It was 1 p.m. when the first set of guests appeared within the McAlister’s premises. Mrs. Harris stepped out through the front doors to receive them. They were older than she was, and was good friends with them. After greeting each other, they laughed wholeheartedly. Angel, who stood on the front balcony on the west wing of the house, could hear them. Mrs. Harris led her guests inside the house, and soon afterwards, two of the household helpers came to stand outside the front stone steps, obviously to welcome more guests yet to come.
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Angel turned her attention from the front door to the green lawn on the other side of the house. This was where she saw the help arrange garden tables and chairs. Even the garden lighting. They will obviously be turned on when evening fell. It was more of a place to chill for those who didn't want to play bingo. It’s a nice place to socialize, Angel thought to herself. They planned the event well. The old folks were going to play the game in the ballroom. Those who were either too young or not so old can do whatever they like and enjoy themselves.
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"Enjoying the view?"
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Angel almost jumped in fright as she turned to look behind her. Zac stood inside his study room, with his hands in the pockets of his cargo pants, looking at her.
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"You scared me to death," she said.
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"Sorry about that." He came to the balcony and stood beside Angel. "So what do you think of the view?"
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"It's great," Angel answered, looking at the front part of the house. "The place looks more beautiful from an aerial view."
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"I'm glad you like it. I usually like standing here to clear my thoughts."
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"I see why." Angel's eyes fixed themselves at the gate when she noticed two more cars drive in. "This place will be packed with people soon."
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"Well, when it's something like a bingo game, my grandmother's friends attend like it's some high school reunion."
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“I can’t wait to see this place when it’s a full house.” Angel turned to look at Zac. “Oh, has Felicity agreed to come over?”
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“Yeah, she agreed.” Zac licked his lower lip. “I just wonder how all of this is going to turn out.”
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“Don’t think too much. It might not go the way you planned, but it will be good for the two of you to talk.”
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“Now that the guests are starting to arrive, it will be impossible to get her alone.”
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“You can just drag her up in your study.”
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“Yeah, that’s if my mum and grandmother won’t notice. They say it's rude to hide from guests.”
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“It is. However, this is your future we’re talking about. It won’t hurt to talk for, like, twenty minutes. If they give you any trouble, tell me, and I’ll distract them.”
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Zac smiled as he turned to look at Angel. “Thanks, but there will be so many guests that disappearing will be easy. That’s if I get unlucky.”
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Angel had her phone in her hand, and she realized that she had to text Carly. She was coming over with Amanda, and she had asked Angel to tell her the dress code for the event. So far, Angel has seen the first guests wear nothing but casual clothing. Angel texted Carly, and in her message, she told Carly to tell Amanda not to worry.
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“I think we’re done here,” Angel said, looking away from her phone. “We can go downstairs before your mother starts looking for you.”
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“You’re right, let’s go,” said Zac as he turned around and started heading for the door.
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The two left Zac’s study and started to make their way downstairs. Angel had a lovely time being shown around the house. She could never imagine being in a house with so many rooms. The McDonell mansion felt quite small to the McAlister’s. Most of the rooms were recreation rooms, like the, the game room, a theatre room, spa room, a fitness room and the wine cellar downstairs next to the kitchen. There were still many rooms and places yet to be discovered, but that will have to come another time. Zac had to attend to greet some of the guests that have arrived, and it wouldn’t look good if Angel had to wander around the house on her own. As they started to make their way down the stairs to the ground floor, already flowing with people, Angel couldn’t help but ask,
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“Is your father going to be around for the event?”
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Zac looked a little surprised at the question. “He’ll be here,” he answered. “He didn’t feel like attending, but my mother made sure to give him a word or two, and he changed his mind. I’m guessing he’s buying his time wherever he is.”
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“Sounds like he’s not a people person,” said Angel. They reached the bottom of the steps.
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“Oh, he is. It’s the nature of the event that makes him uneasy. If I had it my way, I wouldn’t be here either. But, for the sake of my mother and my grandma, I just have to keep up appearances.”
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It took a minute for two of the guests, an elderly couple, to notice Zac reach the bottom of the stairs, and they went over to greet him. Zac greeted them politely and introduced Angel as his friend. Angel greeted them as well, and they had a small conversation before Mrs. Harris told her grandson to show their guests to the ballroom where they would hold the event. Angel went along with him.
