The Billionaire's Unauthentic Daughter

C H A P T E R 5 1

?Insecurity kills all that is beautiful.?

The next day itself, I got to work. I assumed it would take me at least two days to set things up.

I was going to throw a surprise party for Keith where I would invite his whole family.

I decided that the best venue for that would be the Jenson's huge garden. No one actually visited the garden a lot aside from Keith and I and the gardeners who took care of it.

I told my dad about my plan, telling him all the reasons about why we should throw this party.

To make him say yes, I told them that it was also like a little appreciation party for all the cooks and the kitchen staff, although it was mainly for Keith's birthday but he didn't need to know that.

To my happiness, he said that he couldn't make time for this appreciation party and I told him that I'd replace him and be the host. No one was actually interested in hosting the 'appreciation party' which made me a little upset because I had expected something better from them.

But I told myself that I was not in their shoes and that they genuinely didn't have time for it owing to their packed schedules and the party I decided to throw last minute.

So the only people who could attend were the kitchen staff, Keith's whole family and I. Olivia refused saying she had to talk to Heather about something about her college. I didn't have high hopes of her joining the party anyway.

I was relieved that there weren't many people that were going to attend which meant no media attention would be drawn to us.

I would make sure that the party was secure so that no one could try to sneak in or get the gist because that meant the whole world would know about me, most probably including Juliet.

I sent out invites to his family and arranged for their transportation. They got in contact with me and told me how horrible they felt for forgetting his birthday and that they would make sure that they were present at the party with loads of gifts for Keith.

I gave out orders for party decorations and told them that they had a two day deadline. The garden was cleaned of fallen leaves, the grass trimmed and watered. It didn't require much prepping as the garden was beautiful even before that.

I placed an order for a big cake with Keith's name on it.

I also insisted on making swirly birthday hangings.

I could have just made someone else do it but I really wanted to do something for him and this was the least I could do.

I also had to buy him a gift but I put that on the back burner because it needed thinking as to what I should get him and I had no idea.

In the evening, after I had looked after all the activities and progress and kept Keith from venturing into the garden which was a tough task when I was acting a bit suspicious, I finally got the materials I needed for making birthday hangings.

It was bought and delivered the next day by two helpers in the house who volunteered to get them for me. They had offered to bring it up to my room but I refused because I could obviously do this much and thanked them for the help.

Taking the box from them, I started for my room, keeping an eye on my surroundings for any sign of Keith.

As I reached the staircase that led to my room, I froze in my steps as I peered up to see Ethan descending down.

I panicked, not wanting to face him right now and backtracked my steps.

I turned around to leave but saw Keith in the distance with his back to me, talking to Samara who caught sight of the materials in my hand which would easily give away our plans.

She motioned for me to leave as she tried to act normal.

There was nowhere else to go that would hide me and the humongous box in my hands.

I had no other choice but to take the stairs. I chanted in my head to keep my head straight and pretend as if no one was around.

I made it a few steps, hearing Ethan's footsteps getting closer by the second.

For one split second I made the mistake of looking at him and saw that he looked at me at that exact moment too.

I couldn't look away after our eyes connected. I tightened the hold on my box and quickened my steps.

He sighed as if he was tired of something. "I don't have time right now to talk to you so-"

I was confused as to what he was saying but I didn't say anything and my feet carried me past him and up the stairs.

He cut himself off when he saw I didn't stop to talk to him.

He probably realized that I wasn't even there to talk to him in the first place.

I let out a quiet laugh at that. I had completely ignored him and he didn't see that coming.

I was sure he was expecting me to still be after him, even after what happened but looked like I disappointed him.

But I didn't have time to think over it because I had a lot to do.

The rest of the day was spent on the preparations.

I made the birthday hangings for him because that was all I could do.

I couldn't bake a cake for him because I didn't know how to and it wouldn't be edible even if I tried to make one.

Plus, that would require me to be in the kitchen where Keith practically lives so he would've known what I was up to.

By nighttime I had finished making it. It was then I realized that I completely forgot about Keith's gift.

I had until seven in the evening of the next day but I wanted to get it today.

I didn't want to risk Keith seeing the gift if I go out to get it in broad daylight.

