Chapter 29 TRIP TO PARIS II

       El walked directly in front of pennywort as they walked into the elevator which took them to Ethan's room on the first floor of the building. As they approached the door of his room, her heart raced in fear of what was going to happen. Whatever it was that was going to happen, wasn't good and she could feel it. This was all her fault. Why did she challenge this man knowing fully well he was going to punish her afterward? What came over her at the table? She cursed at herself inwardly as her heartbeat increased with every step that brought her closer to the door and she took deep breaths to calm herself.

      When they got to the door, pennywort knocked on it. "Come in," they heard him say with his deep cold voice, and pennywort opened the door for her. She got inside the room and found Ethan sitting on the couch as his head was rested on top of it with closed eyes. Was he tired, or thinking of the punishment to give to her? She couldn't tell as she looked at his face. Maybe she had been overreacting all this while, she concluded after seeing the calm, peaceful look on his face. Maybe he called her to tell her about an event they were to attend, or something important because, with the way he looked, he didn't seem like he was angry, or wanted to punish her.

        "Leave us," he said still maintaining the position he was when they walked in, and pennywort left the room. He sat up straight on the couch when pennywort closed the door behind him and opened his eyes before turning in her direction to look at her face. His deep blue eyes were calmer than how they normally were, and so was his expression, yet serious as he looked at her. She could tell from how he gaped at her that he wasn't mad or anything as such. He just wanted to convey important information that she needed to hear. But what was it? What was the serious information he needed to convey that'll make him call for her in his room?

        "Our engagement party is in three days," she heard him say and all her attention focused on what he wanted to say about it. Was he planning on calling it off? No! Ethan would never do a thing like that. That thought is too good to be true. Or was he planning on postponing it? Whatever it was he wanted to say, she'll have to hear it from the horse's mouth before concluding in her head.

      He dropped a black card on the table for her to pick up. "A private jet is waiting for you at the airport. You can go with any of your female friends to any country of your choice for shopping. When you decide on the country, tell me so I can make preparations for your arrival in the country." 

     Her jaw dropped as she stared at him, but she quickly broke out of her daze. The only thing that saved her from the embarrassment of Ethan seeing her that way was that he wasn't staring at her face then. This was too good to be true. Was he telling her to take a trip with some of her girlfriends? Did he just say that, or was she imagining and hearing things in her head? No! It wasn't some mere imagination. She could tell from the black card which she could see clearly on the table, and his serious gaze at her, waiting to hear her response, either from her body language or word. She hesitated when she wanted to pick the card from the table as she thought about the price she had to pay for using the card. 

     "Whether or not you accept it, you still have a price to pay," he said when he saw her hesitation as if reading her mind. She was like an open book to him because she couldn't hide her emotions. Whatever she felt was reflected on her facial expression or body language and he could see through it.

      She stared at his face once more, and then at the card before picking it up from the table. "Thank you for this," she said staring at his face which was on hers.

     "You know where to find me when you decide, " he only said before returning to the position he was once in when she entered the room with pennywort. This was her clue to leave, and she didn't need anyone to tell her that. She turned to leave but stopped at the door as she turned around and walked back to the couch.

     "I've decided." He raised his head to look at her as she stood close to the couch. "I'll be going to Paris." 

      "Very well then, my men will be at the airport to pick you up on your arrival to my mansion there." He said with no expression on his face."Be sure to get back before Saturday evening." He added as he stood to his feet, walking toward her. She held her breath unconsciously on seeing his movement as her heart suddenly raced. Was she excited? Or terrified? She couldn't tell but she knew this man scared her, and she wouldn't deny the fact that she was terrified of what this man could do to her. She took a deep breath as she stared into his eyes which held hers as he stood directly in front of her. "Be safe," he only said before walking to his bed.

       Her eyes followed him as he walked towards the bed surprised at his actions. She was thinking it was time for her to pay the price for the card. She felt weird. Disappointed? Upset? She didn't know, but she hated how she felt. She left the room hurriedly before what she felt would ruin her good mood. She was excited about the trip and was looking forward to it even if she tried very hard to hide her excitement from him.

       Thinking back at how she felt when she heard his call from pennywort amused her. She was a fool to think that he called her into his room for punishment earlier.  If he had wanted to punish her, he would have done it on the table, not waiting for some minutes before doing it because he was an impatient person when it came to things like this.

    She closed the door behind her and walked into the elevator. Unable to hide her excitement about her trip anymore, she smiled genuinely. She was going to Paris, not for work, or business-related matters, but to have three days of nonstop fun with her girlfriends. How did he know that this trip was exactly what she needed at this moment? However, he knew was none of her business. All that mattered was that she was going on a fun, relaxing trip and she was going to enjoy every bit of it alongside her girlfriends. She stepped out of the elevator and walked to the room where she was with Chloe earlier on, only to find Chloe pacing around the room, worried. 

      On seeing El, she walked hurriedly to where she stood as she checked every corner of her body, turning her around to have a better look at all the sides of her body. "What did he do to you? Are you okay? You're not hurt anywhere, are you? He didn't lay a finger on you, did he?" She asked all at once. El was sure she didn't even breathe when she asked all the questions. She was panicking and at the same time afraid, El could see it from the way she reacted. This was the first time Chloe had reacted this way, which made El shocked as she stared at her amused. Chloe was reacting as if she went to meet an angry and hungry lion in its nest, which is supposed to tear her apart, but she surprisingly got back alive. She wasn't wrong if she thought this way, but El felt like she was overreacting a little bit. She knew Chloe cared about her a lot but right now, she's being really dramatic, even more, dramatic than Sophie who she thought was the queen of drama. "Maybe I shouldn't have said those words to him. This is all my fault, and if anything had happened to you, I wouldn't forgive myself." She added as she continued turning her around.