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The tables and chairs in the ballroom were arranged in such an orderly fashion. There were two columns, each with six long tables and a good number of seats on each table. For a moment, Angel felt she had entered one of those bingo games held for the local community in community centers. At one end of the room was a huge mahogany table with the metal bingo ball container on it. Inside the container were the red bingo balls. A small microphone stood beside the container, and behind the table stood two magnificent chairs. Angel and Zac were chosen to officiate the game, and they agreed to do it.
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On one side of the room were long tables covered with white cloths that had refreshments and light snacks like sandwiches, biscuits, pastries, and juice boxes for those who preferred natural juices. On the other side, there were beers, champagne, and all types of alcohol. The table was close to the doors that led to the back, where the white garden chairs and tables were set for those who didn’t want to play the bingo game.
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After tending to their guests and making them feel at home, Zac took Angel by the side and dragged her away from listening ears. Angel couldn’t help but wonder what was wrong with him all of a sudden.
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“Hey, is everything alright?” Angel asked him.
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“Yeah, everything is fine,” he said. “I sure hope Felicity can get here soon. You know, before the game begins.”
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Angel knew what he meant. They were the ones meant to sit at the table in front of the room to control the game.
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“Not to worry,” said Angel. “She’ll be here. If not, I’ll ask either Leo or Eric to help me once they get here.”
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“They are coming over?” Zac asked with a surprised look on his face.
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“Well, Eric’s coming; I don’t know about Leo. You don’t sound too happy to hear that.” Angel noticed the sudden change in Zac’s expression.
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“Oh, it’s nothing. I just feel those two hate my guts sometimes.”
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“Is it because you drive around with different cars every day?”
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“What makes you think that?”
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“Just guessing. I know either of the two will help out, so don’t worry about it.”
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“Thanks. I needed that.”
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“Come on. We better be inviting more guests in.”
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Zac and Angel, along with Mrs. McAlister and her mother, Mrs. Harris, welcomed the guests that slowly started to arrive at the house. In less than thirty minutes, the ballroom had over twenty guests, and there were more still arriving. Some guests sat on the chairs arranged for the bingo game, while a good number were outside at the back, enjoying themselves in the company of friends with a refreshment in hand.
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A few minutes later, Eric’s car arrived at the front gate of McAlister’s house. Carly sat beside him in the passenger seat. At the back sat Amanda, Oliver, and Leo, who apparently didn’t want to come along. Eric dragged him out of his room. How Leo came to the car without much of a fuss surprised everyone. Mrs. McDonell said she would be coming on her own. No one spoke it aloud, but they all knew she wanted to look good for the event. And because Diana had taken the day to go to work, there was no one to tell her that she didn’t have to go all-out for such an event.
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“Wow, this place is gorgeous,” said Carly as the car drove inside the premises.
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“Wait until you get inside,” said Eric. “The place is like a palace.”
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“It’s beautiful inside,” said Amanda. “They put in a lot of work to make that place look as magnificent as it is.”
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The car drove all the way to the front of the house, and there were lines of cars ahead of them around the fountain, making their way to the side of the house near the garage. There was plenty of space in front of the garage for the cars to park. Amanda told Eric to leave her and the others at the front, for it would be easier for her.
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As soon as the car was parked at the front, Leo came to get Amanda’s wheelchair in the boot. After arranging it, he helped Amanda out of the car. One of the housekeepers came to help him. Carly had already gotten out of the car, and she couldn’t help but look up in awe at the mansion in front of her.
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“It’s a nice house, isn’t it?” Oliver asked as he came to Carly. “When I first came, I had my mouth falling wide open.”
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“I have no doubt you did.”
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A woman coming out of the house let out a sort of girl scream. When Carly and Oliver turned to look, it was an elderly woman in a white summer dress. And she came toward Amanda.
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“Amanda, I’m happy you made it,” said the woman as she held Amanda’s cheeks and kissed them.
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“Oh, June, get yourself together,” said Amanda, waving her off. “You’re embarrassing me.”
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“Oh, you’re such an old goat. Let’s take you inside.” June turned to look at Leo. “I’ll handle her from here, dear. It’s nice to see you again, Leo.”