I had barely managed to get the materials for the hangings without him knowing, a gift would be much harder to bring and hide until the party.

I wanted to personally choose a gift for him. I didn't know if anyone would be around to drive me to a gift shop. It wasten o'clock at night. It had been hours since we had dinner and everyone must be in their rooms or office. The drivers must have gone home and nobody would be around.

So I did the only thing I could think of that could help me in a situation like this.

I knocked on Ethan's door.

He opened it a few seconds later. I didn't expect him to be in his room but one glance at his bed told me that he had been working, as he always seemed to do.

He looked surprised upon seeing me.

"What're you doing here?"

"I need you to drive me somewhere."

"Why me?"

"Because no one is around to drive me and no one would let me drive on my own."

He took a look at his wrist watch. "Where do you have to go this late at night?"

"It's really important. You'll know when we get there."

Ethan stretched, his shirt riding up a little giving me a peek of his abdomen. I diverted my gaze elsewhere.

He yawned and moved his neck from side to side. Clearly he was very tired.

I felt guilty for making him drive me to a gift shop and I was about to tell him to forget it and go to sleep but he agreed to it before that.

"Okay give me a minute to change."

I nodded. "Thanks."

I waited in the hallway for him. Less than a minute later, he swung open his door revealing that he had changed into something warmer.

"You should wear a scarf. We don't want anyone seeing your face."

"It's so late at night. Not many people will be around to recognize me. Besides it won't take too long. I just have to buy something."

"It doesn't matter. It's cold out there."

Without saying anything, he walked into my room and opened my wardrobe. I protested a little at his intrusion but he quickly pulled out a knitted scarf and wrapped it around me.

"Let's go."

We took his mediocre car which we had used when we went to the movie theater. It felt like it was a long time ago and indeed it was. It was two months ago when everything was simple and we were good friends who didn't have unknown feelings for each other.

I searched up gift shops nearby and directed him to the location.

"Tell me, what do men usually like for a birthday present?"

"Whose birthday is it?"

"A close friend of mine. He had his birthday a few days ago."

"He's a man?"

I nodded.

"Keith?"

"Yes, now can you please tell me what a man would like to have for a present?" I asked impatiently.

"Men hate birthday presents. So I'm going to drive back to the mansion because you're not getting a gift for Keith."

He was about to make a turn back but I stopped him.

"Who doesn't like to get gifts for their birthday? Don't lie to me."

"I'm not lying. You'll see just how much he'll hate no matter what you give him."

"I shouldn't even have asked you. You're no help. Just drive me to the damn place."

Ethan had a little sneer on his face but I just ignored him.

We arrived soon enough and I walked in, tightening the scarf a little to hide half of my face behind it.

No one was in the shop except for a lady who looked around forty. She welcomed me with a tired face. Clearly she was about to close the shop. Ethan was right behind me.

"What're you looking for, miss?"

"A birthday present for my friend. He's a chef and I was wondering if you had something related to that to help him love his work more." I asked eyeing my surrounding to get ideas about what to get him.

"If it's a gift for a man, there's nothing better than a watch. A watch is a man's most prized possession if it's given by someone special. He'll never forget such a beautiful gift and the person who gave it to him."

What she said made me want to buy a watch for Keith but for some reason her words seems rehearsed, tweaked a little to match the circumstances. But nevertheless, I knew what I was going to get Keith for his late birthday present.

"What about a present which won't remind him of her?" Ethan asked from beside me.

"What?" The lady asked.

I fixed him with a glare.

"Yes, please show me some watches," I told the lady and she went to get them.

She brought out a lot of watches for me to choose from.

"Get him this one," Ethan pointed at a bright pink watch.

"Err...I don't think he'll like the color."

"Then how about this one?" He now pointed at a green one which was ugly to say the least.

"No."

I took some time to pick one out, with Ethan trying to get me to pick an ugly one the whole time.

By the time I actually picked one out, I was thoroughly annoyed by him.

Not only did he try to get me an ugly present for Keith but he also made fun of him whenever he could.

I was told that they made customized watches as well so I told them to draw an impression of a chef at the center of the watch and an embossing 'from your sous chef' on the back of it, where Ethan argued with me saying the I didn't belong to Keith, all the while with me trying to tell him that it didn't mean that.

