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"I'm not supposed to be here," she said clearly. No one was listening to her, however. "Jane, I have to get Jane. Please, I have to go."
"She knows Jane," Hayden said abruptly.
Nicolas paused at the scene where Sakura was trying to get out of makeup.
"Does that mean Sakura works for Jane?" Conrad asked curiously. "Seb, Luke might know."
"I'll give him a call," Sebastian said. "Now move on. We might learn something else."
At Nicolas's nod, the screen continued. It was an hour later when they came to the stage again where the modelling began. In the background, they noted Haruka and Sosuke in the crowd. Luke was just behind them. There were, of course, Tara and Alaina entering the room late, dressed to the nines. Then they saw themselves on the screen, here and there with their parents.
The show began and the music started. It wasn't long when they saw Akira striding elegantly along the runway, showing her jewelry and Mr. Tachibana's gown. She posed seductively at the end and gazed smolderingly at the camera. Then she winked, and Nicolas found himself responding. His heart skipped a beat and his throat became dry.
Tristan did the wolf whistle, and Nicolas frowned at his brother. Of course, Tristan didn't see Nicolas's glare, nor did any of this brothers because they were glued to the screen as the next slight figure appeared on the runway.
It was Sakura, dressed in that amazing gown. She made her way up to the camera. During her short walk, it was as if she were lost in her own dreamland. She looked serene and absolutely exquisite. She stopped at the end of the runway, and then her posture changed. The brothers knew immediately that she had seen them.
She looked hesitant, as if she didn't know what to do next. Then she hastily turned and walked back. It wasn't long before they saw Mr. Tachibana come out again with her by his side. The brothers could tell she wasn't pleased with this and she wanted to run. After the applause and bow, the scene was cut short.
"That's it?" Conrad asked Nicolas.
"Nope," Nicolas said, looking at the screen on the laptop. "There's still a little more to go."
The buzzing and blank screen was still on, and then it flipped to the chaos of backstage again. They saw Hayden and Darcy running across the length of the room. Then it was Sakura who gave her shoes to Jane. Then it was Nicolas running after them, who banged into Akira. And then the camera went out.
"Huh!" Tristan said. "You killed the camera, Nicolas."
"Sakura gave her shoes to Jane," Nicolas said. "She lied about not knowing Sakura."
"It looks like I need to call Luke ASAP," Sebastian said and pulled out his cell phone.
*
CHAPTER 14
Mother and Daughter, First Meeting
Sakura had never felt so nervous in her life. Since she'd found out about the missing diamond last night when she did another inspection to make sure she hadn't damage it like the gown, she'd felt dreadful and wanted to cry. To replace that particular jewel would cost at least a couple hundred thousand, and Sakura just didn't have that type of money.
Again, she glanced at the exquisite jewelry sitting in a velvet box beside her bed, ready to be delivered today back to its owner, Lady Suzuki. With an active, imaginative artist mind like hers, she started wondering about the possibilities of Lady Suzuki's reactions. Suddenly, she panicked and became lightheaded. Oh God! She hoped the woman wouldn't throw her into jail or take her to court over the ordeal. She hoped they'd come up with an agreement. Though, to be honest, she really doubted that. A life in jail was what she imagined.
Her hands were shaking when she carefully shut the box and put it in her bag. A tentative knock came at the door, and Jane poked her head in.
Sakura glanced over her shoulder to give her friend a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
The moment Jane saw Sakura, she immediately hustled over, wispy blond hair flying about her. Her green eyes were large and teary as she pulled the younger girl into her arms and hugged her tight. She continuously patted Sakura on the shoulder, like she would a younger sister.
"Don't worry. Lady Suzuki isn't so heartless. She knows it's an accident. I told Mr. Suzuki, Lady Suzuki's nephew, last night about the necklace and that a diamond was missing. He didn't sound too concerned about that." She cocked her head to one side. "He sounded pleased, actually. Which is rather odd."
