Chapter 6 Are You Jealous?

• “Kimberly? How are you, dear?”
• A middle-aged woman, still very beautiful, warmly greets Kimberly as she walks into the mansion. Maisie Davies, Kimberly’s famously friendly stepmother, always treats her well. Unfortunately, Kimberly has never been warm toward Maisie. Just like now, she puts on a cold face as her stepmother greets her.
• “I’m fine. Where’s my father? Is he still at the office?” Kimberly answers Maisie’s question in a cold but still polite tone.
• A smile appears on Maisie’s face. “Yes, Kimberly, your father is still at the office. He said earlier that he’ll be home late. Lately, he’s been busy with a project at his new company.”
• Kimberly sighs softly at Maisie’s words. She’s not surprised to get such an answer, because she knows her father is always busy with work. But her father’s busyness is different from Fargo’s. You could say her father loves her stepmother. Whenever he’s busy, he always keeps Maisie informed. Unlike Fargo.
• “I came here to see Gilda. Where is your daughter?” Kimberly asks directly.
• “You’re looking for Gilda?” Maisie looks a little surprised.
• Kimberly nods briefly in response.
• “Gilda is—”
• “Mom, I’m leaving now. I have a photoshoot today.” Gilda walks up to Maisie, cutting her off. Then her face shows clear surprise when she sees Kimberly.
• “You’re here, Kim?” Gilda asks, forced to make small talk, clearly not happy to see her stepsister.
• “I’m sure you haven’t lost your memory. This is my father’s house. I have every right to be here,” Kimberly says coldly and unfriendly.
• Gilda clicks her tongue and rolls her eyes in annoyance at Kimberly’s response.
• “Gilda, Kimberly came here because she wants to see you, dear,” Maisie says warmly, smiling.
• “To see me? Why do you want to see me?” Gilda frowns.
• “Let’s talk outside, not here,” Kimberly replies coldly.
• Gilda snorts in annoyance. She’s in a hurry today, but everything is delayed because of Kimberly’s arrival. She’d love to refuse, but she knows she can’t. She’s not in the mood to argue with her stepsister.
• “Gilda, go on. Maybe Kimberly has something important to tell you, dear,” Maisie says warmly.
• Gilda nods, her face still showing annoyance.
• The two of them quickly leave Maisie’s presence.
• “What do you want to talk about, Kim? Say it quickly! I don’t have time to waste with you,” Gilda snaps as Kimberly leads her to the back garden. Her eyes have been coldly fixed on Kimberly from the start.
• “What project do you have with my husband?” Kimberly asks coldly and directly.
• Gilda’s expression changes at Kimberly’s question. Her face pales a little, but her eyes immediately show a calm and graceful demeanor. “A project that obviously involves me as a model. Maybe you should ask your husband for the details. Wait! So you came to see me just to ask about this? Oh, Kimberly! Are you afraid I’ll steal your husband, hmm?” she mocks.
• “Watch your mouth! I’m not afraid at all!” Kimberly snaps, her emotions triggered.
• Gilda shrugs indifferently. “If you’re not afraid, you shouldn’t need to interrogate me. Besides, I’m sure your husband does business with many women, just like you surely have male business partners. So, please be professional. Don’t be jealous for no reason.”
• “Don’t teach me how to be professional! What I know is you and Fargo have never been close. Your profession is a model, which has nothing to do with my husband’s company. That’s why I have a big question about how you two are even in contact. Especially since Fargo told me you’re involved in a project together,” Kimberly says firmly, staring sharply at Gilda.
• A graceful smile appears on Gilda’s face as Kimberly starts to get suspicious. “Relax, Kimberly. You can ask your husband what project I’m working on with him. Don’t be so jealous. Just so you know, men don’t like living as if they’re in prison. You could get left behind if you keep acting jealous for no reason. Alright, I’ve got to go. My schedule is packed today. I don’t have time to linger here.”
• After saying that, Gilda walks away gracefully, leaving Kimberly glaring at her. Gilda doesn’t care at all about Kimberly’s sharp gaze.
• Shit! Kimberly curses inwardly.
• Her breathing quickens, her emotions flaring as she recalls what Gilda just said. She’s about to leave when suddenly her phone rings. Without thinking, she answers the call.
• “Hello?” Kimberly says as the call connects.
