On her first night in the condo, Amber felt uneasy. She could not go to sleep. She called her grandmother earlier to check on her.
“Marmee, how are you?” She said happily. Marmee is her endearment for her grandmother.
“Amber, I am so glad you finally called. I was so worried about you. How was everything?” Her grandmother was referring to the funeral she attended early in the day.
“It was fine, marmee. It went on smoothly. How are you doing, marmee? Are you feeling much better now?” She asked with a concerned voice. She really wanted to check on her grandmother. Before she left, her grandmother complained of headache and dizziness. However, it was her who suggested for Amber to go to Seattle to attend the funeral of her friend. She still remembers their conversations.
“But marmee, I just can’t leave you like this. You are not feeling well.” Amber protested. Her grandmother simply waved her hand at her.
“If I weren’t sick, I could have gone with you. Don’t worry about me. I have many people on the farm who can check on me. Besides, Mrs. Mills and her daughter are here to take care of me.” She reasoned out. Amber looked at her grandmother carefully. She feels slightly relaxed knowing that she will be taken care of without her. But still that lingering feeling that she will not be there to personally take care of her doesn’t make her feel good about herself.
“You just graduated from college. Besides, you have been helping me a lot on the farm. I want you to take this time off as a vacation for you. It is my graduation gift for you.” Amber couldn’t say anything but express her gratitude to her grandmother.
“Thank you so much, marmee. You always think of me before yourself. And I love you so much for everything.” She hugged her grandmother tightly. She saw her grandmother teary-eyed after they shared that warm hug.
“Are you in the apartment right now?” Her grandmother suddenly asked. She was lost in her thoughts for a few moments thinking back about their conversations a few days ago. Amber does not know how to answer her grandmother’s question. She cannot just tell her that she is staying in Devlin’s condo unit. She is sick and she does not want to stress her out.
“Yes, I am home, marmee. Don’t worry about me. I just want to make sure that you are fine.” She felt bad that she lied.
“You worry too much. I am still strong.” She heard her chuckling softly. Somehow, it comforted Amber.
“So, how was the funeral? Did you meet Devlin and his family?” Her grandmother asked further. Amber didn’t get the chance to introduce herself to Devlin’s parents. She arrived when the ceremony already started.
“I just met Devlin Wesley. They already started the ceremony when I got to the cemetery. I offered a silent prayer to Grandma Olivia. I wish I had known her more.” Amber said sadly. She was disappointed that she was not around when Grandmother Olivia came to visit her marmee with Devlin a few months ago.
“So, you met each other. I hope he received you well. He was nice when he came here.” Amber stayed silent for a few seconds. She did not want to tell her grandmother what she thought of Devlin during their first meeting earlier.
“Yes, he is fine.” Came her brief reply. Good thing her grandmother did not ask more about him. They talked about the farm and Amber’s plan while she’s in the city.
“So, what’s your plan while in Seattle? There are so many nice places to go in there.” Encouraged her grandmother.
“I have no plans, marmee. Probably, I will explore the city soon.” She didn't really think about the vacation anymore. She got stuck with Devlin.
“Maybe you should take this chance to get to know Oilivia’ grandson. He is a nice man.” Her grandmother suggested. Amber didn’t say anything except to agree so she does not have to explain further her situation.
“Please take care, marmee. Don’t forget to take your medicines on time.” Amber’s last words before she ended the call.
Now, three days have passed since she came to the condo. It has been three days of waiting in vain for Devlin to contact her. She has not gone out of the condo unit yet. Whatever she needs, she just contacts Jackson. He is the only one who knows she is in Devlin’s condo. He is like a trusted bodyguard to him.
She decided that if they could not talk after two days, she would leave the place and go home. She can just forget about the whole thing. Then, out of nowhere she remembers Grandma Olivia.
“Am– Amber, my child, when I am go–gone, please promise me that you will marry my grandson. He is a good man. He needs a good woman to take care of him.” Grandma Olivia’s weak voice is noticeable. She even had to pause several times before she continued talking. Amber does not know what to say to her. At the end, she promised to marry Devlin.
Suddenly, her phone started ringing. It was from an unregistered number. She got nervous. She had a feeling it’s Devlin.
