The Lost Heiress

Chapter 2

Jordan watched as she left and felt like a complete idiotic moron. He began to question himself as to why he really stopped talking to her. She never acted like a rich snob not even once. You wouldn’t even know she was rich forget being a rich heiress, she was like any other normal person. He spent the entire night awake being restless and not knowing what to do. The following day was a Saturday and he met up with his friend, Dante. They had been best of friends since high school and went to college together.

“I knew there was something familiar about her, I can’t understand why I didn’t figure this out earlier, damn so she’s really a Stewart” Dante replied after Jordan told him everything. Jordan took a sip of his drink before blowing a breath. “And now she’s mad at me, she just turned around and left” Jordan said and Dante studied him closely. “You love her already don’t you” Dante stated and Jordan choked on his drink, “Are you crazy? Why would you even think that?” he asked avoiding eye contact with his friend. “Because I know you, you don’t really like rich people so you would have simply ignored her even if you saw her by accident, you won’t hide like some coward, so if you have been avoiding her instead of ignoring her it’s because you like her if you don’t already love her” Dante told him without mincing words.

“It’s not possible there’s no way I can love her, she belongs to the category of people I do not like, there’s no way that’s possible” Jordan said and Dante chuckled “ so you didn’t think she was rich before, she lives in a goddamn penthouse you moron, think of another excuse to convince yourself because you cannot fool me Jordan” Dante said frustrated. “But it’s not possible, we are too different, she’s up there and I’m just a bastard child” Dante sighed, “she wants to be your friend, doesn’t she? No scratch that, you two were already friends, if she came to look for you, perhaps she just wants to have her friend back or perhaps she feels the same way, you’ll never know unless you become true to your feelings, what’s the worst that can happen? She’ll reject your feelings? Big deal, if she rejects you, then you move on with your life” Dante advised him and he pondered over what he said.

Without saying anything Jordan got up and left and Dante held up his glass to Jordan’s retreating back “that’s my guy” he said and gulped down his drink, paid the bill and left.

Jordan rehearsed what he was going to say on the way home, he was nervous. What if she didn’t want anything to do with him? He decided to think positively. He still wanted her as his friend, she was the first person apart from his mother and Dante that he felt totally comfortable with. He felt totally relaxed around her and if she didn’t like him in a romantic way he didn’t care as long as she remained in his life even as a friend. He parked his car in his parking space and made his way up to her penthouse. As he got to the front of her place, he began to wonder, if she were even around, it was a Saturday, she definitely had a life of her own. As he turned to come back during the week when he was sure she would be around, he saw a Pizza boy coming up with a box of Pizza.

“She must be in” he said to himself smiling but frowned wondering if she had company. Before he could think any further, Ivy opened the door, her eyes were red and she was blowing her nose, she was dressed in Pjs and fuzzy slipper. She collected the Pizza and as she paid, she saw Jordan standing behind and her eyes widened. She quickly paid the Pizza boy and closed the door, telling him to keep the change. Jordan knocked on her door severally whilst begging her to please open up. After ten minutes on continuous knocking, she finally opened up.

“What do you want now Jordan? You already made it clear you didn’t want to be seen with me so what is this drama for?” she asked sounding pissed.

“I’m sorry Ivy, I was an i***t and you were right, you were my friend before I found out, I’m sorry for trying to get you out of my life, I want you in my life” she snorted, shaking her head

“How do I know you’re not back because you’ve weighed the pros and cons of being with me?”

Jordan looked at her and sighed, of course she would think that “can I come in?”

She sighed and opened the door wider for him to come in. “Now answer my question, why do you suddenly have a change of heart?”

“We never really did talk about our families, we simply became friends but I promise I’m not back here for your money”

“But I don’t want to be your friend anymore” she shrugged and moved to sit down with Jordan staying where he was and sighing

“My name is Jordan Quinton, I’m the first son of Kingsley Quinton of Quinton Hotel and Resorts and I’m also the illegitimate son of the Quinton family”, he told her and she gasped, her eyes widening a bit as she processed the new information

He continued, “the only reason I didn’t want to be with you after finding out is because I hate rich people, ever since I met my step mother, I’ve always had this belief that the rich are all condescending people who look down on the poor and act as though they own the universe. I always wanted a normal life but it’s an impossible dream because of the constant need to prove myself to the society that I am more than just an illegitimate child. So being with you, I felt very normal and comfortable and I enjoyed all our time together, so finding out that you were also part of the elite, I got so confused and I thought that being away from you will solve my dilemma, but I was wrong, I want to be in your life as whatever you’ll have me as, I just don’t want to lose my friendship with you”

Ivy sighed and motioned for him to sit down, “life is funny isn’t it? All my life I have never had a true friend, the people I had around me were with me either because of my status, my beauty or because I was smart. I never had a friend who liked me as Ivy, just Ivy. There was always a hidden agenda so I never let anyone get close to me. But when I met you and I found out that you didn’t know I was, I was happy and so I wanted to be your friend. You were a great friend and it felt good to be myself and not worry about appearance or anything with someone other than my family. But then you suddenly stopped responding to my text, you did not pick up my calls, you completely shut me out without a second thought and when I finally confront you, you tell me that it’s because I’m a Stewart.” She told him.

