C8 Chapter 8: THE CONFRONTATION

Joanna's POV

The alarm blared and I stretched my hand to shut it off.

" Ping!" A notification rang forcing me to ignore the annoying sound of my alarm.

I snatched my phone from the table frustrated, I threw it back on the mattress and walked out annoyed.

" Why would he say one thing today and switch words the next day?" I asked myself.

" We were supposed to meet up today!"

" Who are you talking to?"

" High heavens!" The frightened me shrieked... I nearly jumped out of my skin. " When did you get in?" I didn't even see her sneak in... Yolanda has a way of scaring people.

" Just now."

I heaved a sigh and slumped on the sofa, " I wish to sleep more." I mumbled.

" I'm stepping out soon... Did you eat breakfast yet?"

" No... I just woke up to an annoying alarm and notification."

" What is it about?"

" I can't believe that I accepted Chris's proposal... You're responsible for this, Yolanda."

" Stop fighting it, Joanna. You deserve to be happy, so live a happy life... You never know when..." She stopped.

" What's with that look?"

" It's nothing."

I saw those eyes. She looked pitifully at me... Did she find out about my illness? No, she would have approached me about it. Yolanda is usually blunt.

I drifted to Chris's message, " What is he thinking? How could he cancel..." I could feel anger building up.

" Our meet-up has been cancelled. I'm on my way to the airport, I have a business meeting to attend. Expect my call when I arrive in Greece." That's his message which popped up on my screen to ruin my morning.

" Safe flight." I grabbed my phone and typed back...

Half-dressed and facing the mirror, the dress was too pretty to be pulled off. My pretty dress shone brilliantly... And I could not resist going on a date with myself.

It was late and everywhere was quiet and cold when I returned home. I'd never noticed until now that my house was always this empty.

I made myself a cup of hot coffee and sat in my design room to work on my designs. It was annoying to think of how my life have been lonely all along. Except for Yolanda, I had no other friends. My social life is okay, besides, I work and meet with different people.

Without much guessing, I know getting attached to Yolanda has been the barrier to building a new circle of friends.

My bedroom sent a familiar scent, I pulled myself together and tried to adjust. I admired the wallpapers I had carved and preserved from childhood, my parent's pictures and the numerous awards and certificates of recognition lined up on the shelf. The blueprint to all my designs and a ring.

I found out about the ring in my parent's room on the day of their death. I have tried to understand the essence of the ring, still, I could not figure anything out. Sadly it will remain a mystery after my death.

What is in that ring? I wondered because I have never seen my parents wear it. The ring gives off a strange energy each time I go near it. After my birth, it has always been kept in a glass jar filled with alkaline water.

" Ding! Dong!"

My facial expression dropped as disappointment drew over my face. The last person I ever expected to see, was Axen, Chris's best friend.

She looked at me with a smirk on her lips, her appearance spelt mischief.

" I've heard how nice you are, still you can't welcome me with open arms? Why did you accept Chris if you were not ready to cope with the people around him?" She asked me.

" I wasn't expecting to see you."

" I admire your boldness, Joanna. I can assure you that Chris is just playing around with you. I advise you to give up on him now that it's not too late or you will regret it." She said with much confidence that I felt intimidated all of a sudden.

" I don't care whether he gives up on me or not," I answered without flinching and was amused by how shocked she was.

I know she never expected me to react the way I did. I can't take chances not even with her, the first time I met her was at the grocery store when she had accompanied Chris on his usual adventure of persuasion.

She wasn't friendly, and I refused to be fooled. A best friend who is in the same mischief as her male best friend, I doubted it, because as a girl I know that her emotions were at stake and she enjoyed seeing him hurting people's feelings. She is his partner in crime, this made me question her actions.

Axen's POV

Shocked to my bone marrow, I was terrified by Joanna's confidence to talk back at me. I aimed to threaten her and make her break up with Chris when he returned. However, I've just realized that this fight will be a fierce one.

She stood undaunted, chin high. The girls that dated Chris did not stay long with him... I usually go behind to threaten them, some who tried to fight back were blackmailed.

When I heard that Chris had flown out of the country to Spain, I saw it as an opportunity to ruin their relationship. I did a background check on Joanna but found nothing on her. Except that her parents died when she was still at a very young age.

" Look at me, Joanna!" I commanded.

Still, I could not do anything to her.

She possessed a strong aura that I could not break into her senses and hypnotize her. Both methods I had planned to use failed. Left with no other choice I stormed out of her office in anger.

I won't give up on stopping her. Just like what I did to the other girls and she won't be an exception, maybe Chris placed a shield on her, I'll find out sooner. I know that he never hides anything from me.