The Royal Contract

Chapter 406 – A Lame Party

"Hey, where are you?" The voice of Jacky reverberated on her phone as soon as she answered the call.

Jacky suddenly felt anxious that her friend, once again, had fallen from the wagon and forgotten about their date. She and the rest of their other friends were already waiting for her. 

It was very seldom that they would see them in one location. Because of the busy schedules in their lives, it had been hard to gather them in the same place and at the same time.

"Wait." She said as she rushed out of the elevator and into her car. "Sorry, Jacky, I am on my way. Give me five minutes."

"Dani, are you back in the office?" She shouted in disbelief when she heard the ding of the elevator. She quickly assumed that she went to work on the weekend and forgot about their plans.

"No." She automatically responded, not wanting her friend to get the wrong idea.

She knew she promised not to be late, but it was already fifteen minutes past their appointed time. In her defense, she planned to leave the apartment early. But Alex had other plans. Not that she was complaining. She did enjoy what he had in mind as much as he did.

At least, she could honestly say that she was not delayed by work this time around. "I was just delayed by something that came up." But how could she explain to her friend her very early rendezvous?

"I swear I was not in the office, but I am now driving towards you as I speak." It was the best she could do as her friend remained quiet, waiting for her explanation.

"Fine," Jacky said on the line, breathing an exasperated sigh.

She knew that there was nothing else she could do but accept her friend's very vague reason. "Please, don't stop for anything."

"I promise." She knew that her word still meant something to her friend, despite the several times that she had failed her.

She ended the call, concentrating on the road. She stepped on the gas, hoping to make the car go faster. But not fast enough to call attention from the authority. Besides, the traffic would not allow her to go a lot faster than the maximum limit.

Thankfully, she arrived at their designated lunch location in one piece. She went down from where she parked the car, a few distances from the entrance. She did see Ben following her, but he had to park at the end of the row since it was already full. 

She was walking on the empty and quiet parking lot when her phone vibrated on her bag. She rummaged insider her bag as she continued on her path when she sensed an eerie feeling. She felt like someone was watching her.

But when she looked around and watched Ben, stopping the car at the very end. Except for the two of them, the place was devoid of life. 

"Yes," Dani quickly answered without looking at the screen. Her eyes were still scanning the place for another entity that might be around, just hiding.

She could not help but feel paranoid after hearing from Alex about the threat to their wedding. Just like what Alex was doing, she was not taking it lightly. She was taking extra precautions.

"Please tell me that you are already outside." Jacky pleaded on the phone. Well, it was almost thirty minutes since their date. She was already very late.

Jacky had arranged this luncheon as a pre-wedding gift to her friend. She wanted to make her happy and reunite her with her long-lost friends before she ended her single life.

A few of them were from her childhood. While the rest, the women she had met along the way to where she was now. Some of them were also her friends, but there were some who she only met today.

But she managed to trace them all for her friend and arranged this get-together. As her maid of honor, it was her obligation to make sure that the remaining days of her single life would be full of exciting memories.

"What is so important about this lunch anyway?" She finally asked, feeling something was fishy. 

She had been late so many times before, but she never saw Jacky this agitated. She suddenly forgot about the earlier incident as her attention went into getting inside fast.

When she felt a slight bump on her right shoulder, making her stop in her tracks. She almost dropped the phone in her hands. She heard the man say sorry, but he continued on his way.

She did not even get to see his face. But she quickly turned away from the man, remembering the phone that was still in her hands.

"Dani, are you still there?" She heard when she placed it back on her ears.

When she turned to look at the man, once again, he was already several meters away. But she saw that Ben was already walking towards her. She wondered if Ben witnessed the tiny incident. 

But then again, she dismissed the idea of asking him, not wanting to make a big deal out of something that might be nothing at all.

"I'm sorry. I am almost at the door." She did not hear the rest of what she said, but it did not matter. When she entered the restaurant, she was surprised to see who was waiting for her inside.

Her friend was by the door, already waiting for her. Then several of her friends stood behind her with glasses on their hands. A banner was hanging on the walls, together with an assortment of ribbons and balloons.

With Jacky's signal, everyone raised their glasses to her and shouted. "Congratulations!" 

Jacky had rented the entire place to surprise her with a pre-wedding surprise lunch with all her friends. Well, she did not expect her bachelorette party would be a wholesome event.

She was expecting something more lively and eventful compared to this, especially when Jacky was the one planning the program.

She just expected more, not that she was disappointed with her efforts.. She was only surprisingly not anticipating a lame party.