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“It’s nice to see you too, June,” said Leo, putting up a smile.
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“Before we go in,” said Amanda, turning to Oliver and Carly. “Carly, come over here. This is Carly, Angel’s younger sister.”
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“Nice to meet you, Carly,” said June as she and Carly shook hands. “My, you Barclay sisters sure are beings of beauty.”
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Carly blushed. “Thank you so much,” she said.
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“June, you better not be making a racket out there,” came a voice from inside the building. An elderly woman in a white blouse, white slacks, and matching white shoes walked out through the front door.
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“Since when have I been any trouble?” June asked Mrs. Harris.
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“Because you are one,” Mrs. Harris answered when she got close. “I’m glad you came, Amanda. Leo, I haven’t seen you in ages.”
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“I’m around,” said Leo, still smiling.
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“Oliver, you adorable human being,” said Mrs. Harris, pulling the boy into a hug. “I’ve missed you so much.” She turned her eyes toward Carly. “I’m going to guess that you’re Carly Barclay, right?”
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Carly smiled at Mrs. Harris. “You guessed right,” she said.
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“You’re so pretty, just like your sister. Please, all of you do come in.”
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They made their way inside the house, with Leo offering to push Amanda’s wheelchair when June wanted to do it. When they entered the foyer, Carly couldn’t help but utter under her breath how beautiful the house looked from the inside. There were a few guests talking and laughing in the foyer.
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Angel was walking out of the ballroom when she turned to look in the direction of the door. She saw her sister, Leo, Amanda, and Oliver being escorted by June and Mrs. Harris. Zac appeared behind Angel and came to stand beside her.
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"Oh, Zac," said Angel as she held his shoulder. "They are here. You should meet my sister, Carly."
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Zac turned in the direction Angel was looking and noticed Amanda, Leo, and Oliver. He noticed the woman beside Oliver, looking up at the pictures on the wall. He wondered where Eric was.
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"Let's go meet them," said Zac, smiling at Angel.
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The two made their way towards Amanda and the others. When they got close, Zac's eyes fell on Carly’s face as she turned in his direction. All of a sudden, their eyes met, and they suddenly froze.
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Angel noticed Zac's quick reaction and stopped as well to look at him.
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"Hey? What's wrong?" Angel asked him. She quickly followed Zac's line of sight and connected the dots instantly.
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Before Mrs. Harris or anyone else could notice Zac and Angel in front of them, Zac quickly grabbed Angel by her shoulders and made her do a U-turn, himself included. They took a few steps forward before turning into the living room to their right.
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Carly, who saw the whole thing, didn't know what to make of it. She still felt frozen, and she didn't know what to do next. Oliver, who stood beside her, looked and noticed something was wrong.
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"Hey, Carly. Are you okay?" he asked.
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"Uh..." Carly snapped out of her thoughts. "Yeah, I'm good."
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"I wonder where Zac and Angel are," said Mrs. Harris, looking around the foyer. "I thought I saw them around here just a second ago."
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She wasn't wrong there. Leo also thought he had seen them too.
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"Zac, do you know my sister?" Angel asked.
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Angel went straight to the point, and that got Zac a little confused at first as he tried to get his bearings. He told himself to calm down and breathe.
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"The woman standing beside Oliver is your sister?" Zac asked.
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Angel gave a nod. "Yes." She looked carefully at Zac. "How do you know her? Your face clearly showed that the two of you know each other."
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Zac felt his heart beat fast, and his body started to perspire a little. Angel could tell he was nervous, and she had a feeling she already knew the answer to her own question.
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"I don't know how to tell you this, Angel," said Zac as he scratched the back of his head. "It's quite embarrassing."
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Angel scoffed. "Then let me spell it out for you. You met my sister at a certain club where she was working as a call girl, correct?"
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Zac was left dumbfounded, and that was all Angel needed to know she was right. She didn't have enough time to explain things to him, but she had to act fast.
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"Do me a favor and don't tell anyone about her," said Angel.
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"Wait, what?" Zac looked caught off guard. "I don't think I would."
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"Good, just act like the two of you have never met. It's a lot to ask of you, but..."
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Zac held Angel’s shoulders. "I got you. You've got plenty of time to tell me what I need to know. For now, let's go. I have a feeling Grandma is looking for us."
