Chapter 5- The Strange Message

The next morning, Anna woke to the shrill ring of her phone. She groaned, squinting at the clock. It was barely seven a m and her body still ached from the grueling night before.

“Hello?” she answered groggily, her voice hoarse.

“It’s me,” Jaden’s curt tone snapped her into alertness.

“What’s going on?” she asked, sitting up in bed.

“I’ll pick you up in an hour. We need to talk about last night and prepare for what’s next,” he said, not giving her a chance to protest before hanging up.

Anna sighed, tossing her phone onto the bed. She barely had time to process what happened at the gala, let alone the new set of challenges Jaden seemed determined to throw her into. Her thoughts flickered to Daniella. The woman’s piercing gaze, laced with something bordering on malice, had been hard to shake.

Who was she? And why did she make Jaden so tense? The way she had looked at Anna sent a shiver down her spine, it was like she had wanted Anna to disappear at that moment.

*****

An hour later, Jaden’s sleek black car was parked outside Anna’s apartment. She climbed in, feeling the weight of his intense gaze as soon as she shut the door.

“You look tired,” he remarked, his tone bordering on disapproval.

“I wonder why,” Anna shot back, surprising even herself.

To her amazement, Jaden smirked. “You’re getting feisty. I like it.”

She rolled her eyes, choosing silence over engaging with his teasing.

As they drove through the city, Anna realized they weren’t heading to Jaden’s office or another event. Instead, they pulled up to an exclusive-looking restaurant, the kind that screamed power and wealth.

“Why are we here?” she asked, glancing at him.

“You’ll see,” was all he said before stepping out and gesturing for her to follow.

Inside, the restaurant was empty except for a single table set near the large windows overlooking the city. Sitting at that table was none other than Richard Blackwell.

Anna’s stomach churned. Jaden’s father exuded the same intimidating aura as his son, but there was something colder about him.

“You’re here,” Richard said, rising to his feet as they approached. “Anna, it’s good to see you again.”

“Mister Blackwell,” she greeted, forcing a polite smile.

“Sit,” he commanded, gesturing to the chair across from him.

Anna glanced at Jaden, who gave her a subtle nod. She sat, her back straight and hands folded in her lap. Jaden remained standing, his presence looming behind her like a silent protector—or a warning.

“I’ll get straight to the point,” Richard began, his sharp eyes pinning Anna in place. “Last night was a decent start, but decent isn’t enough in this family. If you’re going to convince us you're fit to be Mrs Blackwell, you’ll need to step up your game.”

“I understand,” Anna said cautiously.

“Do you?” Richard leaned forward, his voice dropping. “Because this is about more than appearances. If Jaden doesn’t secure the board’s trust with this engagement, the company will fall apart. Investors are already nervous, and the slightest hint of instability could ruin everything.”

Anna’s pulse quickened. She knew this arrangement was high-stakes, but hearing it spelled out so bluntly made it all the more daunting.

“I’ll do whatever it takes,” she said, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her.

Richard’s lips curled into a faint smile. “That’s what I wanted to hear.”

“Is that all?” Jaden cut in, his tone sharp.

“For now,” Richard said, standing. “But I’ll be watching closely. Don’t disappoint me.”

With that, he strode out of the restaurant, leaving Anna feeling like she’d just survived an interrogation.

As they left the restaurant, Jaden’s expression was unreadable. He didn’t speak until they were back in the car.

“He likes you,” he said finally, his voice cold and detached like he was just stating a business fact.

Anna snorted. “That was him liking me?”

Jaden’s expression didn't change. “Believe it or not, yes. If he didn’t, you’d know.”

“Well, that’s comforting,” she muttered, sinking into her seat.

But the respite didn’t last long. Jaden’s phone buzzed, and he glanced at the screen, his expression darkening.

“What is it?” Anna asked, her stomach tightening at the change in his demeanor.

“Daniella,” he said curtly, his jaw tightening.

“What does she want?”

Jaden didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he turned to her, his gaze intense before answering. "She’s my ex-fiancée,” he said, his voice devoid of emotion.

The words hit Anna like a punch to the gut. Of all the possibilities, she hadn’t expected that.

“She’s your what?”

"I've told you all you need to know, I don't owe you any further explanation," Jaden said, leaving no room for argument, but something in Anna pushed her to pry further.

"Then why didn't you get married?" Jaden turned to her with a sharp look but didn't say a word.

She knew he wasn't going to give her any further information, but she was determined to find out about Daniella herself.

*********

Later that evening, Anna sat in her apartment, trying to process everything. The weight of the day pressed down on her, but she couldn’t shake the unease gnawing at her. She knew signing that contract wouldn't be a bed of roses, but she couldn't shake off the feeling that she had stepped into something far darker than she realized.

Her phone buzzed, and she hesitated before picking it up. It was a message from an unknown number.

“Meet me tomorrow at noon. We need to talk about Jaden.”

Anna’s stomach twisted as she stared at the message. There was no name, but she had a sinking feeling she knew who it was from.

Daniella.

Her mind raced with questions. What did Daniella want? What could she possibly have to say about Jaden? And why was she reaching out to Anna instead of confronting Jaden directly?

Anna knew she should ignore the message, but curiosity and a strange sense of foreboding gnawed at her resolve.

Finally, she typed a single-word reply: “Where?”

A reply came almost instantly, and as Anna read the address, a chill ran down her spine.

Whatever Daniella wanted to say, Anna was about to find out.