Bought For A Baby, Kept For A Lifetime-Chapter 237: The Drink

Anne stared at his back as he walked straight up to the high platform. Standing on that high pedestal she saw a man destined to reach greater heights. She used to think of him as arrogant but everything he said about himself back then was true.

He was skilled, decisive, powerful and business minded, all qualities of a good CEO. She knew there had been an internal strife in the Sterling family for this position, and even without being biased to Andrew she could confidently say that he deserved the position the most.

With a soft smile on her face Anne joined the crowd in clapping her hands together as Andrew took on the stage, ignoring the little ache in her heart from a while ago when he passed her looking at her as if she were a stranger.

Hundreds of cameras settled on him and a spotlight shone down on him. His eyes were firm as he addressed the crowd. He didn’t have a smile on his face like anyone who just won the fiercest corporate battle would have on their face after winning, it felt like he didn’t need a smile, not when his presence held that powerfully commanding strength that seemed to keep the entire hall under control.

Andrew’s sharp gaze scanned the audience with cool precision, his lips moved to speak, voice smooth and low,

"When my grandfather founded Sterling Enterprises, he built it on two things, Vision and endurance. His vision had seen what others couldn’t, he built an empire from a solid vision, and endurance to thread through the chaotic corporate world and take a unique stance that became an empire. Sterling isn’t just a name, it’s a legend and under my leadership, I’ll see to it that this legend goes on to flourish beyond time itself."

A thundering applause burst forth as his words fell, the sound echoing far beyond the high ceilings. Camera flashbulbs went off as Andrew got off the stage only to be surrounded by crowds of people in high places shaking hands with him and offering words of congratulations.

Anne remained in her seat even as the event became more social, people talking, interacting and dancing a slow waltz to the smooth classical music being played by the quartet.

Several times she tried to find a chance to approach him and talk to him, but too many people were around him for her to get the chance.

Donald left her for a while going to talk to his friends who happily welcomed him enthusiastically pulling him in their midst. Anne sat alone on the table which was in the farthest corner of the hall watching everything from a distance.

She wondered where the ladies from her department would be, but considering how large the hall was, they could be on a completely different side of the hall and they might not even see her.

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?" Anne heard a voice by the side and looked up.

It was a somewhat familiar face, attractive looking features and a friendly smile on his face.

Wasn’t this the man she had met outside the hospital the other day?

Nathan Foxx.

He was dressed in a formal cream colored suit that made him stand out in a room full of men dressed in black or dark colors like navy blue or browns.

He had asked if the seat was taken, but without waiting for her to reply, the man quickly took his seat.

"It’s taken actually, my...friend just went over there for a while and he’ll be back soon." Anne quickly said in a bid to get him to leave.

In all honesty she hadn’t even considered the said collaboration with Sapphire Beauty so she had nothing to talk about with him.

"Well, then I’ll leave when your friend returns." He said shamelessly making no effort to get up when he had clearly made himself comfortable.

Anne looked away from him and her eyes wandered to Andrew’s direction. He was currently talking to a robust looking middle aged man who laughed at something Andrew had said while the latter remained straight faced.

"You’re only having water, that’s no fun." Anne suddenly heard the man sitting at her table say before he flagged down a waiter who was carrying a tray of drinks. The waiter arrived and he picked up two glasses handing one to her.

"No thanks, I don’t drink wine." Anne declined politely. She had avoided all the alcoholic drinks because she couldn’t drink in her condition.

"What would you like to have then? I’ll get it from the bar." Nathan interrupting Anne’s like of thought again made her feel a bit annoyed.

"I’m fine with water, thank you." She didn’t want to be rude so she didn’t let her annoyance show in her voice.

"Andrew Sterling, he’s popular among women, don’t tell me you’re one of the women who have a crush on him?"

This time Anne couldn’t keep her annoyance hidden,

"You..." Anne stopped whatever she was about to say and changed her words, "How come you’re here anyway? Your company is rivals with SE."