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"Yeah, you're right."
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Zac gave Angel a smile, and that made Angel wonder how Zac could be so calm about this when he was looking lost and confused just a few seconds ago. As long as he agreed to act like he and Carly don't know each other, she could breathe easily. The two of them walked back into the foyer, and Mrs. Harris spotted them immediately.
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"Zac, Angel," she called out to them. "Look who just walked in."
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Zac and Angel approached Mrs. Harris and the others. Zac greeted Amanda, Oliver, and Leo. When it came to Carly, Angel introduced her to Zac.
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"Zac, this is my young sister, Carly," said Angel, her eyes on Zac at first, before turning to Carly. With just a single glance, Carly read her sister’s eyes. "Act natural," they said.
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The wide smile Carly had the first time she came here was plastered on her face, like it had been there for a long time. "Nice to meet you, Zac," she said.
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"The pleasure is mine," said Zac. "You and Angel really look like two goddesses."
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"You're too much, Zac," said Amanda. "But you're right. They are very beautiful young women."
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“Why don’t you young people relax and have fun? Or Zac can show Carly the place,” said Mrs. Harris. “We old ladies will go into the ballroom. Don’t go too far, though. You and Angel have to be ready.”
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“Ready for what?” Leo asked. Mrs. Harris, June, and Amanda took their leave of the ballroom, with June pushing Amanda’s chair.
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“We’ve been told to officiate the game,” Angel answered. “Do you plan to join?”
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“We all know very well that it’s the older people playing,” said Leo, rolling his eyes. “So count me out.”
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“Someone’s in a sour mood.” Angel threw Leo a look.
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“He didn’t want to come for the game,” said Oliver after he snickered. “Eric had to drag him along.”
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“Well, you better keep up a smiling face,” said Angel. “You’re going to be here for a very long time.”
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Leo rolled his eyes at Angel, and then he turned to Zac. “I’m guessing that the bar is out back. I really need a drink.”
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“Yeah, it is,” said Zac. “I think I’ll take Carly and show her around. Angel, do you care to join us?”
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Angel knew exactly where Zac was getting at. “Yeah, I’ll follow you.” She turned to look at Oliver. “There are kids in the living room, and they are watching a movie. I’m not sure if you want to go and join them.”
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“You don’t have to tell me twice,” said Oliver as he made his way to the living room. He had already recognized a few friends he knew and joined them.
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“Okay, I’m suggesting we go into the garden first,” said Zac as he started to lead the way.
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“It's a good place to go,” said Angel. “Let’s go, Carly.”
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Carly started to follow Angel and Zac when she turned around to look at Leo and waved at him. Leo waved back at her with a smile on his face. As much as he would’ve liked to hang out with Carly, the place was too crowded, and it was best to keep a safe distance. He was just about to enter the ballroom when he realized that Eric still hadn’t come in. As soon as he thought of him, Eric appeared.
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“Hey, Leo,” said Eric, standing beside him. “Where are Grandma and Carly? And have you seen Angel?”
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“You just missed her,” Leo answered. “She and Zac took Carly to look around the house.”
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“Dang it,” said Eric as he placed his hands on his waist. “I come here to check up on her, and off she goes. I think I need a drink.”
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“I was heading there just now. Let’s go.”
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While the two cousins headed for the bar outside the ballroom, Angel, Zac, and Carly had gone through the balcony doors that had a view of the large, vast scene of the lawn. Zac led them away from the gathering on the other side, where the ballroom was. Walking over to the empty pool area, they were making their way to the beautiful rose garden. Angel had only seen the rose garden from one of the rooms when shown around the house earlier. They hadn’t had a chance to explore outside. When Zac felt they were at a safe distance inside the flower garden, he turned to look at the two sisters.
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“We can talk here,” he said.
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“Are you sure?” Angel asked. “Someone might be walking around here.”
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“If there are, we’ll easily spot them.”
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Angel agreed with him. The flower hedges weren’t too tall, and they had a clear view up ahead of the whole garden, and there seemed to be nowhere to hide.
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“This is weird,” said Angel as she looked at Zac, feeling embarrassed. “You two have met at that club you used to work at, right, Carly?”
