Broken Pieces

Chapter forty-six

I was smiling at my little money-making self in the mirror and the image I saw was of a smiling woman. She looked very happy and it was because I was thinking about all the success and popularity I had been enjoying for the last three weeks. It was almost six weeks since I went to LA and…

Erica Smith was now a name in the designing world.

There had been offers from fashion houses — offers I denied. I knew I would still have to merge at last — I didn't wish to anytime soon though — but it was important so as to maximize my profits. However, I wanted to have a firm enough stand so they wouldn't think they controlled me.

Another good thing came for me in the past weeks. Mia told me Stephen Micheal had asked about me — directly this time. He had asked if she helped me and Mia had said yes. According to Mia, he hadn't said anything but he had been angry. Very angry.

When I heard, I'd felt a dark kind of pleasure from knowing he wasn't happy about my success. I got more of that peculiar feeling when I had seen him at a fashion show that I had been invited to during my three weeks back.

It had been a runway show, I'd made the shoes the models wore on the runway and Stephen Micheal had been at the event too.  He hadn't said a word to me but his eyes had followed me all night.

I was proud of myself for not running or cowering in fear. I'd stood tall and proud — His bank account may be bigger than mine but mine held its own too.

We had hired some new shop assistants too. My work life was going great and so was my love life. Caden and I talked on the phone almost everyday since I left his mansion three weeks ago. The time I spent at his mansion — more than the two weeks I had planned to strictly spend, which was not my fault but because Caden had made me want to stay more and I'd wanted to too — really helped our relationship.

Although, we had both been so busy that we hadn't seen since then. Now he was in New York and I was on my way to see him.

The happiness I felt made my smile grow wider at how sappy I was.

“I'm ready!” Andrea's shout made me roll my eyes and ask myself why I agreed to go to Kevin's mansion with her.

I sauntered out of my room with an amused but exasperated smile  once I saw Andrea. She was wearing a wide smile as she stood by the door. I rolled my eyes at her excitement and went to say good bye to my father, who sat beside Doris on the couch.

I kissed my dad’s cheek. “Bye dad! We will be back in the morning.” He smiled at both of us and I waved at Doris before we walked out of the house and towards Andrea's car.

“I will get to officially meet him and gauge his feelings for you. He may be Kevin's brother but I never really knew him.”

That statement sounded weird, since I knew she and Caden weren't friends but she'd on more than one occasion said he was a decent guy. I overlooked it as I came to the conclusion that Andrea was too excited to say anything smart right now.

Caden was at Kevin's house, Kevin had told Andrea and she now wanted us to go surprise the two of them. And then have a double date kind of night.

••€•••

Kevin's mansion was beautiful and breathtaking but it was as to be expected. I loved the lights that shone from different directions, it looked so beautiful. It shined across the lawn as we drove through the gates and I gaped at how shimmering and green the lawn was, even in the night.

It looked like a playboy mansion from the grand — everything. It was unlike Caden's four-story beautiful yet mysterious in its own right mansion. Kevin's was a seven-story mansion that spoke of wealth.