Banned
“Mom, where did you just go? I’ve been waiting for a long time. You could’ve at least called me,” Emilia, who had been waiting for her in the car, expressed her displeasure.
“I’m sorry, love. I was so engrossed in shopping that I lost track of time.” Alaina quickly apologized for neglecting her. They had planned to go shopping together today, but she had accidentally left her daughter behind.
Emilia pouted. “Since you’re late, you owe me a new dress for tonight.”
Alaina pinched her daughter’s cheek affectionately. “One’s not enough. I’ll buy two for my precious.”
Emilia grinned. “You said it!”
As the car drove away, Nina remained rooted to the spot in a daze.
She hadn’t even realised that her grip on the shopping bag had tightened as she watched their heartwarming interaction.
What a small world!
Nina had never expected the daughter Alaina spoke of was none other than Emilia.
Observing the playful banter between the mother and daughter, Nina couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy.
The genuine relationship they shared was something she had always longed for and hoped to experience with her own mother. Regrettably, the memories of her mother were nothing but painful nightmares that continued to haunt her to this day.
Nina’s cell phone buzzed in her pocket, jolting her out of her thoughts. She pulled out her phone and answered the call.
“Hey!”
The voice on the other end said something and Nina turned to the nearest salesperson, beckoning them over.
“Okay, I’ll be there in ten minutes,” Nina assured the person on the phone.
After hanging up, she handed the shopping bag to the salesperson and instructed, “Send this to her address.”
“Sure.”
—
“Sorry, I’m late.” Nina hurried up to Tyler, who stood near the parking lot.
As easygoing as ever, Tyler simply shrugged. “Better late than sorry,” he quipped. “Come on, I’ve already booked the reservation.”
Nina nodded at him, appreciating his thoughtfulness, and made their way into the restaurant.
“I still can’t believe you’ve agreed to be my girlfriend. Even now, it feels like a dream,” Tyler admitted.
The day when Nina had responded to his pursuit filled him with so much happiness that he couldn’t put it into words. He was filled with so much excitement that he couldn’t even sleep at night.
Nina, who was affected by his good mood, frowned upon hearing his choice of words. She was about to correct him, but Tyler beat her to it.
“I know we’ve agreed to date and not be in a relationship, but for me, it’s the same,” he said.
Hearing his words, Nina’s expression softened.
Nina and Tyler entered the restaurant, and the manager greeted them.
“Hi! We have a reservation for two.” Tyler informed the manager.
“All right. Please wait for a moment.” The manager replied while he verified their booking.
After a brief examination, the manager returned, his expression apologetic. “I’m sorry, but you can’t dine at the restaurant.”
Confusion crossed Tyler’s face as he inquired, “Why not? I made a reservation, could you please double-check?”
“Yes, you have indeed booked a reservation, but we have received orders from the higher-ups not to welcome these two people at the restaurant together,” the manager explained, showing them a photo that displayed Nina and Tyler side by side. “You are welcome to dine at the restaurant individually, but not together,” the manager reiterated.
Nina and Tyler exchanged perplexed glances at the unexpected turn of events.
“Could you please tell us who issued the order?” Nina wanted to get to the bottom of the situation. She had a feeling that something was amiss but couldn’t point out where.
Before the manager could respond, Tyler held her back. “It’s alright, Nina. Let’s go somewhere else instead.”
He didn’t want to create a fuss, especially since it was their first date.
Nina reluctantly agreed. Throwing a cold glance at the manager, they left the restaurant.
On their way, Tyler quickly booked a reservation at another restaurant. However, when they reached their destination, they were stopped once again.
“I’m sorry, but you can’t dine here.”
This time, Nina’s patience had reached its limit. Without waiting for Tyler, she approached the manager and demanded to know, “Who’s your boss, and how dare he ban us? Get him to talk to us. I want to know what his problem is.”Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.
“Jayden Luxton.”
Those two words were enough to make Nina grit her teeth in anger. She pulled out her phone and dialled his number.
“Hey, babe,” Jayden called out to her affectionately.
“What the hell is your problem?”
Feeling somewhat wronged, Jayden couldn’t help but inquire, “What did I do?”
“Heh! The audacity!” Nina seethed, her frustration clear. “Why did you ban us from dining outside?”
Jayden’s voice turned cold, “Then do you expect me to sit back and do nothing while you date another man?”
“Are you out of your freaking mind? Don’t forget we’ve already broken up.”
“No, darling, it’s you who needs to remember that if you hadn’t pushed me, threatening with your life, I would’ve never agreed to the breakup,”
Nina found herself speechless at his words. After a while, she asked, “You want to burn all the bridges between us, right?”
