“Are you trying to tell me that I’m not putting in enough work or effort, Myra?” Tony chuckled devilishly, causing Myra to flush immediately.
“Keep your eyes on the road, Tony!” She snapped while growing flustered.
He let out another low rumble of laughter, but other than the fact that he was holding her hand, he did not move to tease her any further.
Before long, they pulled up outside Tony’s detached villa.
Myra had mentioned that she liked it here and soon after that, both of them moved into the property.
When they drove into the compound, a management caretaker informed Tony that he had a visitor.
They hadn’t been bothered by it until they pulled up outside the villa and nearly knocked into a woman standing in the middle of the path. Myra was shocked and she let out a sharp gasp.
Tony, on the other hand, frowned. He coaxed her and took the keys before he stepped out of the car to open the gate to the villa.
He had only just walked away from the car when a figure hurtled toward him. Before he knew it, someone had grabbed onto his arm and he heard a soft female voice whining, “Tony, you’re finally here! It’s been a while since I last saw you. I’ve missed you so much. Did you miss me too?”
He caught a powerful whiff of perfume that threatened to choke him and his eyes flashed with disgust. The person who’d caught him by the arm was not standing firmly on her feet, but he paid no regard to this as he pursed his lips and pulled away from her. His freezing gaze fell on the woman who was batting her eyelashes at him and he greeted stoically, “Miss Walton.”
With that, Tony brushed past her toward the gate to the front yard. He unlocked it swiftly and sauntered back to the car without so much as glancing at Gemma. She was as good as invisible to him.
When she saw that he was ignoring her, she bit on her lip.
Gemma had immediately rushed over to the Hart Residence after her plane landed today. She’d needled and whined for Tony’s address before coming over as soon as she got it.
She had wanted to wait to return from the United States with her brother, but she’d grown anxious at the thought of some other woman pining after Tony. As such, she’d packed her bags and flew out from the United States without further delay.
However, Tony was still as cold and indifferent as he’d always been despite the fact that they hadn’t seen each other for ages. She couldn’t help but feel the resentment bubbling up in her, yet she trailed after him. “Tony, I rushed over here as soon as my flight landed. It wasn’t easy for me to get your address. I just got back from the States and I’m worn out. Would you mind taking me in for a couple of days?
“You should check into a hotel instead of asking for a room here, Miss Walton,” Tony countered flatly.
“I haven’t booked a room in any hotel, though. You know that I have no friends in the country. Besides, it’s already getting late—are you really going to just leave me stranded outside, Tony?” Gemma’s eyes were rimming red as she said it and she gazed pitifully as he walked away with his strong back facing her.
Meanwhile, Tony was already standing by the car, and he was opening the door.
Gemma instantly wanted to open the door to the backseat, but Tony deftly reached out and slammed the door shut. He turned and glowered at her darkly. “I’ve warned you, Gemma. I don’t take kindly to intruders on my territory. You can either leave now or I’ll have someone make you.”
There was a hard edge to his voice. He did not care that she was a woman or that she was Gideon’s sister.
Gemma stiffened. She’d believed that their time apart would finally thaw his icy demeanor toward her and that perhaps he would even come to miss her. She’d left home for Bradfort City so that she could see him, but as it turned out, her efforts were futile. How could he be so heartless?
Then, she turned to the side and her eyes fell on the car.
Through the dimness in the car, Gemma could make out the figure of a woman in the passenger seat. Her eyes widened when she realized that it was not Serena, Tony’s sister, but another beautiful woman whom she did not know!
When she thought about how he’d said he did not take kindly to intruders, Gemma bit on her lip in bitter resentment. She pointed an accusatory finger toward the passenger seat of his car and demanded, “You said you don’t take kindly to trespassers, so what is she doing here? What right does she have to sit in your car and have you drive her into your property?”
“She has every right to enter my property—she’s my wife.” Tony’s eyes crinkled slightly and a gentle, indulgent look flashed across his features as he uttered the word ‘wife’.
“Don’t lie to me! How could you have a wife if you’re not even married in the first place?” Gemma retorted in disbelief. Once again, she made to open the door so she could slide into the backseat of the car, but Tony reached out and seized her wrist in a vise-like grip. He hauled her away despite her protests and moved toward the exit before unceremoniously flinging her away.
As he did so, he did not seem to care that he was being rough with her. His grip had been tight enough to bruise her skin and she could feel her wrist throbbing. For a moment, she thought it would snap.
“I’m only asking that you take me in for a couple of nights, Tony—I’ll move out once I find a place to stay. Besides, if that woman is allowed to go into your villa, I don’t see why I can’t! Who is she? She’s probably just after your money and power. Don’t be fooled by her!”
“That’s enough!” Tony barked. He took out a handkerchief from his jacket and wiped the hand with which he had gripped her wrist. Then, he threw the handkerchief into a nearby trash can like it was toxic waste.
Gemma’s face darkened. She saw that he was turning to leave and it was as if he could tell what her next move would be. He dodged when she reached out to try and grab him.
“I’m not known for my patience, Gemma,” Tony warned, his face grim when she stepped in front of him to block his way.
“You know how I feel about you, Tony. I came to Bradfort City for you!” She looked at him stubbornly although she shuddered when she saw the cold gleam in his dark orbs.
He may just relent for Gideon’s sake. After all, they were good friends and there was a time when they had been business partners as well.
At the thought of that, she bit her lip and said, “Tony, if you get that woman to leave right now, then I’ll act as if this incident today did not happen.”
She drew in a breath as she waited for him to consider. She knew that men were egocentric creatures at heart. Meanwhile, the woman was still seated in his car. Gemma was stung—she never even had the chance to take a ride in it.
Tony let out a short bark of laughter and although it was soft, Gemma felt a chill run down her spine all the same. The next moment, he pulled out his phone from his pocket and made a call. When the line on the other end picked up, he said coldly, “This is the owner of Villa No.120. I need two security guards over here immediately.”
Gemma’s fists clenched at her sides when she heard this. “How dare you treat me this way, Tony! How are you going to explain yourself to my brother and my parents? They all know I came to Bradfort City to see you!”
After having grown tired of this exchange, Tony ignored her. When he saw the two security guards rushing toward them, he said plaintively, “I don’t know this woman. Keep her out the next time you see her.”
It was clear that the security guards knew who he was. They answered hastily, “Yes, Director Hart.”
Without sparing Gemma another glance, Tony turned and left.
Upon seeing that, she moved to stop him, but the security guards seized her by her arms and brought her toward the exit. “Sorry, miss, but we have strict rules against trespassing.”
Meanwhile, Myra could still hear Gemma’s screeching protests coming from the outside when Tony opened the car door. “Let me go! Do you know who I am? I’m the daughter of the Walton Family! I’m Tony’s girlfriend! How dare you treat me this way!”
The sound of her voice was drifting away as she was dragged out of the compound, but the words ‘I’m Tony’s girlfriend’ seemed to echo in the stillness of the evening.