The lady told that the watch would be ready by four in the afternoon, making me relieved that I chose to get a gift for him tonight. I couldn't have chosen a more perfect gift for Keith.

I was sure he was going to love it.

"That guy doesn't even deserve so much thought to be put into his gift." Ethan muttered under his breath.

I instantly whipped my head to cut him with a sharp glare. This was it. He had said enough and I couldn't stand to hear my friend getting insulted anymore.

"Ethan, can you at least try not to be so rude about Keith's late birthday party.

I already feel so bad that I didn't wish him on his actual birthday so can you please try not to make it worse for me?

I get it that you hate him but I don't, so I'd really appreciate it if you keep your hatred for him to yourself.

You obviously wouldn't know how it feels like when it's your birthday but not even one member of your family wishes you a happy birthday.

You wouldn't understand how it feels like when someone you thought you were close to was so obsessed with her own problems that she didn't even know it was your birthday.

So please, be a little polite to someone who doesn't have the kind of money that you have.

Just because you're in a higher position than him doesn't make you a great person.

The way you treat a person deemed lower to yours is what determines if you're a good person or not.

And right now, you don't sound like a good person to me. " I snapped.

He looked taken aback from my outburst. Clearly this was not something Juliet would've said but I couldn't care less about that matter at the moment. All I could focus on was that Ethan was demeaning Keith when he hadn't done anything to Ethan and I had to let him know what he did wrong.

Ethan was quiet after that. A few minutes later, he walked out of the shop and I saw him get into the driver's seat. He was probably going to wait for me there.

I made the advance payment and took the receipt from the lady before making my way back to the car.

The ride back to the mansion was awkward and quiet. When we reached, I silently got out of the car without sparing a glance at him. He also didn't make any move to talk to me.

I knew he was just jealous. It was because we had unwanted feelings towards each other that was making him act like that.

I knew that Ethan was a good person and he didn't look down upon anyone, but I just said that in the heat of the moment.

I was feeling fiercely defensive over Keith and what he said about Keith was extremely childish and uncalled for, even if Keith wasn't there to listen to it.

I couldn't bring a gift for Keith that night so I had be careful the next day when I'd go to pick it up.

The next day I thought I'd have to go alone to pick up the customized watch as Ethan was at work but I got a call from him at three-thirty in the afternoon.

"Hello?" I said into the speaker after I hesitantly took the call.

"Hi, uh Juliet. You have to pick up the watch at four, right?"

"Yeah."

"I'll be arriving at the mansion in ten minutes. Be ready by then. We'll go get it together."

"Um, sure."

We said goodbyes and I got up to dress up.

Seven minutes later, I was waiting in the driveway for Ethan. Like he had said, he arrived shortly after and I got into the car.

We didn't speak to each other the whole time. It was as awkward as it had been last night.

When we arrived, I quickly reached for the doorknob just so I could escape the uncomfortable silence but his voice stopped me.

"Juliet." It wasn't my name. But just because he said a name which had my name in it made my heart flutter at his voice.

"Yes?" I tried to act normal.

"About last night, I want to apologize to you.

I'm sorry for saying all those things about Keith.

I realized that I was being extremely rude and my behavior was unacceptable.

I let my jealousy get the best of me. I realized last night after you went to bed that all the hate I felt for Keith was because I was jealous about how close he was to you.

I can't deny my feelings for you. But I don't know what those feelings are exactly.

Is it just attraction, a small infatuation maybe?

I don't know. But I want you to know that I don't behave like this with people.

When you said that you don't think I'm a good person, I didn't like it.

" He grabbed my hand. "I don't want you to think of me like that, because believe me I'm really not that kind of person. I'm sorry."

I could see the desperation on his face to make me believe him.

I could see he was telling me the truth and my scolding the last night had made him reflect on himself.

I was at a loss for words, especially because I didn't expect him to accept that he was jealous or that he was starting to know what he really felt about me.

Also he was making me nervous when he was holding my hands and staring into my eyes like that.

"I know that you're a good person. I'm glad you had a realization about your words and their impact. Just don't do it again." With that, I removed my hands from his and stepped out of the car, finally able to breathe freely.

I had ignored what he said about his feelings. That was the right thing to do. Ignoring it would make it go away.

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