"I have my connections, I can get into any party I want in Verizon." He said matter of factly.

"So you came in here to see who your new rival will be?"

He chuckled before saying, "No, if it isn’t obvious already I came here for you."

At first Anne looked at him with eyes full of shock before she got over it.

"You have a lot of time on your hands Mr Foxx, and I don’t want to be too blunt by telling you that you’re wasting it but I already told you, I really have no intentions on being a model and most definitely not for Sapphire Beauty."

He let out a long sigh like someone who’d encountered a hurdle repeatedly. "I have never given anyone such a free offer, you can literally add anything you want in the modelling contract and you still refuse." He looked at her eyes filled with bewilderment.

Anne merely stared ahead without replying.

"Is there anything I can do to change your mind. If our offers aren’t enticing enough, I’m willing to..."

"Mr Foxx," she impatiently cut him off. "Nothing will change my mind. I appreciate your offer, I really do, but I’m not going to change my mind regardless of what you do."

He looked baffled, he had never met anyone like her before. Most people he knew would cave at the onset from the free contract he was offering, but despite him being willing to do anything to get her, she continuously refused.

He was rendered speechless by her constant refusal where he wasn’t willing to give up but at the same time couldn’t force her.

He had delayed their product launch far enough and the board were already at his neck.

He was never a man to give up but being met with such fierce refusal...he had to admit he was intrigued but putting her face on their new products was something he wouldn’t let go of until he achieved that goal.

He opened his mouth to say something more but his words were silenced when she suddenly stood up.

"Excuse me." She uttered politely before walking away, he could only stare at her retreating figure in fascination and a mixture of challenge.

Anne went into the restroom in order to get away from that persistent man. When she was finally away from him and the bustling hall she let out a sigh of relief.

After some time she left the restroom returning to the party hall that was still in full swing, she looked around trying to find Andrew hoping she would be able to get to talk to him even though people kept flocking around him repeatedly.

He wasn’t hard to find, with his outstanding aura and impeccable looks he stood out among the crowd, he was surrounded by several people so Anne felt a bit discouraged to approach him in this moment.

Feeling a bit disheartened, Anne drew her feet to go to the terrace to get some air since she couldn’t return to her table because she didn’t want to have to talk to that Nathan Foxx again, he would only end up making her repeat the same thing over and over again.

Before she could go to the terrace though, the sight of something strange caught her eye.

Anne noticed a woman who had her back turned to everyone in the hall hidden in a corner, she held a champaign glass in her left hand and a small green bottle in the right, cautiously she put two drops of the thing in the bottle into the champagne glass.

Anne was shocked to witness such a scene.

What was that?

Was she spiking someone’s drink?

Anne frowned and stopped walking, the profile of this woman seemed familiar, but before Anne could get a good look at the woman’s face, she turned looking around trying to see if anyone had noticed her, Anne quickly looked away concealing herself within a nearby group of people so the woman wouldn’t notice that she’d seen what she just did.

The woman seemed to think no one saw her, so she went back towards the crowd leaving Anne to just see her back. Anne watched her keenly until the woman stopped to smile and respond to someone who spoke to her, only then did Anne fully see her face.

Clara?

It was indeed Clara.

What was she adding into that drink just now?

Whatever it was, sitting in a suspicious looking green bottle couldn’t be anything good.

Anne kept her eyes firmly on Clara, monitoring to see her next move.

Sure enough, after speaking to the person she encountered briefly, Clara went towards Andrew’s direction.

’...I’m making this promise to you and to myself, by the time the sun rises tomorrow morning, Andrew will be mine. When that happens, I’d like to see the look on your face...’

Thinking about what Clara had said to her earlier, a look of realization dawned on Anne’s face at the very moment Clara stopped right beside Andrew, lightly saying something to him and smilingly handing him the glass.

Andrew who was busily engrossed in a conversation with the men around him didn’t even look at Clara as he subconsciously took the glass from her hand.

Even from a far distance, Anne could see the moment a satisfied smirk graced Clara’s gorgeous lips.