“Then … why you’re here?” She asked nervously.
“This is my mother’s restaurant, everything cooked here is made by specific chefs chosen by my mom for me.” He explained.
Lisa felt a bit of jealous, how lucky he is to get so considerate mom. She lost her mom at young age and couldn’t got a chance to be pampered by her.
“Lucky to have a mom.” She murmured sadly remembering her mom as both continued eating.
After lunch, Augustus sent her off. Lisa came back to her office and thought about Augustus. He is such a gentle man, why would he be interested in a common woman like her?
She felt distressed and after thinking for a while, she called Sasha and asked her out for dinner. She needed someone to talk.
…
At The Restaurant
“So… tell me..!” Sasha demanded, excitement written all over her face.
“What.?” Lisa asked confusingly.
Sasha rolled her eyes and said, “How do you know Mr. Carlos.?”
“He is my new boss..” Lisa said flatly.
“Details… please.” Sasha smiled wickedly.
Lisa shook her head in surrender and told her everything that happened except Augustus offer of becoming his girlfriend.
Sasha covered her mouth in shock and said in disbelief, “I can’t believe Ted would stoop so low.”
Lisa sighed, “May God show him the right path.”
“Ahh..! That’s why he was walking awkwardly that day, when he came to see Simon. I wondered what was wrong with him.” Sasha said while laughing out loud.
Lisa who seriously told her everything couldn’t help but burst out into laughter too with her. After a while, both controlled their self and then Sasha said admiringly, “Well, it seems like Mr. Carlos is a truly gentleman even when you gave yourself to him. He still didn’t do anything inappropriate to you.”
“It can be because her fiancé, you know…” she said bluntly.
“Fiancé, huh… he was so cold to her. Haven’t you seen them? I have also read in an article that she is his cousin and his mother forced him to get engaged with her.” She retorted.
“He didn’t love her.?” Lisa asked shockingly. Although Augustus had told her that he had no feelings for Giovanna but for her. Still she couldn’t trust his words completely.
“Nope.. he was always very cold to her. I have heard that he had slept with many women to piss her off.” Sasha said.
“What.?” Lisa exclaimed.
“Yup.. but the way he looked at you that day. I can tell for sure it was something Lisa.” Sasha said with a smile.
“What do you mean? We had nothing.” Lisa glared at Sasha.
“I know.. I know.. but it’s not wrong to like someone. I told you Lisa, you should move on from Tom.” She said while tapping her hand.
“Even if I want to move on. Augustus is not the right person.” She said determiningly.
“But… why.? Sasha frowned.
“Because…. because…. I am a widow. I will only bring bad luck to him.” Lisa said angrily hitting the table hard with her hand.
Bang
People around them turned and looked at Lisa suspiciously. Sasha held Lisa’s arm and tried to calm her.
“Don’t take it on heart. I was just saying this for your own good. Fine…! I won’t talk about him. Okay?”
“Hmm” Lisa nodded.
Waiter interrupted both and put down the dishes and opened red wine bottle for them. Sasha adores the food and started eating. After all it’s her treat from Lisa.
She clinked glass with Lisa. “For Promotion and For Moving On From Past.” She toasted.
Lisa took a sip and felt bitter in her heart. Did Augustus really slept with many women to piss her fiancé. What if he is doing all of this things to piss her off again. Is he using me?
Just when she was lost in her thoughts, her cellphone rang.
It was Augustus. She looked at Sasha who was focused on her food. She then answered the call, “Hello.”
“Lisa, is it okay to ask you out two times in a day.?” He asked in a very gentle tone.
Lisa’s anger subsided immediately after hearing his voice.
She lowered her head, bit her lip and replied, “No… umm actually I am out with my friend.” She replied.
“Oh… okay.” He said disappointedly.
“……”
“Can I come to pick you then?” Augustus asked with hope.
Lisa’s face flustered, she looked down then looked at Sasha who was staring her with suspicion in her eyes. She glared at her and she turned her head away immediately.
“Thanks for your concern but I don’t need it.” Lisa said calmly.
“Ahh…. your heartless.!” After a long sighed Augustus complained.
Lisa smiled, “Bye” and hung up the call.
“You… you are blushing..” Sasha who was on her third glass of wine said while taking a sip.
Lisa got panicked. “No… I am not. You are probably drunk.. stop it.. Now.” She said while taking away her glass.
“Humph.. it’s my treat.” Sasha pouted at her.
Lisa took a taxi and sent Sasha home first. On the way home, her mind was all filled with Augustus’s voice and his face. In these last two months, so much has changed.
…
After that day, Augustus and Lisa ate lunch together, chatted lightly. Augustus was desperate to be with her and Lisa was as cold as ice.
Augustus felt displeased because of her coldness but he still tried to restrained his emotions and kept persuading her. Augustus also ordered spicy food for her especially and fried shrimps too.
Lisa felt warm to see him pampering her, but how much she tried. She couldn’t trust him it felt like it’s too good for her to be true.
In all these days, Augustus had not touched her. He always kept his distance from her until she accepts him wholeheartedly.
Lisa felt honored by his gesture.
…
One day, they both were having lunch and suddenly Augustus asked Lisa, “What are your Christmas plans.?”
Lisa froze and stared him blankly. “No plans for me.” She said after a while.
“Well, if you want. We both can celebrate Christmas at a place you want to. So, what do you say.?” Augustus asked calmly.
… Lisa got dumbfounded.
“I only have these free days. After that, I would get very busy. It would be difficult for me to give you time.” He explained further.
Lisa looked at him in a daze. It’s been some days that they have started to know each other and he is already acting like a responsible boyfriend.
Whoosh… how can any woman not fall for him?. Even when she tried to be cold, he still gave her reasons to admire him.
“Well.. don’t worry. I won’t complain and by the way after Christmas, I had court hearing for my son’s custody.” Lisa said indifferently.
“Oh… I see. If you need any help. I will be glad to help.” He said with a charming smile.
Lisa nodded and continued eating.
After Augustus sent Lisa back. He went in deep thoughts and then called Lester. “Come in”
Lester opened the door and came in.
“Yes, Boss.”
“It’s time to send Ted Smith a gift.” Augustus said smiling evily.
Lester nodded “Yes boss” and turned around.
Smith Car Showroom
A delivery boy came and handed a small envelope to a man and went away. That man walked through the luxurious cars and went on the second floor, taking the elevator.
He knocked at big mirror door and went inside without waiting for an answer.
“Here..! It’s for you.” He said to the man sitting on chair.
Ted looked up at Mike, his assistant and frowned, “What’s this.?”
“I don’t know. But the senders address is not there. You should open it. It’s doesn’t seem good.” Mike said waving the envelope.
Ted opened the envelope with trembling hands and saw the pictures. There were two pictures and one fingerprint matched report.
Ted shockingly looked at the picture.
One was a picture of a syringe. Second was Lisa’s messy apartment with syringe lying on the ground. And the report was matched of his finger prints on the syringe.
Ted widely opened his mouth in a shock and then cursed loudly.
Mike worriedly took the pictures from his hand and asked confusingly, “What is it.?”
Ted shrugged his shoulders and calmed himself. “No… it’s nothing you can go now.” He said snatching the pictures from Mike.
Mike helplessly nodded and left.
Ted leaned on his chair and rubbed his temples. While thinking of something. He had never thought that Lisa would try to blackmail him like this. He always thought of her as a weak woman. How could this be possible?