“As long as it stops you from getting close to another man.”
“Fine.” She hung up the call and turned to Tyler apologetically. “I’m sorry. I didn’t expect him to be so unreasonable.”
Tyler sighed and patted her shoulder. “It’s not your fault. He’s not someone you and I can win against.”
Nina nodded in agreement.
Having achieved his goal, a satisfied smile appeared on Jayden’s lips.
At that moment, a knock sounded on his office door, and Emilia pushed it open. “I’ll be leaving for home now. Be there on time.” She informed him.
Jayden nodded in acknowledgment and replied, “I’ll leave after settling this paperwork. See you at the banquet.”
Having formed a business alliance, The Moore Pharmaceuticals had organized a banquet.
Initially, Jayden had been against the idea. However, upon seeing Emilia’s enthusiasm, he decided to give in.
—
In a desolate area near the city’s outskirts, a car came to a halt in front of a dilapidated three-story house.
The car’s door opened, revealing a pair of slender legs that stepped out and disappeared into the building.
To an onlooker, the dilapidated house appeared to be nothing more than an old structure.
Little did they know that within its worn-out walls lay a hidden laboratory where secret experiments were being conducted.
The woman reached the innermost room, where a man had been waiting for her arrival.
“Is the thing ready?” she inquired.
The man nodded and approached a secure locker. Entering the password, he retrieved a small vial from inside and handed it to the woman.
The woman held the bottle and examined it closely, a sinister glint flashing across her eyes.
After handing her the vial, the man couldn’t help but feel nervous. “Boss, are you sure we’re doing this?”
“Of course, we are, Loid. Why do you think I’ve worked so hard on it?” the woman responded with conviction. “This is the most potent drug in the world. Do you know how many people have their eyes on it? Once we release it in the black market, we’ll be huge.”
“But boss, aren’t you already very rich? You have the entire Moore Pharmaceutical under your name.”
“It’s not just about money. It’s about power.” She stepped closer to Loid and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Have you ever dreamed about being the most powerful person in the world?” Emilia asked, her voice filled with excitement. “To subdue the billionaires and politicians who wield control over the nations? To be on top of the world?”
A crazed look shone in her eyes as she spoke, revealing the depth of her ambitions and the lengths she would go to achieve them.
Besides, her foolish parents had never intended to hand over the company to her.
Despite having been granted the position of director, her parents were grooming the vice president to be the company’s CEO. They would rather hand over the company to the outsider than their own daughter.
In that case, they shouldn’t blame her for creating her own empire.
Having secured the vial, Emilia stepped out of the lab and encountered her right-hand man on her way out.
“Have you taken the thing?” he inquired.
Emilia nodded.
“Be careful and don’t get caught. Or else we won’t be able to afford the consequences, even if we were given ten lives.”
With confidence, Emilia assured him, “Don’t worry, I have everything under my control. After I try the drug tonight, you can release it on the black market.”
“Also, Loid has been getting too concerned about our affairs. Take care of him.” She made a slashing gesture across her throat, her intentions clear.
—
The banquet was in full swing, with Jayden and Emilia entertaining the guests.
However, amid the festivity, Emilia began feeling unwell. She tugged at Jayden’s sleeves and expressed, “I feel dizzy from the alcohol. Could you please send me to my hotel room?”
Jayden’s forehead creased upon noticing her pale complexion. “I’ll let Bruce send you up.” He replied.
Emilia’s annoyance was evident as she whined. “I don’t feel safe with him. Seriously, just drop me off outside the door, okay?”
Jayden hesitated, but seeing that she could hardly stand anymore, he agreed and took her to her room.
After reaching the hotel room, Emilia unlocked the door with her card, Just as she was about to enter, her legs suddenly gave way, causing her to fall to the ground.
Thankfully, Jayden was quick to react, catching her arm just in time. He pushed open the door and helped her inside, laying her on the bed.
“Take care. I’ll leave.” He advised her.
As he turned to leave, Emilia caught his arm, causing him to stop. With the forceful tug, Jayden lost his balance and fell on top of her.
“You…”
The moment his body contacted hers, an intense heat spread through him.
It was as if a fire was kindling within his chest, spreading throughout his body. He felt that something was wrong and immediately wanted to get up. However, he found himself unable to move, as his limbs went weak.
As he looked at Emilia, his vision had gone blurry. Even though his mind was clouded, he was still aware of the unusual sensations coursing through his body.
“What did you do?” he demanded, his tone taking on a dangerous edge.
With a faint smile on her lips, Emilia tugged at her own clothes, revealing her breasts and gently caressed his cheeks.