✨✨ANNIE WEMBLEY ✨✨

I scribbled down on my notepad, nothing in particular because my thoughts were divided. I wasn't feeling the mood here but I had to be by his side, take in my environment, and possibly record conversations he has with anyone.

This was part of my plans to get back at Jeremy and I was beginning to see no need for it at some point. I felt relieved when he requested I discard the notepad.

The guests only wanted to talk about him, they'd praise, laugh, and drink some wine. It was tedious, I should've found a real date for him instead. But when my eyes fell on Jim from beyond the room I got chills all over. He was standing with his father and some men in a tuxedo. He never wore that, he preferred the traditional style of shirts and shorts, the kind they usually wore to golf tournaments.

I pulled out more hair to shield my face, this was the worst place to have an encounter with Jim.

"Miss Wembley," Jeremy called signaling me to follow behind. I hurried behind him like a puppy.

And the worst happened, from nowhere Jim approached Jeremy right before we got to our seats, I ducked and immediately grabbed a wine glass from a tray nearby. My chest thumped heavily, in need to catch my breath, I headed to the bathroom.

"Are you, his date tonight?" A female voice spoke from behind me, I turned to reveal an elegant lady in a red sequin dress, her hair bundled up and tendrils left to fall. I recalled seeing her with Jeremy a minute ago.

"Uh, yeah. Annie Wembley." I introduced myself.

"Marilyn Mayern, you already know," she replied, assuming everyone should know the sound of her name. I mentally rolled my eyes and went about my business. From my periphery, I saw her apply extra lipstick.

"So are you an actress or a model? What companies do you brand for?"

"Oh I'm not any of that," I quickly dismissed

"Then how did you end up as his date? That's surprising."

"Well, Jeremy doesn't like such women." I divulged to see the horror on her face and it was relieving. I gave her a cocky smile and excused myself.

"Nice meeting you then." I smiled.

When I got back to the garden there was no Jim so I instinctively sat beside Jeremy who hardly glanced at me throughout the event. I watched him pick at every dish presented like he was contemplating on eating. Then I recalled how he never eats breakfast and lunch.
It didn't take a lot to know my boss had a bad eating habit. Beneath the suit and expensive perfume was a man who could drop dead in a minute due to malnutrition. He'd bury himself in his work and forget that he needs food and rest to refuel. They were the basics of good health, how it managed not to show on his face was ridiculous to me but I wasn't fooled like the rest who hadn't seen him up close.

I ate as much as my guilty mind could let me, but I kept an eye out for that man. I had nothing for him yet and I've been ignoring his messages for days.

I saw Marilyn offer Jeremy to have anything he wanted be brought to him but he ignored her and I scoffed dryly. She's been all over him since he walked into the place, not just her. I could feel eyes staring our way and wondered how he was able to keep calm in the eye of the storm. I wasn't used to such attention as a woman. Not even in my high school days, I was never with the clique of girls who got all the attention but this was different.

Every other girl wasn't as bold as Marilyn, she made sure she sat beside him. It might've been planned. I wasn't certain but I knew she had eyes for my boss but he wasn't giving in.

He stood and signaled to me to follow him, I quickly left the idea of tasting some expensive caviar and rushed after him. I knew I'd regret not eating that one-in-a-lifetime food but it was better than the fury of Jeremy White who was in full work mode.

I had his conversations on record, his reasons for wanting it that way baffled me. He could've just listened more and picked out the relevant information he wanted and saved me the hassle of acting as a spy.

I held a glass of wine as camouflage and stood by a table right behind where Jeremy stood, chatting with a group of people.
Everything here tasted good, it was welcoming to my tongue. My eyes roamed through the place and saw Marilyn glaring daggers at me. Phew!

If only she knew I wasn't a tad bit interested in her challenge, rather she'd glare at me for wanting his downfall.
As my thoughts fluttered I suddenly felt cold ickiness on my neck. I already knew who it was.

"There you are, I've been thinking if I'd ever get to have a chance with you since you seemed so occupied with your boss." his rough voice spoke in my ear.

Before I could turn around, he spoke.
"Meet me at the front desk in two seconds." and he disappeared.

My legs moved willingly on their own, and found him waiting patiently by the desk, he gestured to the elevator and I stepped in with him.
My breath hitched, I could feel the coy look he gave me, like he finally caught me unarmed and there was no escaping him.

"Jim I_" I started to explain but he held up a hand, shunning me. I kept mute until we got to a certain floor, he held my arm and led me out into the hallway then suddenly with force, he yanked me towards the brick wall. I almost hit a Vase.

"Pray tell, why you've avoided my texts and messages. I'm surprised to see you here Anne."

I hissed at the pain above my elbow "I'm sorry I've been occupied with a lot."

"Yeah?... like getting acquainted with your boss? Him driving you home, you being his date for lunch huh?"

"You had me tracked?!" I gasped.

"You think too little of me. I know everything from the steps you take and your little sister— oh well, don't get me started with her. She was just lucky that night that the stupid boy opted to drive her home."

My heart sank! He meant to hurt Wendy the previous night, if not for Obi.

"This is an abridgment of our deal, you're going way too far Jim. I'll have you know that if I go down your company will go down. And guess what your father will do when he finds out whose fault it is?"

His eyes darkened, there was no more smug smile on his lips, rather he seethed with anger. He dropped his heavy hand on my face, I winced as the pain shot through my body. "You don't threaten me you scumbag, I'm not one of your low-level friends, I'm fuckin Trent Mars and I'll have your family ripped to pieces if it gets out." he pushed me away. "Besides, who would believe anything you say about a billionaire like me? You think your boss will have your back?" He scoffed. "What do you have for me?" His tone changed, he was like a maniac. One second he's unserious and joking the next he has a deadly look on his bloody face.

"I'm still working on it."

"Bullshit!!"

"You gave me two weeks, remember? And I think it's working. I came as his date today it was all part of my plans."

Jim took a step forward, his eyes blaring with dubiousness. "If you think Jeremy is an easy prey then you must be the stupidest woman on earth. Such a man needs much more awakening than what you can ever offer!"

"Then what exactly do you want me to do?! It takes a while for love to build it's not done in a week or two."

"Love?... Did I hear you say love?" He cackled maliciously at my bewildered expression. I was lost at this point.

"You want love from Jeremy?... Are you insane?"

I shook my head "I don't get it,"

"You're a beauty and any man would love to have you in their bed. Play the art of seduction on him, at least that might last long enough for you to extract whatever info you need. Don't bait on some love shit. Haven't you done your research at all on that man?!"

I squirmed at the real meaning of his words, he didn't want me to take my time, but rather sell my body to my boss and get him whatever he wanted.

"I have and I know he's not an easy man to deal with but he's not as tough as you think he is." I tried to convince him.

"Oh right, because I don't know him way back in Spain? Now gimme something or I'll have to do it my way."

I opened my phone and transferred some files I had extracted the previous day from Jeremy's computer at his home. "This will help," I said and walked out but Jim's voice stopped me.

"Have you ever thought of the privileges of being his lover? It'll help your sorry situation a lot if you reap from your boss Annie, don't be a miss goody two shoes."

I hurried down the fleet of stairs leading to the ground floor where the event was going on to avoid being in the elevator with Jim.