ADD ME TO YOUR READING LIST/LIBRARY, BESTIE. I AM ABOUT TO BE COMPLETED.
David Richards is one of the most eligible bachelor of New York. Being the older son of the family, he inherited Richards' Hotels And Resorts, which is the most expensive and s...
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Janet walks into a beautifully decorated lobby of the Richards office. As usual, she doesn't fail to attract all the attention to herself. She is wearing a split bodycon dress. She leaves a sigh and takes a look around. While doing so, her eyes land on a smirking Laura Sanders. She is the current owner of Sanders and co. The company who handled the party. Janet's rival.
"Hi, Janet. Didn't know you'll be attending today. You're name isn't there on the guest list." Laura greets her with a handshake.
"That is borderline dumb, Laura. It's my boyfriend's company. I don't need a guest list to be here." Janet returns the hand with a smile.
Laura gives her an annoyed look and says, "Yeah, but I can't let you in if you're not there on the guest list."
This makes Janet scoff. She puts on her best resting bitch face and asks, "Laura, tell me something. Does that guest list of yours, have David's name in it?" She paused and then looks at the man with the guest list. "David Richards, is that name there?"
The man furrows hua brows in confusion, but checks his iPad nevertheless. He then shakes his head in negative.
"Exactly." Janet whispers to Laura's face and walks past her.
Janet steps into the elevator and presses the buttor for the terrace. That is where the party is being held.
____________
When she steps onto the the terrace, she finds it beautifully decked up for the party. It is around 9 pm and people had already started to get tipsy. The party was on full form.
Her eyes roam around the area looking for people she knew. An elderly woman walks up to her and greets her. "Lady boss, hi."
Janet smiles back and replies, "Hello Maria. How are you? And how many times have I asked you to call me Janet?!"
"Oh. You see, I'm getting old now. I tend to forget names. You're the boss' woman. I figured calling you that is the safest option." The woman replies.
Janet laughs at her reply and asks, "Where is your boss?
"Oh, he must be somewhere around. I haven't seen him actually. But I've heard his voice. So, I know that he's here." She replies.
"Okay. I'll look for him then. See you, Maria." Janet waves her good bye and walks off.
She then spots him seated near the railing. There are a few lounge chairs placed in a corner. And the area is less crowded. There sat Damian with Robyn on his lap. But what absolutely infuriated her was a well dressed woman seated on the chair beside David. They are engrossed in a funny conversation. Janet's lips curves into a sickly sweet smile when she spots the woman laugh at something David says and place her hand on his thigh. To add to her frustration, David looks unbothered. As if, it were very normal for her to do that. It was Laura Sanders. She had managed to slip into the party while Janet was talking to Maria.
With that fake sweet smile of hers, she walks towards the group.
"Hello, people." She says sweetly and plops down onto David's lap. Almost sitting on Laura's hand. Her action makes David almost drop his drink. Almost.
"Hi!" Damian and Robyn greet together.
"You're not gonna greet me?" She says while looking at David.
"Yes. Of course I'll greet you." David replies in his baritone voice. He then cranes his neck and places a soft kiss below her ear, making her shiver. "Welcome to our party, baby."
"Thank you, Bubba." She mumbles onto his lips.
This PDA makes Damian and Robyn happy, but at the same time, Laura is very uncomfortable. "Excuse me." She says to no one in particular, and leaves the place.
After they are left alone, Janet removes herself from David's lap and takes a seat beside him. "You, Mr. Richards owe me an explanation."
David looks away from his girlfriend and takes a look at his brother discreetly.
"Looking at Damian is not going to help. Now, tell me, from where did the idea of this New Year's Party come? And.. I can't believe I'm asking this, why did you employ Sanders for it? What the fuck, David!" Janet whisper yells at him.
"Baby, if it weren't for Laura, we wouldn't have met in the first place." David replies after taking a sip of his scotch. "It was because Laura couldn't arrange for our parents' ann-"
Realising what heis about to say, might make things worse, he instead calls for a waiter and grabs a white wine glass. He gives it to his girlfriend, gives her his classic smirk.
"I know what you were trying to say be didn't finish, David." Janet says, making his smirk drop.
David let's out a groan and says, "Baby, she's a friend. Also, I thought you could enjoy the party if you weren't worried about the preps of it. That's why. Also, I wanted it to be a surprise. I'm sorry, I'll talk to you about such things from now on."
Janet watches him shift uncomfortably. She clears her throat and takes a gulp of the wine.
"Slowwwww." David mutters.
"Okay. I get your point." She mumbles as she gets up from her seat and yet again sits on his lap.
"Hey, guys." Rachel's voice floats in. The group looks up to find Joseph and Rachel walk towards them.
Damian and David watch the couple's face turn into a frown.
Nevertheless, they take seats silently. Joseph grabs a flute of champagne from a waiter passing by, and Rachel requests for fresh Kiwi juice. She is not consuming alcohol as she is breastfeeding her son.
Both Joseph and Rachel refrain from exchanging any word with either of the Richards brothers, or their respective sisters.
After a suffocating period of silence both of them speak up,