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When Angel turned to look at her sister, Carly swallowed. She tried to think of the right things to say, but she couldn’t.
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“Uh, yeah, we did,” she answered.
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“Fancy meeting you here,” said Zac, but he was quick to add, “Not in a bad way, I mean. I just never thought you would actually be related to Angel.” He said this, looking at Angel.
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“I used to work there, not anymore,” said Carly. “I need to focus more on my studies now. Angel made me see that.”
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Zac raised an eyebrow. “Wait, Angel never knew from the start that you worked at the club?”
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“No,” Angel answered. “I got to know later on. Not everyone knows about it, not even the McDonells. Apart from Leo and Eric.”
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“I see.” Zac slowly nodded his head. “In that case, I won’t tell anyone about this either.”
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“How can we be sure to trust your silence?” Carly asked sharply.
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Angel looked surprised at her sister’s tone. “Because I asked him to the minute I realized that he knew you,” said Angel.
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“I understand how you feel, Carly,” said Zac. “If anyone were ever to find out that I knew you were once a call girl, it wouldn’t look good for any of us.”
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“I know that,” said Carly. “Trust me, I almost ran out of the house when I saw you. I never thought I would ever meet an old client here in broad daylight.”
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“Yeah, I don’t go to such places anymore.” Zac said with a shrug of his shoulder. “Party clubs are much more fun these days.”
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“So, can we all agree that this doesn’t get out to anyone?” Angel asked, looking at the two.
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Carly and Zac looked silently at each other before nodding their heads. Carly felt backed into a corner when she snapped at Zac earlier. So much was going on in her life right now, and the last thing she needed was to find out that the house she was attending a bingo game at happened to belong to an old client of the club. With her meeting with Red Lion yesterday, she didn’t want to get caught in another trap. What if, at the end of the day, Zac couldn’t be trusted, and he used this information against her and Angel?
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“We should tell Leo and Eric about this,” said Angel.
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“They don’t have to know,” said Zac, shaking his head nervously. “What will they think of this?”
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“Zac is right,” said Carly. If Leo knew that Zac knew Carly, no doubt he would get furious. Besides, Carly knew Zac before she knew Leo. In any circumstances, it wouldn’t matter, but knowing Leo, he might blow a fuse now that he’s in a relationship with Carly. How did things get so complicated? Carly asked herself.
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Angel looked grimly at the two of them. “Well, I will,” she said. “I don’t want to find myself off guard, and it will be nice to back each other up if one of us ever finds themselves in a tight spot.”
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“I get what you mean,” said Zac. “But I don’t think they should know that I know about Carly’s past.”
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“I don’t want more complications going forward. I’ll tell them. You don’t have to be there.”
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“But Angel…,” Carly wanted to say something, but Angel had already raised her hand to silence her.
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“Like I said, I don’t want any complications,” said Angel. “And if they don’t like it, they will have to deal with it.” She turned to look at Zac. “I know you don’t get along with them, but I’ll make sure that they don’t give you the cold shoulder over this. Got it?”
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Zac nodded. “Let’s go back in the house, then,” he said. “There isn’t much to see outside, and I bet people will be looking for us.”
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Angel agreed with him, and Zac started to lead the way back to the house when Carly held Angel’s shoulder to stop her from following. Angel told Zac that they would find him back inside. Zac went on his way alone, leaving the two sisters to talk.
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“You can’t trust him, Angel,” said Carly after Zac wasn’t within earshot. “I’m afraid he’ll say something.”
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“May I remind you that we’re in this mess because of your past decisions?” Angel asked, looking at her sister in disbelief. “I think I should be the one to tell you that he’s the one who pulled me aside when he first saw you. If he wasn’t one to be trusted, I believe he wouldn’t mind saying out loud that he has seen you working in some club before. Have you ever thought of it that way?”
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Carly knew her sister was right, but she had to defend herself. “He’s a rich kid who can easily blackmail us with what he knows. Who knows what he could ask from us?”
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“Well, then it’s a gamble I am willing to take.” Angel placed her hands on her hips and sighed. “I don’t like to play the blame game here, but we all know why this is happening. And if this is the route we’re going to take, then I’ll take it.”
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“And what of Leo? Once you tell him, he is not going to like it.”
