Blossom in Winter (Blossom in Winter #1)(9)

“Emma, enough!” I hear screaming from behind me.

“What the fuck are you doing here, Petra?”

She glares at me in horror. “Are you crazy? Enough! You’re gonna kill him!”

“Oh c’mon, I just hit him a few times. Don’t exaggerate,” I protest, before dropping the bat.

I grab James by the hair, pushing his head back. “No one messes with my friends, are we fucking clear?”

“Clear, Emma, clear,” he replies, his voice broken and body shaking.

“That’s Ms. Hasenfratz, you poor fool!”

“Clear, Ms. Hasenfratz, clear.”

I call my security guards. “You guys can release him and escort him back to his tiny apartment, God knows where.”

They untie James and drag him away.

Babygirl keeps reproaching me with her stare. “Petra, I’m sorry for all of this. But I can’t stand jerks like him.”

“You didn’t need to be so violent,” she rebukes.

“He deserved to be taught a lesson,” I snap back. “In a week he’ll be fine.”

She sighs in annoyance, head shaking. I hold her by the arms and look straight into her eyes. “Petra, we are best friends. Don’t tell me you’re gonna be mad at me just because I wanted to protect you?”

“I know we are. But you’re nuts sometimes.”

I roll my eyes. “Fine,” I spit out, crossing my arms. “Next time, I’ll just kick him in the balls.”

We burst into laughter. There is nothing better than hearing her giggling after this incident.

She glances quickly at her watch. “I have to go, it’s getting late. My driver will be outside in a minute. Do you still want to meet tomorrow for brunch?”

“Of course.” We hug each other longer than usual but always so tight. “I’ll always have your back, babygirl,” I whisper in her ear.

“I know you will,” she murmurs.





Manhattan, May 12, 2019

Petra Van Gatt





Dad was right. James was not worth it. At the first opportunity, he betrayed me for money. I feel so stupid. Even naive. I’ve been so careful and selective, and yet I’ve fallen for the wrong guy. He was cute, attentive, and had a good reputation. How could he do such a thing to me? Dad was right from the beginning: boys are a useless distraction and not worthy of my time. I’m so heartbroken that I want to cry, but I can’t. Anthony, his driver, could see my reaction and report it. I’m definitely not in the mood to be questioned about my tears.

“Here we are, Miss,” he announces, dropping me off at the entrance of my building.

“Many thanks, Anthony. Have a great night.”

Entering into the entryway of the house, I remove my shoes to remain noiseless and head to my bedroom.

Oh God, I can’t believe I gave him my first kiss. I’m wounded, disappointed, but also quite relieved we did nothing more than kiss. I can still feel where his warm hands caressed me, and it sends a chill down my entire spine. Yuck! The thought of his mouth now feels so repulsive that I shiver. I take off my dress, remove all my makeup, and get into the shower. I want nothing more than to get rid of his smell. Afterward, I light a fire in the living room. Once the fireplace is burning brightly, I take the dress I was wearing and throw it inside, hoping somehow it’ll extinguish his memory once and for all.





“Good morning, Miss. It’s ten a.m.” Janine spreads the curtains wide, her voice always so sweet and welcoming. “We are lucky; today the sun is even stronger. You should definitely go outside and get a tan.”

“Hmm…”

“Ms. Van Gatt, kindly wake up. Don’t forget you have brunch at eleven o’clock.”

I sigh, timidly open my eyes, and pull back the blanket. “Alright, alright…” After some hesitation, I finally stand up. “Good morning, Janine.”

She stares strangely at me. “So?”

“So what?” I ask.

“How was the party?”

“It was fine, thank you.”

“Just fine?”

“Yeah. Disappointing,” I add, keeping it short.

“Oh, I see…” Janine doesn’t ask further. “By the way, your father would like to talk to you. He’s in his office.”

My heart skips a beat.

Office talk means serious talk. What can Dad possibly want to discuss? I just hope no one has spoken to him about last night’s incident. How can he already know anyway? Did he really send some spy to the party? Did Fred, Kevin, and James talk to him? I take a deep breath, trying to calm down, but my heart is already racing with anxiety and fear. Nevertheless, I head to his office, ready to face my demons. You got this, Petra. It’s all good.

The door is closed. Not a good sign.

I knock.

“Come in,” he orders icily.

“Hi, Dad.” I quietly step inside, putting on my most angelic and innocent face.

“Ah, Petra. There you are. I need to talk to you. It’s very urgent.”

This is it. My last minute on earth. He knows everything! “Sure. What is it?”

“Please close the door and have a seat.” His face remains rigid. I swallow hard. “Well, as you might know, I’m turning fifty-five in four days.” Nope, I didn’t remember. “Therefore, I’m hosting a dinner gala this Thursday evening at Gotham Hall. Everyone will be there. Hedge fund managers, bankers, stakeholders, government officials, even the media. We’re expecting around seven hundred guests. I need you to be present.”