• “Kimberly? Where are you? You remember tonight, right? We have to attend Jennisa Mared’s birthday party?” says a very familiar female voice.
• Hearing the familiar voice, Kimberly glances at her phone screen. She lets out a long sigh. As she suspected, it’s Carol, her friend and work partner. “Carol, just go by yourself. Besides, Jennisa Mared knows you much better than she knows me. Just send her my regards. Tell her I can’t come because I have a lot of work to do.”
• “Oh, come on, Kim. You can’t do that. Jennisa Mared is going to be the brand ambassador for the company we just founded. We have to go, Kim. It’ll look bad if you don’t show up. I already told her I’d come with you. Please, Kimberly, don’t be ridiculous.”
• “Carol, I can’t—”
• “Kim, I don’t want to hear it. You have to come. Don’t you dare not show up. Anyway, I’m hanging up now. See you tonight.”
• Kimberly curses as Carol hangs up on her. She hadn’t finished talking. Now she remembers she has an appointment tonight with her friend to attend Jennisa Mared’s birthday party—the famous model who will soon be the brand ambassador for the company she just started with Carol.
• ***
• Camera flashes are aimed at the guests attending Jennisa Mared’s birthday party, the famous international model. Top celebrities and high-class businesspeople are at her birthday party. The guests are not ordinary people. No wonder there are so many reporters at the event.
• Kimberly’s car has just arrived at the hotel lobby, at the same time as Carol, who also arrives with a driver. Tonight, Carol didn’t bring her own car because Kimberly usually drives her home.
• A friendly smile appears on Kimberly’s face as the reporters take her picture. Carol also smiles at the cameras. Both women look very beautiful and charming tonight.
• Tonight, Kimberly didn’t come with Fargo. There are two reasons she didn’t bring her husband. First, she’s sure Fargo is busy. Second, she doesn’t want to deal with his rejection. That’s why she decided to attend the party with just Carol.
• “Kimberly, I really love this party’s decorations. The Swarovski crystals and white roses are so beautiful,” Carol whispers to Kimberly.
• “Yes, the decorations are really beautiful.” Kimberly admits it. Jennisa Mared’s birthday party is luxurious and classy. The white roses and Swarovski crystals make the party truly elegant.
• Not long after, everyone’s attention is drawn to a man and woman entering the hotel ballroom. Camera flashes immediately focus on the perfect-looking couple. Kimberly and Carol also turn their attention to the newly arrived couple. Suddenly, Kimberly’s expression changes when she sees the handsome man who just arrived. Her face instantly pales, her body freezes, and her eyes clearly show her shock.
• “Oh my God! Kimberly, it turns out Jennisa Mared is close to Damian Darrel. Wait, Damian is your husband’s step-uncle, right? He’s the most handsome and influential man in America,” Carol says excitedly to her friend.
• D–Damian? Kimberly utters his name in her heart. Her throat tightens. Her tongue feels numb. She even feels like she can’t breathe.
• For a moment, Kimberly’s mind drifts back to earlier that day when she accidentally saw Damian with a strange woman coming out of a jewelry store. Could the woman she saw with Damian have been Jennisa Mared? Oh, God! She curses herself for thinking about that man. She shouldn’t care. But why does she care so much?
• As Damian and Jennisa get closer, Kimberly quickly puts on a face as if she doesn’t care. But her heart has been pounding like crazy, almost stopping.
• “Hi, Miss Carol. Hi, Mrs. Kimberly. Thank you for coming to my birthday party,” says Jennisa Mared.
• “Just call me by my name, please,” Kimberly requests with an awkward but still graceful smile.
• “Yes, Jennisa. Just call us by our names,” Carol agrees with her friend.
• “Alright.” Jennisa smiles warmly at both of them.
• Damian stands silently, staring at Kimberly, who looks so uneasy. Slowly, a smile forms on his handsome face. He never thought he’d meet her again. Well, it seems this isn’t just a coincidence.
• “Oh, yes, I forgot to introduce you. Kimberly, Carol, this is Damian Darrel,” Jennisa says, introducing Damian to Kimberly and Carol. “Damian, this is Kimberly and Carol,” she adds, introducing the women to Damian.
• “I already know her,” Damian replies, surprising Jennisa.
• “You already know them?” Jennisa repeats, making sure.
• “Kimberly is the wife of Fargo Jerald, Damian’s nephew,” Carol adds, looking at the beautiful model.
