Chapter 13 :: la façon jouer le joueurs

The next morning, after all the fiasco the supposed engagement party of the very well-known conglomerate Liandro Fontaballes's daughter, papers and reports from that night had already been headlining the newspapers and tabloids. An issue this big has never been late, wide spreading like an unstoppable wildfire. But somehow, that wasn't what was important at all. It is as if it hadn't even existed.

Only the clinking of silverware against plates can be heard in the quiet dining room. The tension in the room was palpable as Liandro's face watched his daughters—specifically, Jane—as they ate. Jelena sat stiffly right beside her husband, alongside her, her oldest.

As a mother, she cannot discern how she would feel, or how to approach this in general. It is as if she had failed as a mother to raise her children, her heart aching towards Jade, but she couldn't also ignore Jane as she was still her youngest, it is not fair to abandon her just like that. It just wasn't right. Her eyes moved towards Jade whose focus was on her food, silently eating right beside the man who she had known for a few years now.

Abramo, a man known as the stone demon—cold and calculative, steadfast and a money magnate, sealing all impossible deals and getting what he set his mind at—Jelena knew this guy as one of the few people her husband had an interest in and even had plans on either striking a deal with or partnering up. This is no joke, this will be big, both in business and in family. Her eyes moved from the two to Jane, her chest tightening as Jane's sharp glares were being shot towards her sister. How could she have failed at the only task she had to do? If she had done better, maybe… at least maybe this hadn't happened at all.

As Jade sat on her father's left, beside her—her now fiancé—Abramo. Sitting right across them were Jane and Zion who was beside her sister, Jessica. The glares Jane was shooting towards Jade were sharp and cold, but it was as if Jade wasn't affected at all as she continued eating as she normally would. But deep down, her emotions were in complete chaos. In chaos because of the most probably spreading issue of her supposed to be an engagement party, how it'll affect everything, from her father's company, her mother, Zion, and Jane, and most importantly, her child, by this man; Abramo.

How exactly did he know all the things about them? Most importantly, the child in her womb. Who are you, Abramo? Those were just a few thoughts and questions that have been floating in Jade's mind from last night till now. Who is he and what's his main goal was. It was enough to distract Jade from Jane's glares, along with Zion's few glances.

 As the strong smell of the Barako coffee wafted to her nose, she was again reminded of Abramo sitting beside her, this wasn't a dream since she had already slept and woke up in the same situation again. She was engaged to Zion till last night, her partner as long as she could remember, and then woke up this morning just to realize that that has all ended and how she's sitting at this table about to plan the wedding she had recklessly agreed to last night to a total stranger. Jade could entirely grasp the whole idea.

While all this was happening, Abramo sat silently at his seat, quietly sipping his coffee while his eyes studied each of their reactions and expressions. His eyes were calculative and sharp, while his face remained devoid of any emotions, never betraying what was on his mind. It was as if he'd been programmed that way.

To the side of him sat his now supposed fiancé, Jade, who in a way mirrored his expression, it piqued his interest. Watching from the side of his eyes, there was something. While her face was emotionless, her eyes were the complete opposite, it was as if she was dazed, and conflicted. There was a lot. Abramo's cup stopped midway as he turned, captivated, it was as if it was pulling him in those deep emerald eyes. Liandro, who caught this slight change cleared his throat. Abramo who seemed to be in a trance, snapped from his reverie, forcing his eyes way to look at the imposing figure who was Liandro.

"Abramo." The older man started, his gaze pointing towards Abramo who held his chin up.

"I believe you want to talk about the details." With that, Abramo set his cup down. The whole table went dead silent as both of the imposing figures shattered the previous tense atmosphere, making it even heavier. Jelena watched the two closely, her eyes making a back and forth towards her husband and daughters.

"Yes. You and I had a vague talk about this last night, now I want to hear it."

"I had an impression that you would, but instead of me and your daughter. I believe we haven't heard about them at all from last night." Abramo's eyes slowly slide across the table to the couple sitting there, whose eyes widen at the sudden attention to them. Jade perked up at the mention of it, her gaze set especially on Jane.

Jade's heart thumped, her stomach lurching in both relief and pressure. Relief because Abramo had successfully diverted and turned the whole situation from them and towards Jane, but there's the pressure, the subtle but tremendous ache in her heart for the betrayal, now only fully sinking in, twisting her insides. Jade's hands unconsciously went to her small bump, her shoulders jolting as the feeling of large warm hands enveloped hers on top.

Jade immediately turned to the guy beside her, still holding a passive expression on them as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. Abramo's eyes went to glance at her, a flicker of something in there before he led her attention towards the current situation again. Jade was aware not to, but still a slight tinge of pink dusted her cheeks as her pulse beat a bit faster.