Sakura laughed brokenly. "Are you kidding me, Jane? I ran off with the precious necklace. On top of that, I've managed to damage it. How could Mr. Suzuki not be concerned when his aunt's million-dollar jewel is damaged? I'll only be too glad if they don't take me to court or throw me in jail."
Jane released her arms and sighed. "You're right. I don't actually know them that well. But... I don't know! I shouldn't have asked Mr. Tachibana for their number. I shouldn't have called Mr. Suzuki requesting this meeting. Shouldn't have at all."
Now it was Jane's turn to flutter and Sakura's turn to calm the woman down. "Don't be silly, Jane. Slow down and breathe slowly and deeply."
Jane nodded and brushed her hair from her face in annoyance.
"It was my idea after all." Sakura laughed brokenly, her stomach flipping with nervousness. "I have to return it regardless, in perfect condition or not. My conscience won't allow otherwise."
Jane agreed with a nod. "Well, come on, then." She pulled Sakura to her feet. "We don't want to be late now, do we? I heard Mr. Suzuki hates people who are late. Time is money for them, you know."
Sakura said quietly, "Yes, of course."
They were coming down the stairs to the ground floor, Sakura awkwardly carrying Mr. Tachibana's gown. As they passed through the gallery, Melissa called out, "Are you going out?"
Sakura turned to her sales assistant and said, "Yes. I have to return this to the owner."
Melissa eyed the wrapped gown and said with interest, "It looks like a piece of artwork."
Sakura nodded and waved at Jane for them to leave. "Just call if you need me. I won't be too long."
"Sure," Melissa said, pulling a face as she watched Sakura and Jane walk out the door.
The girls found a taxi, and Jane told the driver where to go the moment they hopped into the tight, musty compartment. They clicked on their belt as the driver maneuvered the car out into the street. Sakura was relaxing back in her seat, her hand fisted so tight her knuckles turned white when Jane's phone rang.
Jane jumped at the sudden sound and muttered incoherently. She picked up and found it was her brother.
"Great, what does he want now?" she muttered in annoyance. "I swear, Sakura, that brother of mine never forgets to ring me every time I come to see you. I told him we've got girl stuff to do."
Sakura asked, "Is that Luke now?"
Jane nodded and then turned her attention to her phone. "What's up, Luke?"
"We have a problem," came his greeting.
It wasn't long before Jane looked like she wanted to die as she listened to her brother, which worried Sakura. The taxi driver glanced at them with curiosity via his rearview mirror before returning his eyes to the road, which was now jam-packed with many other cars commuting about the city.
Slowly, Jane lowered the phone and turned her attention to Sakura, her face as pale as a ghost. She took a deep breath and finally was able to muster the courage to say, her voice shaking just a little, "You do know Luke works for Sebastian Princeton, right?"
Sakura blinked. Her heart did a free-fall. When the shocking news fully sank in, she paled and her eyes rounded in dread. She couldn't speak. She could only shake her head in response, as if to tell Jane that what the woman had just said couldn't be true. It just couldn't be true. The world couldn't be that small. Luke was working for Sebastian? No way!
Jane sighed. "Well, Luke works for Sebastian Princeton as his personal secretary. Saturday night at the hotel, you know he was there, right?"
Again, Sakura nodded.
"The Princeton brothers found out I'm Luke's sister and that I know you. Oh my God! I lied to them!" Jane paled. The thought that she'd lied to them, the powerful Princeton brothers, was way too much for her to bear. She was totally in deep shit now.
"What did Luke say?"
Jane took a deep breath and said, "They've asked to see Luke today... and me as well."
Sakura closed her eyes and felt herself shaking with dread. "Jane, you mustn't go see them. You mustn't."
"Of course I won't go see them." She paused, frowning darkly. "At least not yet. I can make up excuses, of course. But it's Luke I'm worried about. He couldn't lie to save his life."
"Please, call him back, Jane. I need to speak with him. I have to ask him not to tell the Princeton brothers where I am."
Jane gave her an apologetic look. "It's too late. He's heading to their apartment now. And to be honest, I haven't a clue where that is."
