Chapter 774 - Wedding day (J&J) (3)

~ Golden Ocean Resort ~

September 15, 12:36 PM

JoAnna is standing next to the window of her apartment on the top floor and looking down toward the resort grounds. Staff is busying themselves with last-minute preparations… people will start coming at 1:00 PM.

Wedding ceremony is at 3:30 PM, but considering the guestlist, JoAnna is sure that people will come as early as possible and use this wedding as an opportunity to network.

Sarah stood next to JoAnna while holding a tablet in her hand. "All the girls we marked are in their rooms. I guess they are getting ready."

"All of them?"

Sarah confirmed. "Harriet and Tiffany returned from styling salon downtown Los Angeles twenty minutes ago. Other girls didn't leave the resort. Some of them used services provided by the resort. After their meeting this morning over breakfast, there were no other gatherings."

"And you think that they will not plot anything today?", JoAnna was suspicious.

"It's a big audience…", Sophia spoke from the sofa in the back. "They don't want to risk ruining their reputation and considering their lack of trust in each other, they are afraid that if they coordinate something, at least one of them will be thrown under the bus. However, that does not mean that they will not take action individually if they see an opening." Sophia ended with a warning.

"Eve is listening in on everyone today. If anyone is discussing our relationships, in anything other than 'they look good together' or 'happy marriage' topics, we will find out about it." Sarah mumbled while checking some data on her tablet.

"Eve can do that?" Sophia was pleasantly surprised.

Hearing a hint of admiration in Sophia's voice, Sarah proudly smirked. "Yes. With latest update on her language processing module she can determine context and act accordingly. If they talk about our relationships in anything other than favorable, people in question will get notifications. And if they start plotting to take action, all six of us will be notified. However, they need to use our names while talking about the couple in order for Eve to trigger. If they talk with only 'he-she', it will not work. I've put this limitation on purpose in order to avoid a lot of false notifications. If you feel that you are having too much Eve in your head, just tap your earpiece and tell her to lower the frequency of updates."

"Brilliant!" JoAnna exclaimed.

Sarah narrowed her eyes at JoAnna. "I hope that was for me and not for Eve. Because I made that happen!"

They all laughed.

"Come on, let's go down to do the fittings…", JoAnna ushered her sisters. She was eager to see how her wedding dress looks like after latest changes Ellie did.

Not long after, in the temporary design studio…

Tom and Brian are working with two designers on Sarah's and Sophia's dresses. Sarah and Sophia are standing with their arms apart from their bodies, and not moving… like mannequins, while four people around them are making sure everything is perfect.

"What's up with Ellie?", JoAnna asked Emma quietly.

Both JoAnna and Emma looked at Ellie who was standing in front of the window and sighing occasionally.

"Jasper."

One word from Emma confirmed JoAnna's suspicion.

JoAnna walked to Ellie. "Come with me."

Up in JoAnna's apartment…

"What is it?", Ellie forced a smile while taking a seat on the sofa next to JoAnna.

JoAnna narrowed her eyes at Ellie. "Don't you 'what is it' me… what happened with Jasper?"

"Nothing…" Ellie lowered her gaze, avoiding JoAnna's.

JoAnna was not about to give up. "Don't you 'nothing' me… it's my wedding day and you are out of it. I demand an explanation."

Ellie told her about the scene she witnessed that morning in the hallway and about the talk she had with Jasper during lunchtime. And JoAnna knows about previous night because she was there when Sharon and Millie sat around Jasper.

JoAnna looked at Ellie with troubled expression. "Sweetie… do you like him?"

Ellie didn't want to say it… but she could not deny it either. Not in front of JoAnna. "Isn't it obvious?"

"Why don't you give him a chance?"

Ellie was surprised to hear JoAnna's words. "That coming from you is… unexpected. I thought you hate players."

JoAnna agreed with Ellie. "Yes. I believe that players are the worst… they take advantage of naïve girls and move on without a care of the havoc they leave behind. They don't care about feelings of a girl… but… you said it, he is a player, and yet, he told you that he likes you and that he does not see you as a one night stand… and you felt that he is sincere."

Ellie frowned. "What is the point of his sincerity if he continues acting like that?"

JoAnna looked at Ellie and could see that she is struggling. "Ellie, if this is one year ago, I would tell you to slap him silly and move on… but as of lately, I believe that people can change. Even a player can fall in love and cherish a person."

Ellie looked at JoAnna suspiciously. "I will need more details than that if you want me to buy your story."

"What do you think about… Sarah and Aiden?"

…

At that time, in the temporary design studio…

Sarah is checking herself out in a full sized mirror when she heard Eve's voice in her earpiece: "Master, JoAnna is talking with Ellie about your relationship with Aiden."

Sarah's eyes lit up. She knows that JoAnna left with Ellie… is she using her and Aiden as an example of how great relationships could be? But didn't she put a filter so that Eve sends notifications only when context is not favorable?

Sarah tapped her earpiece. "Play me the audio…"

…

Few minutes earlier, in one of the largest suite of the resort, where guys are having their fittings…

Christopher, Russel and Vincent are done, and they moved to the side table to set it up for a game of cards. They don't have much to do until the wedding ceremony anyway.

Bradley is also done, but he is lingering in front of the mirror, admiring himself in his brand new suit.

Felix and Steve are sitting on the sofa and watching a video on a tablet while waiting for their turn. They asked to be last… it will allow them to finish the video.

Jeff and Jasper are dressing up while tailors are confirming that the fitting is right.

"Sorry I'm late.", Aiden entered the room and started removing his clothes when one of the people in charge of the fitting gestured him to come.

Aiden kept his earpiece on the side and thought that he saw a light green light blinking, indicating that there is a notification from Eve. He removed his top swiftly and reached for the earpiece… the green light was not blinking. So, either Sarah picked up that notification, or he imagined it. He hesitated... should he check what that is about? It does not matter… if it's important, Sarah will let him know. Seeing how dashing Bradley looks in his suit, Aiden is eager to put his on. As they say: a suit makes a man.

Aiden was all giddy while thinking how smitten Sarah will be when she sees him super-handsome in his custom made suit.