“Hello…” She answered nervously. She heard someone talking in the background. It was a female voice. She almost ended the call after a few seconds without any response from the caller. However, she heard the baritone voice of Devlin.
“Hi…I am sorry to keep you waiting. Anyway, how are you doing?” He asked casually while he was signing some papers in his office. Amber had to take a deep breath before she replied to him.
“I am fine. Glad to hear from you.” She said formally for the lack of words to say.
“Can we meet up tonight over dinner? We need to discuss our situation. I can pick you up around 7 pm. Are you fine with that?” This is what Amber is waiting for… to get to talk to Devlin. She needs to do this for her peace of mind. For sure, Devlin will reject the idea to marry her. At least, it won’t come from her. She can go home with her conscience clear.
“Yes, I am fine with that.” She said with a calm voice. She felt better with the idea that this will be over soon.
“So, how’s your stay in the condo? Is Jackson helpful to you?” Devlin continued asking casually. He felt like he wanted to know what she has been doing these past three days in his condo.
“Everything is fine. Thank you. Jackson has been very helpful.” She is grateful for her accommodation in Devlin’s place. However, she needs to move out from the condo soon. She can open the subject now since Devlin seems to be in a good mood.
“Ummm…I am really grateful to you for letting me stay here but I would like to leave soon. After our meeting tonight, I want to go home.” She said straight away although her grandmother wanted her to spend more time in Seattle for vacation. However, there is no reason for her to stay in the condo after their meeting tonight.
“We will talk about it tonight.” Came the short reply of Devlin.
“Anyway, Jackson told me you never got out of the condo. How come? I told you that he will do anything you want. You have the car at your disposal if you want to explore the city.” Amber could not believe that he was being extra nice to her. The first time they met, he wasn’t as friendly as now.
“Thank you for the offer. I did not think of doing that.” She actually got bored in the condo. One time, she did a movie marathon for eight hours. She was watching some rom-com movies. The next day, she spent her time on the phone talking to her grandmother, Mrs. Mills and her daughter. Then, she read some news online. She ended up reading mostly about Devlin. Of course, she would never tell him that. Then, she also tried checking for some job openings in the area. She is a graduate of Fine Arts. There are so many job opportunities for her. But of course, her life is on the farm. She already missed everyone there.
“You still have plenty of time. You can ask Jackson to show you around. He is great at his job.” Devlin suggested. They continued talking for a few more minutes before Devlin ended the call.
He is in his office right now. He was too busy from work these past few days. Now, he is back full-time, so much work is waiting for him. When Amber showed up that day, he was already planning the things he wanted to do. That’s why he was annoyed that she just approached him and wanted to discuss the marriage thing. He never thought that she would open up about the marriage. She looks naive. While driving the car, so many things went on in his head. He can just easily tell her that they don’t have to do the marriage. However, his grandma’s words kept coming to him. He is torn between honoring his promise to his grandma or just discard it like it never happened.
It would be unfair to blame Amber for anything. She is also trapped just like him. He was thinking of how he could inform Amber not to go with the marriage. But something came up the other day. And he may need Amber’s help without her knowledge.
What he is about to do is really bad but he is desperate. He wants to get back Raven and she is giving him a hard time. When they were together, she wanted time for their relationship but he failed. Now, he wants her back so bad. And with Amber’s help, he may be able to get her back soon. He is determined to convince Amber to stay longer.
That night, he wore a formal suit. He is going to take Amber to an expensive restaurant. He already had a reservation at the VIP section. He came earlier than their agreed time. Instead of waiting at the parking area, he went to the condo unit and decided to pick up Amber there.
Amber was still wearing her robe and getting herself ready for her dinner meeting with Devlin. She didn’t have much clothes with her. She is glad that she brought her body hugging black halter neck dress which is above the knee. She paired it with a white blazer to cover her curves. She wore a black high heeled shoes. She only wore this outfit once during a convention for an art exhibit. It looks semi-formal but good enough to wear over a dinner meeting. She decided to leave her natural wavy auburn hair down. She only put on a cheek tint and a nice pink lipstick. When she finished, she heard the doorbell ring. She wondered who it might be. She didn’t ask for Jackson.