• “Oh my, I didn’t know. Sorry.” Jennisa smiles warmly at Kimberly.
• Jennisa gives a friendly smile, while Kimberly returns a nervous smile. Honestly, she wants to leave this place.
• “Kimberly, you should have brought your husband here,” Jennisa says warmly.
• “Fargo’s busy, so I came with Carol,” Kimberly answers, trying to stay calm.
• “Well, next time let’s have lunch together, okay? Me and Damian, and you and Fargo,” Jennisa says, making Kimberly a bit flustered.
• “Um, sure,” Kimberly replies with a fake smile.
• A conversation starts between Jennisa and Carol. The two women discuss a work project for next month, while Kimberly is the only one unable to focus on the work discussion. What distracts her is Damian, who keeps staring at her intently.
• Damian’s brown eyes are sharp and fixed, almost as if shooting lasers at Kimberly. Several times, Kimberly looks away to avoid his gaze, but she only feels more awkward and flustered when he looks at her like that.
• “Excuse me, I need to go to the restroom.” Kimberly doesn’t wait for a response. She leaves the hotel ballroom and heads to the restroom.
• In the restroom, Kimberly paces nervously. She looks at herself in the mirror and tries to calm her breathing. Her mind keeps asking why she has to meet Damian again. God! She’s tried so hard to stay away from Damian, but why does she keep running into him? Ridiculous! This is really ridiculous! What kind of coincidence is this?
• “Shit! Why hasn’t that man gone back to Seattle yet?” Kimberly mutters as she turns on the faucet and splashes her face with water.
• “I’m not interested in going back to Seattle. I like being here, Kim.” That deep voice startles Kimberly. Reflexively, she turns to the source of the voice.
• “D–Damian? Y–you’re here? T–this is—”
• “The ladies’ room, I know.” Damian cuts her off, then walks closer to her.
• As Damian approaches, Kimberly immediately steps back until her back hits the bathroom wall. Her face pales as Damian corners her, leaving her unable to move.
• “Damian! Stay away from me!” Kimberly shouts, emotional.
• Damian ignores Kimberly’s words. He simply admires how sexy Kimberly looks. The short gold dress with a plunging neckline makes it impossible for him to take his eyes off her.
• “Why are you looking at me like that!” Kimberly snaps as Damian keeps staring at her, like a hungry lion.
• A smile appears on Damian’s face. He roughly strokes Kimberly’s cheek and whispers hoarsely, “You’re so damn beautiful, Kim.”
• Kimberly’s face almost blushes at Damian’s compliment. She quickly pushes the thought away. She reminds herself that Damian is her husband’s step-uncle. Not only that, Damian is now seeing another woman. Kimberly doesn’t want to be involved in a cheap scandal.
• “Please stop your nonsense!” Kimberly says coldly and firmly.
• “I don’t like talking nonsense.” Damian lifts Kimberly’s chin, bringing his lips close to hers. “You look so beautiful tonight, Kim. Are you trying to seduce me?”
• “You’re crazy! Who’s seducing you! Let me go, bastard! I want to go home! My husband is waiting for me!” Kimberly shouts, emotional.
• Damian laughs softly. “Your husband is waiting for you? Really? Isn’t it true your husband never cares about you? I heard you two arguing at the office yesterday. You can fool the whole family about your relationship being fine, but you can’t fool me, Kim.”
• “It’s normal for married couples to argue!” Kimberly insists. “Now move! I want to go home. Your girlfriend is waiting for you too. Don’t leave her. It’s her birthday!”
• Girlfriend? Damian frowns at Kimberly’s mention of the word ‘girlfriend’. Ah, suddenly he realizes who she means. Slowly, a smile reappears on his face. His eyes never leave Kimberly’s hazel ones.
• “Are you jealous of Jennisa, Kim?” Damian whispers huskily right in front of Kimberly’s lips.
• “Why would I be jealous? Who do you think you are that I should be jealous?” Kimberly glares coldly and sharply at him.
• Damian keeps smiling. He doesn’t answer Kimberly right away. Instead, he studies her face, which is full of anger. But to him, Kimberly’s anger looks sexy. From the start, he knew Kimberly wasn’t a gentle woman. Kimberly is like a wild, sexy tigress with an amazing allure.
• “I know you’re jealous. But there’s one thing you should remember, the only woman who’s my favorite in bed is you, Kimberly.”