Chapter 1
I did not bother to check the caller ID before reaching under my silk blanket and grabbing the object that was making the sounds.
"Hi, ma'am!
Stacey, my secretary, responded with a cheery statement.
She said that she was "as cheery as always," to which I rolled my eyes and groaned.
"Sorry! Did I manage to wake you up one more time? She immediately expressed her sorrow for what had happened.
Being awakened by your presence is exactly like having an alarm clock. There is no need for you to be anxious about that.
Right now, I'm going to go ahead and go through your daily briefing. You will have another meeting with Daisy Willer, which will take place this morning at nine o'clock and will also involve Miss Gina Arthuyr. "And both to discuss the forthcoming weddings of their respective partners," she continued, causing me to yawn and stretch.
"Okay. I'm going to assume that this gathering will take place at one of the businesses. My natural inclination to learn more prompted me to make some inquiries, and I kept my fingers crossed for a favourable response.
"Sure, miss," was the response given to the question. She went on to say, "They, too, will arrive in a timely manner."
Stacey, I am really grateful to you for your assistance. Following my comment that "you're just as efficient as always," I put the phone down.
I had anticipated that my life would become less stressful when I graduated from college; nevertheless, I find that I must continue to get up early in order to get ready for work on a daily basis.
I immediately sprang out of bed and into the shower after receiving the phone call. Following the application of a few light layers of makeup, I rolled my recently dyed hair into a neat bun.
As I climbed the stairs, I noticed that Sophie's door was still closed, so I could only think that she was still asleep.
Lucky! It would mean the world to me if I could get some extra sleep today.
While I was sitting down in the kitchen to drink some freshly brewed coffee, my attention was drawn to the picture of my mother that was framed there.
Time span: eight years. There have been a lot of years since you left Sophie and me alone, mother. If only you had been here, things would have been much easier.
Due to a number of issues at home, we were forced to leave, and as a result, we ended up residing with Sophie's boyfriend until she was able to get a job as a waitress and we were able to get our own little apartment. She put in extra hours at both of her jobs and made other concessions in order to put my mind at ease.
I was sorry to cause her any trouble, but at that moment, there was nothing I could do to prevent it from happening. My time at college went by in a flash, and I can proudly say that I graduated with a degree in event management.
We uprooted our lives and moved to New York City because Sophie was offered a job there. The income was adequate to meet essential living expenses such as the monthly rent, the cost of food, and transportation.
Once, out of simple inquisitiveness, I brought her to the office with me. Mrs. Anna Qickelsin, Avery's grandmother, is a delightful individual, and I had the pleasure of getting to know her. Her grandmother was in the process of hiring workers for her wedding palace.
After she passed away, she left one of her wedding planning businesses for me to operate, which indicates that she must have held a favourable opinion of me in order for her to have hired me as an assistant. After she had finished listening to the details of my past, she proposed that I start using the name Mackenzie again.
Because of this, I am now the proud proprietor of several franchises in the New York and California areas. These locations range from Manhattan to Los Angeles.
On the days when things are going poorly, I miss your embrace and your cuisine, as Sophie is still incapable of preparing even the most basic meals. But, Mom, I find that I miss you the most.
The tear that had been escaping from my eyes had stained both of my cheeks.
I take it you're thinking about your mother once again right now.
The room was filled with the sound of Sophie's voice.
I dabbed my eyes with my hands to remove the tears, and then I said, "I was just remembering."
We came to the conclusion that we would no longer cry and established a vow to that effect. No matter how hard you try to scare us, we are more resilient than that, and our mother is not going to support what you are doing.
That's true, but I'm not as strong as you are.
"You are, in point of fact, right. "Possibly even more so than I," she remarked as she went for a cup to pour some liquid into.
I gave a little head shake, finished the rest of my coffee, and said, "I have to go since I have several meetings today." I have a great deal of warm feelings for you. I leaned in close and gave her a peck on the cheek.
She gave me a warm smile before saying, "I love you too."
As I drew into the parking area, I made the snap judgement that a Mercedes, which is a smaller vehicle, would be more suitable for this event than the SUV I had been driving. A tall building with three stories was in sight when I arrived at my destination after only a few minutes of driving.
This morning, I was greeted with a friendly "Good morning, Ms. Poiner!" from everyone I came into contact with.
My stomach did a little flip, and I had a contented feeling all over from having arrived at my destination at last.
Stacey barged into my office just as I was getting settled in for the day. Repeat after me: "Miss Aurthyr has arrived!" she proclaimed. Say it with me now.
Send her a sign to let her know it's okay to enter the building.
A little while later, a young woman came walking in. She was with an elderly woman at the time, and the two of them were holding hands.
It is obvious that she takes after her mother.
Just so I would know who I was meeting with, I greeted everyone with the same generic "Good morning, Miss Gina."
The more junior of the two women addressed the more senior of the two by saying, "Good morning." "See, here is my mother!"
She smiled and responded, "Good morning, ma'am," in response to my greeting. "Good morning."
They obliged with my request to "please take a seat" when I informed them to do so.
According to the information you provided, your wedding will take place in two weeks. What is the highest amount that you are allowed to spend? "Everything, right down to the attire for the wedding."
"Maybe anywhere in the neighbourhood of $150,000."
I take my laptop from its place on the desk so that I can record her words. Which do you prefer, a big wedding or a small wedding?
absolutely nothing to write home about. Simple"
I, too, have taken that into my body by ingestion.
"Okay. Given that I now have your contact information, a member of my staff will be in touch with you regarding dresses tomorrow. I assuaged her fears by assuring her that everything would be taken care of and that the wedding would go ahead without a hitch.
Before Mackenzie and her mother left my office, they thanked me, and Mackenzie stood up from her chair to give me a bear hug.
Mackenzie.
It took a long time, but I finally got to the point where I automatically turn around to welcome people when they call me by my real name.
The only people who are aware of my true identity are Anna and Sophie. Alexis. Theodore Alexander Coleman The awkward and naive student from Greenfield High School who used to attend there
When I think of the hardships I endured as a youngster, I can't help but grimace at how much I had put up with. Nevertheless, the thing that makes me cringe the most is the fact that I never got over Kyle and that awkward letter I left for him. It's just one of those things.
What on earth was going through my head?
Even as I type this, the mere notion of the letter causes a chill to go down my spine.