Sweet Downfall (25 page)

“Just wondering why you didn’t marry him when you turned twenty one. That was the plan, right?”

She looked away. “My mother died.”

He fell quiet. He’d read in the news about the tragic death of Marcella Yulo when the sedan she was riding with her husband rammed into a speeding cargo truck in an intersection at past midnight. The couple reportedly came from a party. Manolo luckily survived.

Despite his hatred, he’d felt sad for the Yulo clan. He had nothing but good memories of the one and only time he had met the vivacious and gracious Marcella Yulo.

“I’m sorry,” he said sincerely.

She shrugged. “It’s okay.”

He didn’t think she would elaborate on the matter but she spoke again. “My father went into a period of depression. Then the economy crashed. Stocks plummeted and lots of businesses folded in those times. Deals were put on hold. Therefore, my marriage was put on hold, too. And I think Jordan realized that time that marrying in his mid-twenties would be foolish for a man of his stature. He needed more freedom as a bachelor.”

“Until recently, I suppose.”

“Yes. Five years ago, our families went on with the merger. Jordan’s family owns thirty-five percent of Empress Group now. We were able to expand all over Asia. Business has been good since and Jordan is now finally ready to settle down,” she stated matter-of-factly, as if she was discussing a business plan, not her life. But then again, to the Yulos, everything was about business.

He didn’t know why he was subjecting himself to this kind of torture. What was the fuckin’ point? Would her answers make any difference after all these years? No, definitely not. But the questions won’t stop flying out of his lips. “You’re not in love with him.” It was a statement.

“How do you know that, Jaq? Are you an expert in those things?” she retorted mockingly.

“You won’t be with me now if you love him.”

She smiled even sweeter and it grated at his nerves, her utter composure. “Come on. Does that mean you love me, Jaq Montero?”

That caught him unawares. Her question hit him like a bullet straight to the heart. She was waiting for his answer, but he couldn’t find any cavalier comeback to that direct and calculated attack.

“There’s your answer,” she said, smiling sadly. “Love? What’s love gotta do with it?”

Indeed. You gave your virginity to me and you didn’t love me. You give yourself to me now so passionately and you still don’t love me. My love meant nothing to you then as you so easily betrayed me. It still means nothing to you now.

But he didn’t say those words. They would make him sound even more of a fool than he already was. He wanted to shake her until her bones rattled at her casual admission of not loving Jordan either. Was she made of stone? He cannot believe that within that exquisitely formed body lay a dead heart.

“But make no mistake, Jaq. I am committed to Jordan. He’s going to be my husband.”

Marry a man she didn’t love but she was committed to? Hearing her say these things now made him realize one truth. He really didn’t know her at all. This woman was as ruthless and greedy as her father. She would do everything, including selling herself to the highest bidder for more money and power.

She was not worth it, really. She never was.

He was disgusted anew by her total lack of morals. But even then, he was not about to let her go just yet. He found out now, he was not prepared to close their damn book, after all. “This won’t be the last time we’ll do this.”

Her beautiful eyes glittered with challenge. “Can’t get enough?”

“Not yet. Neither can you.”

She shrugged. “Okay. But it ends on my wedding.”

He smiled then, full of confidence on that score. “Don’t bet on that, baby.”

She raised a mocking brow. “But what would I need you for when I’ll have Jordan to satisfy me?”

He sneered. “He obviously doesn’t satisfy you now.”

“You flatter yourself. Like you, I just like variety. Jordan is not a saint, either. We understand each other’s need for individual explorations. We have a very comfortable set up. But on second thought…” She raked him with a purely dominant, sexually objectifying once-over, “Why not? Men have mistresses. Jordan will most likely take one, too. So, why can’t I have a lover on the side when my hubby becomes too busy at work? Billionaires tend to get distracted by a lot of corporate matters. Alright, I’ll call you in the future when my husband is not available. I guess you’ll do as a side dish.”

She winked at him. “See you around, Jaq.”

Tossing her glorious hair over her shoulders, she walked away from him, leaving him standing there feeling like a bomb literally exploded in his face.
He wanted to run after her and drag her back, but he just watched her until she rounded a corner and disappeared from his sight.

She was still going to marry her fiancé. After writhing against him, calling his name as she came hard around his cock, she was still going to marry her damn fiancé.

That made him what?

Nothing.

Just like before, Angie made him feel worthless as shit. Just a body that she used and then discarded at whim. He inhaled and exhaled slowly, his chest pricked by a thousand needles of individual pain.

She could still hurt him after all these years. And with that hurt, his hatred reaffirmed itself, filling his entire being with renewed strength. She knew all his vulnerable spots and she got got him good. Twice in a row now.

Theirs was a sordid story long overdue for a grand finale.

He angrily wiped the wetness in his eyes.

Bitch.

Walk away like you own the world
.
You’re in control. You don’t care. Everything that happened between you in the past and in the present means nothing. Nothing. Nothing!

Bullshit. Liar.

Angie tried to walk as gracefully as she could manage on rubbery legs.

She had been fooling herself when she thought she could handle Jaq with casual indifference. Being constantly subjected to power showdowns with him sapped all her energy to the bone, leaving her cold and bleeding from old wounds being reopened over and over.

Despite her well-played bravado, she could never be someone who would engage in sex without emotion, because where Jaq Montero was concerned, she was an emotional mine field, open and vulnerable. Once again, Jaq had proven his power over her. All it took was one touch and she became a puppet, eager to do his bidding.

