Chapter 38 - Cursed fate

Early in the morning, Aniston was humming, happily busy in the kitchen.

Last night she had met a producer and her father's friend who was determined to have her play in one of NBC's TV series. Although it was not the main role, it was quite good for a newcomer, and the drama could bring her a certain amount of status, which was something that she was in urgent need of.

"Jenny, good morning." Her stepbrother, Alex Aniston, greeted drowsily as he scratched his head and came towards the kitchen.

Aniston turned around and said: "Hey, Alex, breakfast is ready. Go wake dad up, I'm leaving now."

Then, before Alex could react, Aniston rushed out the door.

After turning down Eric's invitation yesterday, Annie felt guilty. Although what the tabloids said made her very depressed, Eric's love was genuine, he had let her feel it more than once.

Last night while they were on the phone, she could hear that he was depressed. So she woke up early in the morning to prepare breakfast to go and soothe her boyfriend's displeasure.

Ten minutes later, Aniston arrived in front of Eric's doorstep in a taxi, she took out the key he got made for her and went in.

She didn't realize that, in a gray sedan, ten meters away, two white men were sleepily leaning against their seats. One of them jerked up, his face showed an expression of ecstasy as he quickly grabbed the camera at his side and started to press the shutter while mercilessly kicking his companion awake.

"Hey David, wake up, there's going to be a good show."

The fat man who was snoring with his face covered by a hat suddenly woke up. He reflexively took off his hat and straightened his body in shock, as he stared outside with bloodshot eyes: "Wayne, I don't see Eric Williams and Drew Barrymore anywhere."

"It's more exciting than that, just now that store clerk, Eric's girlfriend went in! Haha, this is going to be wonderful!"

The fat man named David looked again, he didn't see Aniston's figure, but reached out to take the camera off of Wayne, who pulled away and said: "What are you doing? Be careful we don't want to get caught after staking out here all night. Don't worry, I've already taken a few shots."

"That's good, the more the better." David rubbed his chubby face and grinned: "I originally thought we'd be able to make a small fortune when I saw Drew and Eric Williams going home together. I didn't expect we'd get something even better. Wayne, how much do you think they'll offer for this?"

"At least three thousand dollars, and if that old guy Santos lowers the price, we'll change newspapers. Anyway, we don't have to worry about not being able to sell this."

...

When Eric woke up, he felt himself holding something soft, and his hand unconsciously squeezed harder. He opened his eyes and felt a warm body embracing him.

He was still hungover, and thinking that it was Annie, he unceremoniously grabbed the girl's mounds and started to play with them as he said: "Good morning, baby."

The girl moaned slightly before leaning her small head and softly kissing his lips: "Good morning, Eric."

"Huh….. AH!" a familiar but unexpected baby face appeared in front of an astounded Eric who hastily pulled away.

His head felt heavy and his emotions were a mess. He rubbed his temples and asked bewildered: "Drew… You….. Why are you…."

Drew saw that Eric seemed to be confused and said: "Eric, you brought me back last night, and then….. We….. Don't worry, I don't mind. I….. I am very happy."

The hell! You may not, but I mind!

Eric let out a distressed sigh. He reached for his clothes and caught glimpse of a fleeting sly expression on Drew from the corner of his eyes.

Then, he took a look at the sheets; everything was clean, there was no weird stench either. Relieved, he stared sharply at Drew: "Drew, nothing happened last night, right?"

"It did!" Drew protested, "Eric how can you be like this, are you seriously not gonna take responsibility?"

"Then can you explain why the bed is so clean?" he casually asked as he put on his shirt.

Drew felt her head spinning, she put on an aggrieved face and said with teary eyes: "You… You forced me to swallow and…. And lick th-that clean, such a disgusting thing and y-you won't even admit to it. You're such a bastard!"

Eric almost choked.

Your little devil, you even know about licking and swallowing?! How old are you, are you planning to shoot adult videos or something?!

"Alright Drew, don't be silly, get dressed."

