ll consider the family name and keep his hands off his nephew’s gal,” Jeremy said.

Annie almost let out a sarcastic chuckle. “Jeremy, you’re overthinking things. I don’t see Mr. Chandler being like what you paint.”

Satisfied with her end game, she wanted to split, but Jeremy grabbed her wrist. “Annie…”

Right then, Jessica, watching from a distance, caught sight of their public spat. All her earlier poise vanished. “Yolanda, get