Substitute Mother
Chaptre 67. Unexpected Meeting
“You nervous?”
Jeanno, who had just turned off the car engine, turned to look at Judith's gesture of unfocused vision, and bit her lower lip. Not to mention her hand that twisted the dress. Judith's nervousness falls within the limits of reasonableness, because previously the woman did not know social like this.
Judith nodded. “See ya?”
“For me, yes. But don't know the other”
Judith let out a rough breath. “Master, what if they realize I'm not Nayara? What if one of them is my guest first? What if they humiliate you? I.. I don't have to come in, do I? later let me book a taxi to go home”
“Quiet, Judith. Set your breath first, yes, take it out slowly”
Judith followed Jeanno's orders to regulate the breath. His forehead shriveled, why did this man seem so calm?
“You stay with me. I'll protect you. You believe me, right?”
The one being asked remained silent. Really, he was nervous. Like he's about to be executed.
“Judith”
“Please promise not to leave me alone in sana”
Jeanno chuckles. “If I want to go to the toilet how?”
“Hold it first until home”
The man's hand was stretched out toward Judith's hand that was still twisting the dress. Slow down, while his thumb rubbed the back of the hand. “Come down”
“Tuan”
“Hm?”
“Can.. can I hold your hand while there? I, feel calm if our hands are linked”
Jeanno without hesitation, nodded as a sign of approval. The next second they got down from the car to the Ballroom on the 12th floor.
**
“Mark Sebastian”
The so-called looked up, saw Lucas approaching him with a cup of coffee whose smoke was still billowing, and took a seat in front of him.
“My head is looking at you working on it even when dinner like this”
Mark smiled faintly. “Tomorrow Saturday, so I have to finish all tonight if I want my holiday to pass by calmly”
Jeanno actually gave Mark some leeway on the job. But Mark did not want to be like that, he was indeed Jeanno's cousin but if it is already in the scope of work, he remains Jeanno Alexander's subordinate. It is his duty to finish the job. Anyway, tomorrow she intends to bring Hannah home to introduce her parents.
“Hey, Mark. I rarely see you in Victoire. Have you never been there?”
Mark closed his laptop, then took a sip of coffee. “Hmm, no. I forgot when I last went there. Why?”
“I was yesterday, well, it's been three days in a row I'm there. You know, for ‘refreshing’. But I didn't see Hannah. Does he still work there?”
Mark's forehead shriveled. “Yes, he still works there. I pick him up every time”
“Abiz once. But I didn't see him on the usual stage. They just gave us dancers who were monotonous and too vulgar. On the first day I thought it wasn't Hannah's schedule, but the next day, until the third day, your girl still hasn't turned up”
“You asked Johnny?”
Lucas shakes. “I didn't meet him. When I asked the bartender Johnny's whereabouts, he said that the man was out of town”
“Mark, you...re still fine with Hannah, right?”
“Yes, we're still fine, Lucas”
“Listen, Mark. You're my best friend, I want you to get the best. My advice, if you'd like to hear me, it might be a good idea to start gathering information about Hannah. I mean, before everything goes too far”
Lucas's right. If you wait until Hannah's ready, I don't know when that day will come. No one is guaranteeing Hannah will be open to her one day. But Mark doesn't want Lucas to know their relationship is too deep. He will investigate, alone without anyone's help. Good bad results later, he will save it himself. Don't want anyone to know Hannah's bad.
“I'll think. Thanks, comrade”
**
The event, as imagined, took place magnificently. Many important guests were present. Making Judith tighten her grip on Jeanno, who seemed to be able to feel Judith's nervousness so she clasped the link back.
“See? They're all friendly, right? No one recognized you” whispered Jeanno after they exchanged greetings with some business associates, and state officials. Their introduction went well, not even a few who praised the beauty of mistress Alexander who was rarely exposed to the media.
Judith nodded stiffly. “Yes, they are friendly. But my hands are still cold, mister”
Jeanno laughed a little. “A minute. And.. Judith”
“Ya?”
“You've done your best”
Judith blushed. Jeanno's praise becomes a breath of fresh air that helps to break her nervousness. Slowly, his confidence returned. He no longer looked at the shoes, but he lifted his gaze to exchange eyes with those who passed him.
“Hey, Jeanno Alexander” A handsome man with a haircut flaps up to them. He greets Jeanno, who makes his grip slip momentarily from Judith's hand. But after shaking hands, the hand was looking back at the fingers of Judith's branch, to establish a link back.
“Hello, Ryan Daniel. How are you?”
“Not too good. Because I seem to regret coming here. Out of all the guests who came, I expected that someone would come alone without a fist. It's just me”
Jeanno laughed, The confused Judith just kept quiet. “Well, it's your own fault. By the way, introduce.. Nayara, my wife”
“Wow...” Ryan reached out his hand while bending over, just like someone who offers a dance. Judith turned to Jeanno, who responded with a slow nod. The woman then gave her hand to the politely-clown Ryan.
“Include, Ryan Daniel. Need to say, that Mrs Alexander turned out to have an amazingly beautiful charm. It's only fitting that Jeanno rarely showed it to us”
Jeanno pulled Judith's hand apart from Ryan, then placed her hand on the girl's slender waist.
“I prefer her beauty only to myself. And Ryan, my wife is a human, not an item that's supposed to be on display”
Ryan rolled his eyes panted while squeaking ‘possessive once’. Jeanno turned his head, telling him briefly that Ryan was his former secretary who got a better job opportunity at the Iris Group.
“Although he never looks serious, but he's very smart, dear. That's why he can climb his position now with fast”
Judith is just a beard. While Ryan cleared his throat proudly to hear Jeanno's praise that he rarely heard. As they were having a casual conversation, Ryan's eyes caught a familiar figure.
“Hey, Jeanno. I don't think you've greeted the representative from Lou Group”
“Ah, Lou Group? I haven't seen Mr. Robert since last”
Ryan nodded. “Of course Mr. Robert is invisible. Because it looks like he sent his son here. Wait a minute, I'm calling”
Ryan leaves Jeanno to approach the guest. While Judith still looked in amazement at the elegance of the guests, especially the female guests. Looking at the upper class social she had never seen before. Jeanno's treatment, until his meeting with Ryan took part in the loss of nervousness that smothered him since the beginning of setting foot in the hotel Iris. And the event had already lasted half of it, he was sure to go through this easily, and smoothly.
“Jeanno and mistress Alexander”
When Ryan returns and his voice is heard from behind, Jeanno and Judith reflexively turn the body to get acquainted with the business partner Ryan Daniel is referring to.
“Include a representative of the Lou Group, Arman Mahendera”
**