“I’m sorry, Ivy, I judged you based on my perception of things and that was a really shallow thing to do, I have no excuse but please I don’t want to lose you, I want my friend back”

“So that you take off again and shut me out again?”

“I promise that I won’t ever do something like that again”

“But no matter what, I’m still going to be a Stewart, you know that right?”

“I want to be your friend Ivy, not your family’s, I was your friend when you were just Ivy and you will continue to be my friend as simply Ivy, please.”

“You promise to not look at me differently?”

“I promise”

That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship between Ivy and Jordan. They grew closer and enjoyed each other’s company without the interference of their family. They made sure to keep things as normal as possible and not let wealth or status come between them. It was pretty easy, they could be as normal as possible with each other. This friendship quickly grew into love as they were falling fast for each other. The occasional gazing into each other’s eyes, the hugs that lasted a bit too long, the shared dinners in each other’s houses, the pecks on the cheek and forehead were all tell tale signs of the love brewing between Jordan and Ivy.

After six months of rekindled friendship, Jordan finally asked Ivy to be his girlfriend and she was more than delighted to accept. In his apartment one Sunday evening, they had just finished dinner and were relaxing when Ivy spoke.

“What do you think will happen if our families find out about us?” she asked randomly and Jordan processed her question, he had also thought about it several times.

“Well, I know my mom would want me to be happy, but she would still be wary of your family, my father would probably see it as a business venture and my step mother would do whatever it takes to sabotage our relationship, she sees my mom and I as money-hungry people who would do anything to get rich.” He answered to the best of his ability and Ivy sighed and rested her head on his laps.

“So it all boils down to my identity, who my family is, you know most times I hate who I am, I hate the drama that comes with my family’s status, do you think we should run away?” Jordan burst out into laughter.

“We both know that’s impossible, your dad will find you before you even reach the airport, besides I wouldn’t destroy your relationship with your family just to be with you, I know that you love your family no matter how much you wish you were not a Stewart and I also value relationships and family that’s why I still hope that my relationship with my brother will improve for the better. But let’s not bother ourselves with thoughts of what we cannot control, let’s take it one day at a time.”

“I just don’t like keeping you a secret from my family, it makes me feel as though I’m doing something wrong, but I don’t feel anything wrong when I’m with you, I love being with you”

“I also love being with you Ivy, and I wouldn’t trade my time with you for the world, so that’s why even if we don’t end up together in the future, I’ll always treasure our times together”

“I can’t think of you not being in my life Jordan”

“Neither can I but I won’t come in between you and your family”

“Let’s not think of them, you said to take things one day at a time”

And from then, their relationship had grown stronger and the more they spent time together, the more they knew that they couldn’t be away from each other. Which was why even as Ivy stood in the balcony of her room at her parents’ home, she knew that she would have to tell her family soon. She didn’t want to keep her relationship a secret from her family especially her dad. Jordan had travelled out of the country for some official work and wouldn’t be back until the new year. They had kept in touch with each other but still she missed him, it was the first time she would be away from him for so long since they had started their relationship.

“Honey, dinner is ready” her mother announced as she opened the door of her room and poked her head in.

“Okay mom, I’ll be there soon” with that her mom left.

At the table, they were enjoying their dinner when George cleared his throat, and they all looked up at him.

“Ivy, I have something to tell you” he began and Ivy gave her father her full attention.

“As you know that, it’s my duty to find suitable life partners for my children, I have one in mind for you Ivy” Ivy choked on the spit she was trying to swallow and her brother quickly gave her water to drink. As she calmed down, she looked at her dad, her heart beating in her chest she opened her mouth to protest but he cut her short.

“Before you make a big issue out of this, I want you to think about it first”

“But dad, I don’t-“

“Nothing is finalized yet, go out with the man, for a while before we conclude on anything okay” his tone was not leaving any room for argument.

“Can I at least know who this person is? And why the rush dad? I’m still young, I’m barely twenty-one so what’s the hurry?”

“I just want to ensure that you are in good hands, that’s why I’m giving you an open hand to decide if you like the boy or not because I want you to be happy”

She knew this was coming, she secretly wondered if he already knew about her and Jordan.

“Who is he Dad?”