Seeing that Eric didn't believe her, Drew drilled out of the bed naked and flew towards him: "If you don't believe me, then do you dare let me kiss you? There's still the lingering taste of it in my mouth."

Drew made a kissing gesture, and Eric revealed a horrified expression, if it was true, that would be… Disgusting.

"Don't… Alright, I believe you, Drew, I believe you…. So stop!"

"Ah, Eric, don't hide, you're too despicable."

The two started struggling on the floor when the door was suddenly pushed open.

Aniston was standing there, holding a convenience store bag.

There was a beat of silence.

As if God had suddenly pressed the pause button.

After a full ten seconds, the sound of a car horn sounded outside, and the three people reacted.

Wronged, sad, angry, bitter, disappointed… a series of emotions mixed together and Aniston felt an inexplicable sense of detachment that things seemed to be like this.

"Eric, I… I… I brought you breakfast." Annie's voice was light as if a gust of wind could blow it away.

She gently put the bag on the floor before she turned away and sped away, her heels mercilessly echoing in the empty house.

Tears fell the moment Annie was out of the house.

She couldn't let that bitch see her cry, or she would feel more proud.

The sound of high heels clattering thoroughly awakened Eric from his daze.

"Annie, wait, please listen to me." Eric quickly pushed Drew away as he scrambled to put his trousers on and rushed out.

Because he was rushing, he almost lost his footing down the stairs, but fortunately seized the handrail. He finally came out into the yard only to see a bright yellow taxi pulling away. He could make out Aniston's figure in the back seat.

He hurriedly returned to his house to grab his car keys. He felt so wronged that he wanted to cry, but no tears came out.

Why… Why had things turned out like this?

In Friends, Rachel had lived through something similar, and in his past, Annie then caught Pitt cheating with Jolie. Now, this happened even though he was innocent.

What kind of cursed fate was this? What had she possibly done to deserve this?!

Driving his car out, he couldn't see the taxi anywhere and directly drove to John Aniston's house in Beverly Hills.

After several minutes of driving, Eric straightened his clothes and rang the doorbell.

"Hey Tarzan, how are you and Jane doing ?" Annie's step-brother opened the door and recognized Eric.

Eric anxiously asked: "Alex, where's your sister?"

Alex was puzzled: "She went out early, didn't she come to see you?"

Eric could tell that he wasn't lying, he bid goodbye and left in a hurry. Since Annie hadn't come here, she most likely went to her apartment.

He arrived in front of her flat and knocked, but got no response. He looked around to see if anyone was watching, pulled out a spare key from one of the pots next to the door, and went inside.

Walking in, Eric could tell that Annie had come back here as her scent was still lingering vividly in the air.

He looked around, and finally found a note left on the coffee table: Eric, we're done.

He sighed and rushed back to John Aniston's home, the door was once again opened by Alex.

"Alex, you…"

Before Eric had even finished, Alex curtly said: "Don't bother Eric, Jenny left for New York. I'm not telling you more."

"What…"

He was speechless and didn't know what to do.

"Is it Eric? Please come in." Eric was just wondering how to answer when the voice of John Aniston called from inside.

Alex heard his father and moved aside with displeasure.

"Come with me." John Aniston blankly turned and walked inside.

Eric nodded his head at John's current wife who was in the living room and followed the man to his study.

"Sit, Eric, what do you drink?"

"Nothing, John, just tell me which airport Annie has gone to, I have something to explain."

John Aniston glanced at Eric's messy clothes, and asked: "Eric, did you attend the party last night?"

"I did, yes."

"And after the party, you went home with another woman…"

"John, this is a misunderstanding, I…."

John Aniston waved his hand: "You don't have to explain to me. I still think it might be better for you guys to separate. You don't know, but, Annie has been under a lot of stress these days. She was always anxious and restless."

"Why?"

John Aniston said: "You haven't known her for long, but you must know how strong Annie is. However, you made such a dazzling debut, while she is still unknown, along with what all the newspapers are saying, it would be weird if she didn't feel something."