Pearls and Chains

Chapter5

Judith had one hell of a night trying to track down Anna the previous night. She got scared of maybe those men whom they had a fight with. But after checking the CCTV footage, she calmed down but was still anxious to know what happened. It was almost lunchtime when Judith decided she would go look for Anna in the presidential Reserve as she was yet to emerge from the room or even be seen. Judith knocked softly on the door but after a couple of minutes she pulled out the keycard from her pocket and entered.

“What the heck happened here?” she looked a bit shocked, then surprised. The floor was a mess of clothes and pillows. The clothes seemed to belong to Anna as the companion she was with had already disappeared.

“Hey Rabbit”, Judith tried to wake Anna, who was snuggled up in the sheets.

“Hmmm”, Anna responded half asleep but didn’t make an attempt to wake up or leave the bed.

“Rabbit, what happened here?” Judith couldn't hold her curiosity anymore.

“I don’t know” Anna murmured as she coiled up even more.

“What does that even mean?” Judith seemed a bit annoyed. She had always looked out for Anna, not because Anna was not capable of taking care of herself, but because she never shared her problems.

“I don’t know”, Anna sniffled. Judith didn't hesitate as she climbed the bed and spooned Anna, who was not letting go of the sheets or showing her face.

“It's okay, don’t worry, I won't ask about it” Judith tried to console her friend, even though she felt her blood boil with anger. 'How dare he leave her friend like this?'

“I think I just ruined my life”

“No you didn’t”

“He just left without a word” Anna was letting her tears flow. “I don’t even know his name.”

“You didn’t ask”

“I would have if I woke up, and he was here, I would have” she finally threw the covers off as she turned and hugged Judith. “Mum, mum, I don’t know if she’ll make it.”

“Shhh, don’t say stuff like that, Rabbit” Judith carefully said. She was stroking Anna’s hair gently. “Be positive, okay?”

“Mkay” Anna nodded gently.

“Anna, this room costs about thirty thousand dollars” Judith abruptly said, making Anna jerk fully awake as she stared shockingly at her friend wide-eyed.

“Please tell me he paid for it” she had a pleading look.

“Well, he paid fully for room services. It seems he is a big fish”, Judith climbed down the bed as she walked elegantly, picking up Anna’s clothes.

“What?” there was a look of further confusion.

“Yeap”, Judith paused as she stared at the card which she had picked among Anna’s work uniform. “Yeah Anna, a huge one.”

“Why are you smiling like that? It's creepy”. Anna tried getting up.

“Well, imagine bagging not a millionaire but a billionaire?” Judith winked as she licked her lips. “Guess your luck ain't that bad Rabbit”

“How are you so sure?” Anna, who was struggling with the sheets, replied without glancing at Judith.

“He left his personal card, and…” Judith suddenly waved the card in front of Anna’s eyes, causing Anna to flinch. “Rabbit, he is interested after all”.

Anna snatched the card as she stared blankly at the black and gold platinum card in her hands. Earlier, when she woke up and found out he was gone, she had broken down and cried. She had also seen a text from her brother’s caretaker saying he wasn’t responding well to the chemotherapy and the hospital couldn’t continue keeping him due to the overdue bills she hadn’t cleared. She felt so suffocated she felt like dying. But right now she had a chance, no this was a miracle she would use as much as she could.

“Why do you have that look, baby?” Judith hugged her from the back. "Eeww you are naked."

“Then back off Judy”, Anna teased as she rubbed herself against Judith, who backed away quickly.

“Uhh, so annoying” she wiped off an invisible sweat. “Okay, here’s the plan for the goldfish”, Judith quietly whispered into Anna’s ears as they both giggled.

Reynolds Corp later that day, on the seventh floor inside Henry Reynolds' office.

“You know ditching me for a chick is not cool”, Tristan seemed upset about what had happened.

“I told you it wasn’t intentional”, Henry said as he sat across Tristan with a bottle of wine.

“So then make me understand, how did it happen again?”

“I told you, she was crying. I tried to pacify her, she jumped on me and wouldn’t let go” Henry shrugged as he poured the wine into his glass before picking up Tristan’s.

“And you claimed she asked you to marry her?” Tristan looked amused. “I knew she would be interesting.”

“I will marry her”, Henry casually said as he walked to his desk.

“What?” Tristan almost choked on his drink. “You are kidding, right?”

“Do I kid around?” he said as he picked up a file from his desk that had a big text heading ‘confidential’.

“Look, I get you want to find a way out of your grandfather’s absurd demand, but seriously man, a waitress?” Tristan raised an eyebrow in question as he tried to state the obvious.

“And what’s wrong with a waitress?” He turned to look at Tristan.

“Look man, you and I, we’ve never dived deeper than clean parts, no matter how rogue we wanted to be” he stood and walked towards Henry majestically.

“How about Jennifer Peckermann back in the fifth grade?” Henry nonchalantly asked as he swiftly put the documents in his desk drawer. He missed the look Tristan gave him.

“Wow”, Tristan gasped and then chuckled. “You sure keep alot of data on people, for someone who doesn’t like being in other people’s business”, he sipped on his wine as he walked back to the couch to sit.

“No, I just keep them for reference”. Henry knew how hypocritical Tristan could be, and he knew exactly how to hurt his pride. “Don’t forget this is my life.”

“Sure Henry, do whatever you please”