“Who is it?” She asked from behind the door. She walks barefoot towards the door.
“It’s Devlin. Are you done? Please open up.” She gasped in surprise. Why would he come here? She checked her watch. There is still ten minutes before 7. And they agreed to meet at the basement parking area. Although she hesitated for a while, she opened the door for him.
The moment he entered, she immediately smelled his expensive perfume. He smells so good. He looks dapper in his black suit. He is definitely the most handsome man she has ever met in her life. She was simply gaping at him.
“So, did you like what you see?” He sounded serious but trying to suppress a smile. Amber immediately turned red when she realized what he just said. She is so embarrassed that he caught her admiring his looks. Instead of replying to his question, she excused herself to get her purse. When she came back, she could not help but ask him.
“You are ten minutes early. I thought we were going to meet in the parking area.” She voiced out what’s in her head, not that she’s complaining. She is ready to go anyway.
“Yes, but I finished early from work. So, I decided to come pick you up here instead.” He noted how she looks so beautiful tonight. The clothes are not even so revealing yet it shows that she is a great beauty. He is right. If she only dresses up nicely and puts some makeup on, she can pass for a model. That is his type of woman… tall, beautiful and sophisticated just like Raven.
“So, are you ready?” She only nodded at him. Together, they went inside the private elevator. They were quiet the whole time. Devlin was on his phone while Amber was just standing quietly to the corner.
When they reached the basement, he opened the car door for her. He even put on the seatbelt for her when they got inside his car..
“May I?” She only nodded her head. She noticed how gentleman Devlin is. This must be the real him, far from the first time she met him. She wondered why he was wearing a nice suit tonight. They are just going to a casual dinner anyway. Well, he did not really mention which restaurant they are going to. She quickly checked her clothes. On second thought, it doesn't matter anyway. After tonight, she is leaving.
Amber did not expect the place they went to. It was not a regular expensive restaurant. It was a fine dining restaurant on a yacht. She saw some diners who were dressed elegantly. She thought when Devlin mentioned dinner, it was just a regular dinner at an expensive restaurant. Not this kind of set-up. This is more like a dream dinner date for her. “Are you meeting someone else here?’ she asked curiously. She had never been to a place like this before, and even going to an expensive restaurant was a rarity for her. “No, I am not meeting no one except you.” A waiter came to them and guided them to a sliding door where their VIP section is located. It is interesting how she can see the other diners from their stained glass wall. “This is very nice. I’ve never been to a place like this. Isn’t this too much for a dinner meeting? I thought we would go to a regular restaurant.” She said candidly while looking around the spacious VIP room that Devlin reserved for them. “I am glad you like
Amber could not believe that she had to stay for a few more days. She was firm in her decision earlier to leave his condo. But just like that…Devlin convinced her to stay. If her marmee did not agree, she would have been getting ready to pack now. She could not sleep immediately. She keeps thinking of what happened during dinner. Devlin was the complete opposite from her first encounter with him. He was acting as the best gentleman. She can’t deny that she was really impressed the moment she saw him walking inside the condo with his black suit. Then, he brought her to a place beyond what she could imagine for a casual dinner. And their conversations were very light and relaxing. The most surprising part was he wanted to be friends with her. She doesn't know why he decided to do that although she likes the idea. She must admit that she sees him more than just a friend. A lot of women admire him for his looks. She is no different from those women except she promised his grandmother
“Devlin? What are you doing here?” Asked the tall, beautiful lady who passed by them. Amber was a few meters away from them. She distanced herself further so she would give them some privacy. She must be his friend. “Raven! Nice to see you. I am doing well. What about you? I didn’t see you during the funeral.” Devlin casually asked his ex-girlfriend. She is so beautiful wearing her white bandage dress that perfectly shows off her body. Amber noticed how he looked at her. She could see great admiration from his face for the woman. She felt a slight pain in her chest from what she had just witnessed. “I was actually there. Didn’t Dalton tell you? I came late but I also left quickly. There was an emergency.” Raven said regretfully. She did not say what the emergency was. “So, who are you with?” She asked and suddenly looked at Amber. Devlin urged Amber to come to him by extending his hand. “This is Amber Adams, she is a very special friend.” Devlin said while beaming. Amber looked a