She still loved him so very much. Giving herself to him meant everything in the world to her. She had never been intimate with any other man all these years. She had never felt any passion for any other man. And now she knew why. They were not Jaq, the only man she had ever loved. The only man she would probably love ‘til she was no more. A sob escaped her lips as that self-admission really sank in.

When she spotted a powder room, she rushed toward it, locking the door. All the pressure of the recent events finally caught up with her and it felt like a great flood rushing out of her, wanting release. She sat on the water-closet, sobbing with anguish that came from the deepest part of her soul.

After so many years, she allowed herself to cry again and feel the pain and regret for her and Jaq, for their young love that didn’t stand the test of time, for losing him before she even had the chance to fully show him how much she loved him, for all their dreams that had turned to ashes all too soon.

She didn’t know how long she’d sat there crying. When she heard somebody trying to enter the powder room, she stood up and fixed her appearance. With her head bowed, she opened the door. She took the hallway, walking away from the atrium.

She saw a door that bore the sign ‘Only Hotel Staff are allowed’. She entered it. It was the kitchen.

A staff saw her. “Yes, ma’am?”

“Is there another way out of this building aside from the main elevators?”

“Yes, ma’am, the utility elevator.” The staff pointed her to the direction of the lift.

“Thank you.”

Chapter Nine

HER FIANCE DIDN’T USUALLY
come visit her without calling her first but today must be an exception. Jordan looked his usual impeccable self, his business suit, custom-made to fit his tall, well-built frame, making him look more handsome and sophisticated.

Sometimes Angie wondered if his clothes ever got creased. She’d never seen him disheveled. He was always well-groomed, always looking too perfect for anyone’s comfort.

She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. “Jordy, what are you doing here?”

“Why did you leave me at the party?” He always cut to the chase, too.

“Sorry, I wasn’t feeling well and I didn’t want to disturb you while you were talking to your business associates. I knew how important it was for you.”

“I saw you talking to Montero. Did he bother you?”

She swallowed. Here was her chance to come clean. “Jordy…I need to tell you something…”

“Shhh. Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter, Angie.”

“But Jordy—”

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

She gasped in shock, freezing in his arms.

It wasn’t the first time he’d kissed her but it was never as demanding as this.

She wrenched her face away from him. “Jordan!” she exclaimed, mortified and feeling...guilty. After Jaq’s kisses, it didn’t feel right to kiss Jordan anymore.

The irrational feeling infuriated her. Jordan kissed her and she felt like she was cheating on Jaq!

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

Embarrassed, he let her go.

She was at a loss for words. It was one of the most awkward moments between them. When Jordan proposed to her two months ago, it was only the time when he had started kissing her in an intimate manner. Prior to that were mere hugs and pecks on the cheek. Jordan was a complete gentleman, a rare breed nowadays. She did not deserve him.

Do it now. Do it!
“Jordan–”

“I’ve been thinking, we should announce the date of our wedding.”

Her heart dropped to her stomach.

“It’s time we made the date official.”

“Jordan, listen–”

“We’ll announce it at AZN this week. Let’s do it. Let’s get married.”

She blanched, her stomach going queasy.

“Angie?”

“Hi guys!”

Sherry bounced into the room in a flurry of colors, totally disrupting a crucial moment. Angie wanted to scream at her sister for interrupting them.

As usual, her sister’s voluptuous figure was clad in nothing short of fabulous. She looked like a glam rock star in a colorfully beaded tube top, low-rise, red leather pants, towering studded heels, her long, super straight black hair, highlighted in shades of blue, pink and purple. She was wearing purple contact lenses framed by thick lashes and hot pink lipstick.

If they were seen together, she would look like Sherry’s PA in her sedate, black pant suit.

Jordan was eying Sherry with disapproval.

Sherry air-kissed her. “Sis! Thought we were gonna have lunch together? Didn’t know Jordy would be here,” she said in a breathy voice and gave Jordan an impish smile, not bothered one bit by his withering stare. “Jordy, you’re looking GQ as always.”

“And you’re looking weird as always,” Jordan shot back without mincing words.

Sherry grinned and flipped her hair away from her face. “Don’t like my fashion sense, I see. I can understand that, boring as you are with yours,” she retorted saucily. “Why don’t you let me design your dress shirts and ties? It won’t hurt if you put a bit of color in that suit, Jordy.”

Momentarily diverted from her woes, Angie was finding the exchange amusing. Jordan looked incensed as if the thought of Sherry designing his clothes would be his worst nightmare.

“I like my clothes simple and normal, thank you.”

“Yeah, simple and booooring!” Sherry dissed back.

“Are you two going out now?” Jordan asked.

“Yup, wanna join us?” Sherry batted her mile-long eyelashes at him.

He checked this watch. “No. I need to go back to the office. There’s a board meeting waiting for me there.”

“Too bad. We’re eating at this new fab Thai restaurant.”

“No, thanks, I hate hot food.”

“My, my, you have so many restrictions, Jordy. Do you hate raw food, too?”

Jordan displayed one of his rare boyish grins. “Now, that’s another story. I love raw.”

Sherry had no smart comeback.

“I gotta go. See you, sweetheart.” Jordan kissed her cheek. “We’ll talk soon, okay? Don’t worry, everything will be alright.”

Angie watched Jordan leave her office, feeling the entire world weighing down on her.

“You ready?” Sherry asked.

She walked to the sofa and sat there quietly.

“Hey, what’s wrong, Ange?”

“Jordan wants us to set the date of our wedding and announce it on TV this week.”

“T-this week?!” Sherry exclaimed.