"Ah, still on punishment I see," he responded. I My father didn't care for my personal life. Now that my marriage to Jasmine wasn't mandatory he said I could do whatever I wanted. He was more concerned with the business.
My father then turned to the the young woman who stood beside him wearing daring red sparkling dress that left little to the imagination.
"This is Petunia everybody, she'll be joining us for lunch," he introduced the woman to us. "Say hello, Petunia."
She smiled and greeted us. "Hello!" She said in high pitched voice and we awkwardly greeted back.
So this was his latest sugar baby? She looked younger than me, maybe she was in her late 20s? My father was 68. I suppose this was better than the last woman he brought looked to be in her early 20s.
"Isn't she cute as a button?" My father said as he squeezed her waist and bit his lip.
My parents were divorced. My mother left him for cheating on her when I was 12. Go figure. Like I said the only thing he cared about was the business.
"Oh and your brother will be joining us as well," my father said as as the third person who came with him stepped forward. It was my younger half brother Kolton. We had a three year age gap.
"Keith, it's been a while hasn't it?" Kolton said as he came forward and shook my hand.
"It has, good to see you're doing well," I commented and greeted him back. Kolton had dark brown hair and golden eyes. We had a few similar features in terms facial structure but that was it.
We smiled at each other but our smiles didn't meet our eyes. We had a complicated relationship. We rarely saw each other and didn't grow up together. He lived and grew up with his mother. His mother being one of the many women my father cheated on my mother with.
His mother passed when he was 17 and my father, who had been paying child support to her the whole time, decided to take him in. He paid for his university studies and afterwards incorporated him into the company. As a bastard child my father couldn't make him a contender to take over the company so he had him working as a ceo to one of our subsidiary companies. That way he and I wouldn't clash in the HQ due to our awkward relationship.
After our introductions we then went and sat down to have lunch. It was an awkward meal but I did my best act normal.
After lunch we went to the events' room where the party would be taking place. We then split up from my father and brother. As the chairman I had to greet and welcome the attendees many of whom where business associates or potential business associates. For a little while Diana, Marco and I we did this.
"I have to give my welcoming speech now, will you be alright?" I asked Diana before I left her and Marco.
Yes, I'll be fine I'm just worried about what she might do when she arrives," Diana said worriedly.
Don't worry I won't let anything happen to you," I assured her. I knew she was referring to Jasmine. I too was worried Jasmine was going to try something given her desperation to see me. I had already told the guards to be prepared when she arrived so hopefully her efforts would amount to nothing. With all these esteemed guests I couldn't have her embarrassing me.
I left Diana and Marco and met with my assistant Edwin. I did my welcoming speech and then afterwards were a series of presentations of the history of the company and its success over the years. Afterwards the party ensued with all the guests networking and I joined in. All in all it a successful event.
***********
"So what did you do with Jasmine?" I asked Edwin at the end of the event who I'm sure had received word from the guards.
Edwin looked at me for a moment with a strange expression before answering. I wondered if she'd caused some kind of trouble. "She didn't attend sir."
I processed his answer for a moment unsure if I'd heard correctly. "What do mean?" I then asked him as my eyebrows furrowing in confusion.
"Just that. She didn't attend, sir," Edwin repeated. "Her driver reported that she said she was going to the beach with the young master, Anthony instead."
I was at a loss for words as I looked at Edwin. Jasmine had missed the event? I couldn't believe it. I was so sure she was going to attend. Since she been desperate to meet with me for a while now. So why hadn't she?
"You know what? I want a meeting schedule with Jasmine first thing Monday morning," I ordered Edwin. For the past two weeks the things I had been hearing about Jasmine hadn't been making sense. Her suddenly stopping her incessant visits. Her getting a job as a waitress. I needed to see for myself what was going on with her. Especially with the report I had received from Diana about Jasmines spending. Apparently she had finished her monthly allowance just buying luxury handbags and clothes. None of it what was making sense.
"What if this is her goal? What if all her actions as of late are a ploy for you to finally meet with her?" Edwin suggested.
"It doesn't matter. I need to see her for myself and understand what is going on. If this is all a ploy then that'll be the end of that but if not I need to know why she's acting like this," I said to Edwin.
I was wondering if she'd lost her mind. Why buy so many unnecessary luxury goods and finish your money, then get a job as a waitress where you get paid so little? I just couldn't understand it.