      "Okay, Chloe. Calm down." She removed Chloe's hands from her body as she stopped her from turning her around again. "I'm fine. I think you might be overreacting just a little bit." She added, looking at Chloe's doubting eyes. "I'm really fine. He didn't do anything to me. He just gave me his black card," she raised it so she could see it. "And asked us to go enjoy ourselves in any country of my choice. Guess what my choice was." She placed both her hands on her shoulders as she smiled happily at her.

      Chloe sighed deeply in relief. She was happy Ethan didn't do anything to El and she stared down at her body once more just to be clear. "Uhm... Paris?"

       "Yes!" 

     "So, Ethan gave you his black card to go have fun in Paris?" She asked just to be clear she heard everything El said correctly.

     "Yes! But he didn't just say I should go have fun in Paris, he also said I should go alongside with my girlfriends," she pointed at her. "As we speak, his private jet has already been prepared for us. We just need to leave the house."

     Chloe was surprised at what she said, but she was more excited than she was surprised. She was tired of the country and wanted to take a trip by herself before now, but when she remembered El and how bored she will be by herself in the mansion, she had to reconsider and cancel the trip. Now that Ethan had given El permission to leave the country, and even sponsored their trip, she was more than happy and she couldn't contain her excitement. It was as if the universe knew this was what she wanted, and it made it happen in her favor. 

        "Then what are we waiting for? Let's start going. I can't waste another minute in this house anymore."

     "We'll leave, but not now."

     "Why not?"

     "I was thinking of calling one more person to join us. Sophie to be precise. You know, me, you, and Sophie. It'll be a fun trip for the three of us. You know how we all wanted to go on a trip together, well now's the time for that."

      "You're right. It'll be more fun having Sophie around. Have you called her over?"

     "Not yet, but I will now."

     "Hurry!"

         Signaling for one of her maids to bring her phone, she walked to the couch with Chloe, and they sat on it. Orange juice was served to them, and they drank while talking amongst themselves. Soon, the maid came back with her phone and she dialed Sophie's number without hesitation. 

      A few minutes later, Sophie walked into the mansion with pennywort in front of her, who guided her to the living room where El and Chloe sat waiting for her. 

      "You're finally here," El said as she stood up on her feet alongside Chloe to welcome dazed Sophie who looked around the house in astonishment. From the way she looked around, El could tell she had a lot of things to say to her concerning how rich Ethan was.

     "I rushed over as quickly as I could." Sophie hugged El whose arms were already opened to welcome her. "This place is beautiful beyond words. It's like a paradise on earth," Sophie added as she continued looking around when she was released from El's embrace, making El chuckle because of how dramatic she reacted. 

     "Yeah, it is."

      "Sophie." Chloe walked to her and hugged her.

     "Chloe," she greeted sweetly with a smile as they both embraced themselves. "You look nice as always."

     "I was just about to say the same," Chloe said and they both smiled at themselves.

     "Now that everyone's here, I think we shouldn't waste any more time here. Let's go," El said, facing the two girls.

     "Yasss!" Sophie yelled, making the other two girls chuckle as they all walked out of the room to the car parked in front of the building for them. The chauffeur opened the door for them, and they stepped in. Without wasting any time, he drove off with two convoys behind them. 

      Soon, they arrived at the airport, and they got out of the car when the door was opened for them. A customized black private jet was parked a few feet, close to them with the imprinting 'E.G.' on its body. He marks all his properties, El thought as she stared at the imprinting on the body of the jet. This wasn't the first, second, or even third time she had seen this inscription on Ethan's properties. All his properties always had the inscription. It was as if he always branded his properties to show it was his so he wouldn't share. He wasn't joking when he made that statement that he hated sharing. This was a prove. 

      Without wasting any more time, they walked to the jet with his bodyguards behind them, and they climbed the stairs which led them inside the jet. El was the first person to get on the jet with Sophie behind her, and then Chloe.

      "It is as beautiful as it is on the outside!" Sophie exclaimed looking around as they all sat in their seats. She would be lying to herself if she said all Ethan's properties she had seen today weren't glorious. He wasn't called a billionaire for mere reasons. This was an extravagance, but a normal lifestyle for him. It made her wonder just how rich he was. El was lucky, she thought inwardly smiling. It's not every day you get to meet a person like this, talk more of getting married to him. He wasn't just rich, but also extremely hot and sexy. He was perfect even if El denied it, she knew El also has the same thoughts. 

      "Good morning, Misses," a stewardess greeted as she stood in front of them. "My name is Lucia. I'm your stewardess for this flight. Please, buckle your belts, the plane takes off in five minutes, and anything you need, just press the button in front of you, and I'll be of service to you," she said warmly with a smile as she stared at each of them.

      "Okay," Sophie said, while Chloe and El just nodded in agreement to what she said. 

     She walked out from where they stayed to the cockpit of the jet where the pilot was. In no time, the jet took off.