SORRY

Chapter 23. Raise my Guard

Briana POV

I was shivering in restrained anger.

If Marcus was not quick to defend me, I don’t know what I would have done to Matt Bryant.

That man deserves a slap for implying I was a gold–digger.

All my life Matt Bryant had looked down on me, constantly harping about Marsha and Danny’s benevolence. He says without it, I would be nothing.

Yes, I owe Marsha and Danny, but I repaid their generosity by working my ass off on their hotel.

Their son Noah left for college. He rebelled and refused to take the reins of the business, but I stayed behind to learn the ropes.

Every day after class, I worked as part of the cleaning staff. I took every job to pay for my college tuition. Marsha and Danny could have paid my college fees, but I owed them too much to ask for

more.

When I finished college, Danny thought it was time for me to assume other jobs. I started as a concierge and worked my way up to various positions. I even handled marketing for the company.

When Noah returned, they transferred me to his office to become his assistant. I worked side–by–side with Noah for three years until he divorced me.

When Marsha and Danny died. Noah and his uncle connived to take everything away from me.

My dignity. My name. Even my bank account was frozen.

Speaking of the devil, I saw Noah looking at me with so much venom in the far corner of the ballroom.

Standing beside him was his true love, Britney White.

Britney was talking to him, and after a while, I saw them gliding on

the dance floor. He held her in his arms, bu his eyes bore into

mine.

I remembered how he had accused me of staging his parents‘

deaths.

One day, I vowed to find out what happened that night, and when the truth comes out, I will slap it to Noah’s face.

I turned my head away when Marcus tapped my arm to introduce me to the two men who came to our table to chat.

“This is Briana, the CEO of Rosewood Hotels.”

The two men’s eyes gleamed in interest as they checked me out.

“Briana Ford.” I introduced myself and noticed how their interest plummeted to the conclusion that I was Marcus‘ wife.

I shook my head at the way people in business think. They won’t believe that a woman could rise up the corporate ladder without the solid backing of a man.

We started talking about business.

More people joined in our conversation. Marcus regaled them with his work on the runway. Other female guests inched their way closer to him to flirt, and all I could do was roll my eyes out

secretly at how brazenly these women had become.

One time, one woman tried to insert herself in the gap between us, but Marcus pulled me back to his side, almost knocking the woman, much to her dismay.

Marcus was true to his promise. He never left me.

Then someone tapped me on the back. When I turned around, my eyes shone in pleasure.

“Brie! I didn’t think I would see you here!” Her eyes took in Marcus’s presence and grinned knowingly.

“Hanna!” I almost squealed in delight at the sight of my best friend. She was probably the only person here who knew about me and my relationship with the Hunters and the Fords,

She now works as one of the directors at Hunter Enterprises.

Hanna pulled my hand to drag me away. But Marcus clamped on my arm to stop me from being dragged away.

“So protective. We will just catch up, Mr. Ford.” Hanna gave Marcus a side–eye glare after looking at my brother’s hand on my arm.

I shook his hand off gently.

“I’ll be fine. I’ll just be with Hanna. You can go mingle.” I told him before Hanna, and I sauntered off.

Hanna brought me to the rooftop. On our way out of the ballroom, we passed by circulating wait staff with trays bearing cocktails and other beverages from the bar. We took two flutes each.

By the time we reached the rooftop, we had already demolished

+25 BONUS

Chapter 23. Raise my Guard

our drinks and were just content looking from the protective wall glance that fenced the whole area to check out the spectacular view of the city skyline.

In the dark, the lights resembled the stars in the sky – glowing.

“How are my godsons?” Hanna asked excitedly.

“They were busy terrorizing the household,” I reported, and we laughed.

We didn’t talk much and just enjoyed nature.

Hannah’s phone rings.

“I’ll just answer this. I will be quick.” She told me and went to a secluded corner.

When she was gone, I continued watching the view below. A while later, I felt someone joined me. I thought it was Hanna, but then I smelled his familiar perfume and started to raise my guard.