CHASED BY THE DUKE

7. He is the Duke

CHAPTER SEVEN

Vicky playfully poked Olivia’s slightly chubby cheeks, eliciting giggles from the one and half-years-old kid. She was the spitting image of Juliet and somehow happened to possess her father’s blue eyes. Vicky had a feeling she would grow up to catch quite the attention.

“Are you nuts?” Juliet questioned, making Vicky take her attention away from the baby.

Juliet was sitting on the opposite couch, armed with a glass of chardonnay as she exchanged bits and pieces with Vicky. In truth, she was getting more sympathetic with her best friend. Juliet had always been the responsible one, always knowing what to do but Vicky on the other hand, had lived life free style, choosing to appreciate only the very second she was breathing. She was the exact opposite of Juliet.

“Nuts? I didn’t stalk him, okay? I said I was going to stay away from Ryan and I meant it. How was I supposed to know he was in that club?” she countered. Running into Ryan had not done well with her and instead, it had tilted her right back into the same hole, awakening her feelings for him. What good had it been to leave the country for two years only to come back and fall back into the same pit of pain? She hated herself for loving him this much; for feeling so attached even after he made it clear he didn’t love her anymore.

“I’m not talking about your Ex, Vicky,” Juliet sighed, “How can you trust a stranger who claims to be a friend of the Duke of Cornwall? Did it occur to you that he would be some news reporter and now that you made it clear to this stranger you do not want the royal family of England doing business with your father’s company, its probably going to be in every news outlet and not in a so positive light? Did you think about that before you blabbered to a stranger? Maybe this royal visit was supposed to be a secret,”

Hesitation struck her eyes as she answered lamely,” I guess I felt like I could trust him,”

“You felt like you could trust a stranger? Jesus Vicky!” Juliet sighed again,” Look, I’m not trying to scold you. You are a grown woman and I just want you to start acting like it. I know that you want to make your own career path and you’ve got your father up your ass, trying to twist your life to fit what he wants but you can’t go on acting reckless, Vicky. You’ve worked with a huge publishing company and you know damn well how reputation and privacy of clients is everything,”

Vicky took Olivia, placing her on her lap as the little one played with her doll. She almost envied the baby because unlike her, Olivia did not have to worry about life or how she keeps messing up everything.

“I know you just want the best for me Juliet and I really appreciate it. So as my best friend, what do you think I should do to stop my Dad? I don’t want to be part of that company because my life is in publishing and not sitting behind a desk and manning some jewelry making company,” she shrugged.

“I’m a business woman and no matter what anyone says, if they are in business, their number one priority is money, then reputation. Does the money bring profit or loss? Are we spending more on production than we are making? After removing all payments and costs are we still financially stable? It always comes down to money. If you want your father to drop you off, then you need to hit where it hurst most; finances,”

Vicky frowned,” You mean I should drain the companies accounts?”

“No, dear. Make him lose two or three of very important clients. Trust me, he would not want his investors to pull out but before you even think about it, please make sure that you do not want to have anything to do with your father’s company. Sometimes, priorities are not clear at first. We may think we do not want something but later on, when its too late, its when we need it. So I need you to be sure,” Juliet added.

“Trust me, I do not want anything to do with the Carrington Jewelry company but Dad is not the only problem,” she paused,” Mum does not want me to lose the company to Darren because according to her, that counts as losing to Diana and so she is going to do absolutely anything to make sure I win. To her, losing the company would be like conceding defeat to Diana, a woman that had an affair with her husband and got pregnant,”

“Then just make them look like honest mistakes,” Juliet always made everything sound so easy.

“Or better yet, I’ll make honest mistakes that Darren can solve and so he’ll win favor with Dad who will hopefully kick me out of the company then,” her eyes sparkled as though she had just broken the code of something no one else could figure out.

“Well, cheers to that,” Juliet said and Vicky picked up her glass, clicking with Juliet’s before she took a sip.

“You know I still can’t believe you got drunk and bought an entire club? Girl, how much money do you have?” Juliet questioned, chuckling.

“Trust me, I have a dent in my account and did you forget the Powers literally paid me to hook you up with Byron? Besides, I’m only half partner in that club and I’m probably not going to shop for any outfits for a month or two. You know what? I actually think investing in that club could rake in some cash, put me back on my feet. It’s a high-end club, the stripers know how to do their job, the management is top notch and everything is actually pretty spectacular. I think I’m going to have a blast with it,” she shook her head, a small smile dancing on her lips.

“I wish I could do that,” Juliet chuckled and soon enough Vicky joined in.

“Come on, you are living the life every woman wants. A successful job, a good family, a kid and a husband that loves you so much and is never afraid to show it. I wish had your life but even love itself seems to elude me,” she shook her head sadly but then smiled,” But you know what? I’m a twenty-four-year-old woman, turning twenty five soon and I badly want to be the next Oprah. I want to be a f*****g Billionaire but on my terms, doing my own things. I’m not going to let my f****d up love life and men in general to ruin that for me. I thought by the time I’m twenty five, I’d be married with a stable job and ready to start a family but now, I just want to get rich,”

“I’m kind of jealous of you now,” Juliet admitted.

“If I can’t have love, I may as well get rich,” she said with new found determination as she took a sip from her wine glass.

“Don’t fall back on your word,” Juliet said, a happy smile tagging her lips. She hoped that this time Vicky was actually serious. Usually, she’d talk with so much conviction about what she wanted to do but then fall back on her word.

“I won’t. I mean, now I co-own a fancy club and my contract with Han was renewed. I’m not going to drop such a huge client for some jewelry business. I’ll multitask if I have to, until I get the company out of the picture and then I’m going to propel Han and the club to these new heights they’ve never experienced before,”

“So, no more men, huh?” Juliet eventually.

“No more love stuff for me but I would not mind a once in a while fun with strangers. Speaking of strangers, the guy from the club was insisting on taking me out for coffee that he gave me his number. He is kind of hot though,” she mused, shrugging.

“Not the stranger again,” Juliet said, setting down her now empty glass.

“Come on, just look at this and tell me he is not hot,” she took her phone, passing on to Juliet to see the evidence slip she took at the club.

Juliet gaze zeroed on the clip, recognition flooding her features when she realized who the man was.

“Vicky, is this a game?” she questioned.

“What? He is hot and no, I’m not going to fall for him, I promise,” Vicky countered.

“You told me you don’t know how the duke looks like. Were you lying to me?” Juliet questioned.

“I don’t know him. If I met him today, I wouldn’t recognize him but I’m imagining he is some thirtyish, fortyish man,” she shrugged.

“How can you not know that the man in this video is actually the Duke? You stood there, talking to the Duke of Cornwall and you want me to believe that the social media obsessed you, had no inkling that was Duke Liam Grosvenor of Cornwall?”

“What are you talking about? “Vicky questioned, blinded with confusion.

“The man in the video is the Duke of Cornwall,” Juliet clarified.