CHAPTER 69
The night of the party
Jason walked into the gardens where his grandmother was having her party. He didn’t even know what she was celebrating, but he knew he had to attend regardless. He wished Eleanor had come with him, but he understood why she didn’t. Jason did not understand why his grandmother could not see the amazing woman Eleanor was. He wished one day his grandmother would, and they could finally start getting along.
“Hello, grandma,” Jason says, hugging his grandmother
“Hello son, how are you doing?” She says, hugging him back.
“I am good, and you?”
“Good too dear, where is she?”
“She didn’t feel like coming,” Jason knew without even saying her name his grandmother was referring to Eleanor. The smile that graced her face once she finished talking made Jason realize Eleanor indeed had no hope with his grandmother. His grandmother didn’t like Eleanor, and she didn’t bother to hide it anymore from Jason.
“That’s good to know, and I would like you to meet someone. I ran into her while at the mall a few days ago,” Mrs. Sullivan says, waving her hand towards someone behind Jason.
“Hi, Jason,” Christine says, walking up beside Jason
“Christine, what are you doing here?” Jason asks, surprised to see her at his grandmother’s party. Christine and his grandmother were never close, so it didn’t make sense that she was here. She didn’t disapprove of her being with Jason, but she didn’t warm up to her either while they were married.
“I ran into her a few days ago and invited her. I thought it would be nice if you saw each other again after so many years. I didn’t know you guys had already met.” Mrs. Sullivan says
“We did, a few weeks ago,” Jason says
“Yeah, I dropped by at his charity event,” Christine says,
“That’s nice,” Mrs. Sullivan says.
“Christine, do you mind giving me a few minutes alone with my grandmother.”
“Of course not; I will be over there if you need me,” Christine says, pointing close to the stage where the live band is playing and walks towards there.
“Is something wrong, dear?” Mrs. Sullivan asks once Christine walks away.
“Why would you invite my ex-wife without telling me? What if I came with Eleanor? Do you know how uncomfortable it would have made her?” Jason respects his grandmother because she helped raise him with his paternal grandfather, but he was angry at what she did. Eleanor would have felt insulted if she had come and seen that my own grandmother personally invited my ex-wife and not her.
“I thought it would be a nice surprise. I didn’t think it was something that could make you angry,” Mrs. Sullivan says, but it was a lie. She intentionally invited Christine to make Eleanor uncomfortable, but she didn’t come. Mrs. Sullivan is actually happier she didn’t because it only made the things about to happen tonight go more smoothly.
“Really a nice surprise grandma, Please never do such a thing again.”
“I am sorry, I won’t.”
“Thank you”
“You’re welcome. Here, have something to drink,” Mrs. Sullivan says, handing Jason a glass of champagne.
“Thank you,” Jason says, collecting the glass from his grandmother.
Jason spent most of the night mingling with people and talking primarily about business. He also spends most of the night having a terrible headache. He did not know why but it started right after he had his first drink. It was barely an hour into the party before Jason realized he had to go home. He knew his grandmother would be sad he was leaving so soon, but he needed to go home and sleep. His head was banging, and he needed to rest.
Jason searched the crowd for his grandmother and found her talking with Christine. Jason found it odd how they were both laughing at something one of them said. He did not know precisely why, but he found his grandmother’s new friendship with his ex-wife odd.
“Grandma, I would love to stay longer, but I have a terrible headache.”
“How bad is it? Are you in a lot of pain” Mrs. Sullivan asked, worried about her grandson’s health.
“Not too bad; I am sure a warm bath and good sleep will help make it go away.”
“Alright, that’s good to hear, and since your head hurts and you are a little tipsy, who is going to drive you home. I am sure you didn’t come with Andrew, and it’s too late to call him to pick you up now. Why don’t you spend the night here” Mrs. Sullivan says, and before Jason can reply, someone beats him to speak.
“I could drive him home. I have not had that much to drink, and I know where he lives,” Christine offered.
“No, I will call a taxi” Jason knew if Eleanor saw Christine bringing him back home, she wouldn’t like it, and the last thing he wanted was to do something the love of his life didn’t like.
“You can’t go home in a taxi; you are a billionaire. Something could happen to you. Let Christine drive you home,” Mrs. Sullivan suggested.
“Grandma, it’s not like my net worth is written on my forehead. I will be fine going home in a taxi.”
“No, I refuse to let you leave here in a taxi. You either let Christine drive you home, or you spend the night here.”
Jason looked at his grandmother and saw the determination of making her words the final say. His head was hurting too much for him to even argue with her anymore, so he gave in and agreed to let Christine drive him home. He will have to make sure Eleanor does not see her no matter what happens.
As Christine drove Jason home, he found it hard to keep his eyes open. After a little while of struggling to keep his eyes open, He finally gave up and closed his eyes. Christine was not a stranger to him, so he had nothing to worry about. If only Jason knew he should have never closed his eyes.
Present time
It’s been two weeks since Jason woke up in bed naked with his ex-wife beside him. How he got there and how his clothes disappeared was still a mystery to Jason. For days he cracked his brain to remember how he ended up there, but every time he tried, he always came back blank.
Regardless of the fact, Jason could not remember what happened that night, he knew deep in his heart that he did not cheat on Eleanor. The day he was able to get the evidence to prove he didn’t, Jason released a teardrop that day because he knew he could get the love of his life back.
Jason took a deep breath before walking into the restaurant Eleanor’s Uncle worked at. He knew if he wanted a chance to speak to Eleanor and explain things to her, he needed a way into her house. Her Uncle was the only one who could help him get close to her. Amber would have been the perfect person, but the glare she threw him the last time they saw told him she wouldn’t let him say more than two words to her. Eleanor’s Uncle was older than him and calmer than Amber, which made him his best shot at getting a chance to speak to Eleanor.
Jason thanked his friend, the restaurant owner, as he walked out to call Eleanor’s Uncle for him from the kitchen.
The second Eleanor Uncle, Jackson stepped into his boss’s office and saw who was sitting down there. He turned the doorknob to walk out but stopped once he heard the desperation in Jason’s voice.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.
“I know you don’t owe me your time, but please. One minute is all I need. Please, I beg of you” Jason pleaded with Jackson to give him a minute to speak to him.
“30 seconds is all I will give you,” Jackson says after a pregnant pause. He walked back to the chair opposite Jason to sit down.
“Thank you, it’s enough,” Jason says, after releasing a breath of relief. He is so happy Jackson agrees to give him a few seconds to talk to him. All Jason needed was for him to watch the video, and he knew the rest would fall in place.
“What do you want?” Jackson asks
“I know everyone believes I cheated on Eleanor, but I have found proof to show that I didn’t. I want to show it to Eleanor, but I know she does not want to see me, so I need your help with that.”
“Let me see the proof.”
“Here,” Jason says and plays the paused video of the computer screen
Jason watches how Jackson’s full attention is on the two women in the video. Jackson frowns as he watches the video. Once the video was done, Jason waited patiently to hear what Jackson would say. He knew he would help him get Eleanor back, but he was a little worried the drama in his life might make Jackson think he was not good for Eleanor.
“I clock out by 10; we will go to the house together.”
“Thank you so much. Thank you”
“You don’t have to thank me. You deserve to speak to her and explain things. You are fortunate you got this video.”
“I know, and that’s why when I get her back. I will make sure this is the last time something like this would ever come between us.”
“Good, because you and Eleanor deserve all the happiness the world can offer.”
“Thank you, I believe so too.”