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“I know. Moreover, who's better than his worst enemy to tell him? If he knows, the better. I don’t want a misunderstanding to ever occur when the situation presents itself. I don’t know how, and I don’t know when, but I know it will. For now, I’m going to trust Zac. It will hurt the two of you if anyone ever finds out, but it will pierce you the most.”
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Carly shook her head. “I still don’t trust him.”
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"Do you have any other ideas, then? Because if word gets out that you were a call girl, it will tarnish both of us, and who knows? Someone might find a connection between you and Leo. Trust me, no one wants to open that box because it will ruin everything.”
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Carly was about to open her mouth, but Angel interrupted her. “We’re not talking about this any further,” said Angel. “What’s done is done, and I see no other way around it. I’m going to tell Leo and Eric because they deserve to know. So I want you to go back in there and get along with Zac and his family like you know nothing. If Zac’s willing to put up an act, then you should too.”
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Angel looked to have exhausted what she had to say because she looked in the direction in which Zac took to the mansion. Carly knew there was no point in trying to say anything more. Even when Angel didn’t look angry, there was a burning aura that she emitted that made Carly think twice about going against her. It might not look like it, but even Angel had a tough exterior. When provoked, she might bite when least expected, and when she did, she bit hard.
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Carly started to make her way back into the mansion. She looked back at Angel at some point, and Angel was staring back at her but had no emotion on her face. When Carly was out of sight, Angel turned around, and as though she had run a marathon, she bent over to take deep breaths. She straightened herself up and told herself to get herself together.
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Carly was walking back to the door she had exited from with Zac and Angel. She stopped in her tracks when she found Zac standing there. His eyes fell on hers.
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“Where is Angel?” he asked, looking behind her.
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“She needs a little time to think,” said Carly as she approached. “I guess she’s trying to think of a way to tell Leo and Eric.”
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“And she also needs a breather.” Zac put his hands in his pockets.
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Carly gave a nod of her head. “Then a little of both.”
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“I know all this is weird, and I understand if you don’t trust me. But I believe this is better for the both of us, and it was all in the past. I’m not the guy I used to be since I met this girl, who I think will be good for me. And as for you, you moved on from that to focus on your future prospects.”
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Carly felt a little embarrassed. She wasn’t like him, who was moving on from his past life for the better. Even though she wasn’t working at the club, she was involved with bad people. So. No. It was better for him to forget the past and move on. She still swam in the mud, and she told herself she'd never swim in it again. If anything, she felt rather guilty about it.
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She cleared her throat as she tried to forget her problems. “For a minute there, I thought you were going to say that you like my sister and will be willing to do anything for her,” said Carly as she raised her eyebrows mockingly. “Many men I know fall for my sister the moment they lay their eyes on her.”
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Zac chuckled. “Oh, trust me,” he said. “Your sister is gorgeous. Don’t tell her I said that. If I wasn’t dating someone right now, I would do anything to get her attention. However, I already have someone in mind, so she’s better off being a good friend, you know. And I feel she’s a good person. It’s nice to have such people around.”
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“Yeah, sometimes I wonder whether my parents named her that because they had an idea of what she would become when she grew older.” Carly came to stand next to Zac, and to the people that passed them, it looked like they were admiring the well-kept lawn outside. “She’s always there for me, even when I take her for granted sometimes. That’s why, after she found out I was working as a call girl, it broke her heart. Now that our mother is gone, she’s the closest I have to one.”
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“Well, then you do your very best not to break her heart again. I won’t tolerate it if you do.”
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“I will,” said Carly. Her heart was almost aching at the thought.
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A few seconds later, Angel appeared in their sights. She stopped when she noticed her sister and Zac standing side by side and talking like normal friends. A look of relief came to her face as she closed the distance.
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“It’s nice to see you two are getting along,” said Angel. “Or at least pretending to be.”
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Carly shook her head. “We talked about it,” she said. “You’re right. It’s best not to bring it up and leave it all behind us. I’m still against the idea of telling Eric and Leo.”
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“It will be fine. Like I said, I’ll talk to them. I just need to find them before the game starts.”
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Angel didn’t have to look that far. Eric and Leo appeared behind Carly and Zac with glasses in their hands. When Eric saw Angel, his eyes grew wide with surprise and glee. He went around Carly to get to her.