Devlin woke up nursing a hangover. He had too many drinks last night. He was at the bar past 5 pm. He did not exactly remember how he got home. He just remembers Jackson calling him on the phone, mentioning Amber. Thinking of her right now, he felt a bit bad that he left her all by herself. He did not come back for her. He went to the kitchen and made his own cup of coffee. He is in his bachelor’s pad right now. He must have been dead drunk last night for not remembering anything. There is only Jackson whom he thought would surely bring him home. Only Jackson knows, his trusted right hand about his houses. This was the closest place that Jackson could take him. He has three houses. He got the bachelor’s pad, the condo unit where Amber is staying and he has a huge mansion. He only has the maids there. That would be his house for his family in the future. Suddenly, he thought about Raven and what she told him yesterday. He felt so defeated yesterday hearing what Raven said to him,
They ended up watching an action comedy movie together. That was the only movie that would meet their movie preferences. Devlin likes action films while Amber is into rom-com movies. So, they decided to meet halfway. “Thank you for today. It was really nice. I hope you had fun.” Devlin said while she was at the door to the condo unit. She only smiled at him. “No, thanks to you. I had a great time.” “Hmmm… do you want a cup of coffee?” She said after a few moments. “Sure, that would be great!” Devlin replied without hesitation. He followed Amber inside while she put her purse on the center table in the living room. She went to the kitchen and turned on the coffee maker. Devlin followed her to the kitchen as well. “How do you like your coffee? Do you want it with milk?” Amber asked while she was preparing. “Black coffee is good.” He was looking at what Amber was doing which made her slightly nervous. She does not want to screw up things in front of him. Good thing that Devlin st
“Smile…we’ve just started.” Devlin told her and to her surprise, held her hand tightly. Together, they went to their assigned table. Immediately, the cameras were flashing at them until they reached their table. Amber tried to whisper to Devlin to loosen her grip on her hand but he just held it more tightly.. She could not do anything to avoid the attention. Instead, she put her head down at least to hide herself from those cameras. The attention she got tonight is making her anxious. She does not understand everything that Devlin did. “What was that? Why did you tell them that I am your date? I don’t understand what you are doing.” Came her questions in a low voice. What Devlin did just made her the center of attention from those reporters. “Just relax. Stay with me all the time and you will be just fine. They will not bother you.” Devlin is known to date a lot of women but he never answered any questions from the reporters regarding those women he dated. It is actually those women
It’s a sunny Saturday morning. For the first time, Amber decided to go out of the condo to do some jogging. She does not need to inform Jackson of her whereabouts anyway. Devlin already told her that she can get out whenever she wants to. She feels great to smell the fresh morning dew. She is now at a park, just jogging around. She checks her wristwatch and it is forty minutes past 5 am. She has been jogging for almost half an hour now. She decided to take a break at the nearest bench she could find. The place is almost empty at this time. She has the luxury to enjoy the view of the park all by herself. Her mind wanders as to what happened last night. She thought of Devlin and Raven. Based on what she understood from last night’s conversations from the guests, she assumed that Raven is in a relationship with someone else. She realized the reason why Devlin has that sad look on his face every time he looks at Raven. Amber has never been in a relationship but she is not that naive
“Good afternoon, Attorney Harrison.” Devlin greeted his grandmother’s lawyer the moment he saw him in his office. He wonders whether he is working today. He is such a workaholic man despite his age. “Good afternoon, Mr. Wesley. How are you doing? Please take a seat.” Smiled the aging Attorney Harrison. He is just a decade younger than his grandma. When Devlin’s grandfather was still alive, Attorney Harrison used to work for him as his personal lawyer. His grandfather was a very successful real estate developer. It was also Attorney Harrison who read the last will of his grandfather a few weeks after he died. His grandmother took the bulk of his wealth with almost all of his real estate properties as her inheritance. Devlin’s dad was also given some properties like the beach house and some apartments. Both Devlin and his older brother were given some parcels of land. Despite all the wealth her grandmother got, she lived a very simple life. Devlin knew that she also took good care of