chapter 8

Two months later.

Nana's and Leonard's relationship has been going pretty smooth, with her acting like a baby and him pampering and doting on her. Everyone around them who knew how their relationship used to be were surprised at the turn around.

"I'll be staying late, my company is hosting a dinner party." Leonard says to Nana as she's knotting his tie. Ever since she helped him with it at his office two months ago, she's been the one knotting it for him.

"Okay, then. I'll just go see my dad later." She said, pouting her lips.

"You guys haven't heard from her? "

Nana shook her head in response. It's been a month since the huge argument and Lana running away from home later on.

"Dad has been stressing himself about it. I know she's fine, because if she wasn't, she would have called."

"That's some perspective you have going on there." Leonard replies to his wife's statement.

"I know, but who would want to hurt her? She's probably with some friends."

"The friends you've called?" Leonard asked, raising his eyebrows. Nana paused what she was doing to stare at him. "I don't know all her friends, and she knows that. If she comes back, I'll kill her." She sighed, palming her forehead.

"Don't stress too much about it, I got to go." Leonard says, kissing her on the lips before leaving.

Nana sighs, with him gone the house felt suffocating.

A month ago, She and Leonard had decided to go over to Allen's home. Throughout their stay, Lana was always bullying Nana with words and then flirting with Leonard. She didn't want to register the fact that Leonard wasn't hers even after so much rejection. That day, Alex was around and Lana wasn't aware. She had come down with her skimpy clothes again and that was when the argument happened.

A lot of things were said, including the fact that Nana was an illegitimate daughter.

Alex had asked where she heard that faux rumor and Lana had said "it's clear, even a blind man will see it. Leonard is supposed to be my husband, but you just had to give him to your illegitimate daughter."

Alex had hit her repeatedly with his walking stick when she said it again. It took a while for the drama to end, but there was the way Lydia and everyone stared at Nana that made her think there was some truth to what Lana said.

Later on, her father had called her to his study and went ahead to tell her how she's always going to be his daughter.

The evening of that day, while they were having dinner. Lana didn't come down to eat, Alex had sent a maid to go call her. The maid came back with the report that she wasn't in her room. Nana had gone to check herself and she found most of Lana's things gone. Alex went berserk, calling the cops and putting up a missing person's report, he called all her friends and all of them said the same thing 'we haven't heard from her'

Nana sighed going upstairs to change her clothes, she was going to stop by her company.

Thirty minutes later she arrived at West Nana management. A company she built single handedly, without anyone's help. It was a management company, meant to 'partner' with, and manage little corporations that were struggling to stand.

"Boss, someone dropped off a flower and an invitation." Nana's secretary informs her, the moment she walked into the building.

"You didn't read it?" Nana asked as they rode the elevator going upstairs.

The secretary shook her head.

"Next time, when someone drops off a package with a letter, read it." Nana says opening the door to her office. She placed her bag on the table, picking the frame picture that had fallen, and placing it well.

"Yes ma'am." The secretary says, placing a file on the table and leaving the office.

Nana picked the flowers and checked them, it was a blue orchid, not really her favorite. She doesn't need the name to know who sent it. Nana opened the letter and inside it was an invitation to a dinner party, with her as his date.

"I'll have to be crazy." She muttered.

Her phone rang inside her bag, and she brought it out, answering the call.

"I'm sure you've gotten my gift." His cocky tone blasted through the speaker.

"I'll have to be crazy to go anywhere with you, not as a friend, not as a date." Nana said, getting angry. He always knew how to rile her up.

"You're being rude, Nana."

"You're being a fool, Alvin." Nana retorts, the past events coming back. Alvin Thwane, Lydia's son from her first marriage. He had come to stay with the Allen's growing up, he had nowhere to go since they kicked him and his mom were kicked out from the Thwane family. Alex, her father, had quickly taken them in. Growing up he had always been the big brother she and Lana never had, until one day. Alex had a meeting to attend and wanted to go with his family, Nana had come down with a fever and couldn't go with.

Alvin had offered to stay home with her and Alex had accepted, showing gratitude.

Everyone had left and it was just the two of them at home. Nana was holed up in her room, when Alvin had come in. She had thought he was just checking on her, until he tried undressing her. Nana had fought him off and fled outside. Back then, they had just entered the winter season and it was freezing outside. Nana ran as far as her leg could carry far from the house. It was only when she couldn't run any further did she fall to the ground and lay there, barefooted, in thin clothes. No one knows how many hours she was out there in the cold, laying on snow. When she was found, days later, she was diagnosed with chronic bronchitis. From that day on, her body had grown weak and any little exposure to cold could send her into death's bed.

Her father had immediately kicked Alvin out.

"You expect me to let go? Just like that?" Nana asked, officially annoyed.

"I can't take back what happened and didn't happen, but it's long gone now and it's in the past. Be my plus one to this party, you won't regret it." Alvin says, ending the call immediately.

"Asshole!" Nana scoffed, dumping the flowers in the trash can. She looked at the location of the dinner and it was at West Corp. It said on the invitation that everyone could bring a date.

Does that mean Leo is going with that woman and not her?

Nana shook her head to take out the thought. "That can be the only reason Alvin will ask her to come with him, what was he trying to prove?" Nana asked herself. She couldn't take her mind off it, not when another woman will be in his arms.

The way their relationship had taken a turn for good, half the city eligible spinsters had gotten jealous, they could only be envious at her back, well except this one woman. Rebecca Black, Leonard's secretary. She was only there because Mr West Glenn had authorized it. He wasn't happy with the marriage and he didn't bother hiding it. Glenn placed Rebecca by Leonard's side because he thought 'work' will spark up a feeling. It's been two months and nothing, Rebecca was furious and so was Glenn