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“Angel, where have you been?” Eric asked. “I haven’t seen you the whole morning, and when I came here, I was told you were up and about.”
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Leo, who watched his cousin’s reaction, couldn’t help but roll his eyes and utter under his breath how embarrassing it was for Eric to act like he did. Zac was somehow surprised, for this is the happiest he has ever seen Eric. Carly smiled, as usual. She always felt the way Eric acted around her sister was amusing.
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Angel smiled at him. “Hi to you too,” she greeted him. “I’m okay. There was no need to worry about me. I have been with Zac since morning.”
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Eric turned to look at Zac. “Hey, Zac,” he greeted. “I hope you didn’t tire her with all the preparations you had to do.”
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Zac smiled. He didn’t have to be told that Eric liked Angel a lot. “No, I didn’t. There was nothing much for us to do anyway.”
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“Now that you’re here,” said Angel as she looked over at Leo, who kept his distance. “There is something that I need to speak to you and Leo about.”
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Leo was just about to take a sip of his martini but stopped half-way when Angel made that statement. He turned to look at her, and their eyes met. Leo shifted his eyes quickly to look elsewhere.
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“What do you need to speak to us about?” Eric asked. “Is it serious?”
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Angel did her best not to look at Zac and Carly, so she turned to look at Eric. “Yes, it is. Let’s go talk in the garden away from prying eyes and opened ears. Will you be joining us?” Angel addressed the question to Zac and Carly.
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“You can go ahead,” said Zac, putting his hands in his pockets. He was trying to hide how nervous he was. “I’ll escort Carly to get a drink.”
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“Yeah, you’ll find us in the ballroom,” said Carly.
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“Okay,” said Angel, turning to smile at Eric. “We better go.”
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Angel started to lead the way to the flower garden as Zac and Carly turned around to go back inside the house. When Carly passed Leo, the two of them shared a look. Leo noticed there was a certain look on her face. She seems scared, he thought to himself. He didn’t dwell on it as he followed Angel and Eric. He concluded that he was just imagining things.
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When they reached the lovely flower garden, they took a few steps in when Angel turned around to face Eric and Leo. The two men also stopped as they looked at Angel.
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“What’s so urgent that you have to call us out here?” Leo asked.
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Angel took a deep breath and said, “What I am about to tell you isn’t good. But it’s best to hear it from me. So don’t be mad, especially you, Leo. Yet I wouldn’t be surprised if you did.”
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“What could possibly get me mad apart from you?” Leo asked, raising an eyebrow.
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Eric laughed briefly before noticing the look on Angel’s face. Luckily for him, her eyes were set on Leo, and she looked like she was about to slap him.
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“This isn’t a joke, Leo,” she said.
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“Well, I’m also not joking.” Leo knew he wasn’t helping with all this. “What is it?”
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“It’s Carly,” said Angel, not beating around the bush. “She and Zac knew each other from the club.”
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***
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Meanwhile, at the front door of the mansion, Mrs. McAlister was just showing a guest in when she gasped in surprise. Someone walked up to the front porch, and she quickly stepped out to welcome her guest. The two of them hugged and exchanged kisses on the cheeks.
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“Bertha! It’s so good to see you,” said Mrs. McAlister.
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“Same here,” said Mrs. McDonell. “When your son came by the house and told me about the bingo game, I knew I just had to see you.”
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“You did well to come. We've got so much to catch up on. Come, let’s go inside.”
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“Wait, I’m waiting for someone.” Mrs. McDonell turned to look behind her. “Ah, here she is.”
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Kim walked up to the two women, looking elegant in a soft pink, sleeveless dress that reached above her knees. She wore white flat shoes, and she tied her curly blonde hair in a ponytail with a pink ribbon.
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“Kim! How nice to see you,” said Mrs. McAlister, hugging Kim. “You look so pretty.”
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“She’s always looked like a Barbie doll,” said Mrs. McDonell, smiling gleefully.
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“Thank you so much, Mrs. McAlister,” said Kim.
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“Let’s go in,” said Mrs. McAlister. “We really have a lot of catching up to do.”
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Mrs. McAlister led the way inside, with Mrs. McDonell and Kim following behind her.
ns 15.158.61.12da2
