*Andrea*
“Did you stay together last night?” Clara asked, and I couldn’t help but wonder what it had to do with her. Granted, she dated Alejandro, and though that didn’t quite sit right with me for some unknown reasons, I couldn’t change it. But they’ve broken up.
Alejandro has obviously moved on, and it is clear that her presence is not something he looks forward to, so why can’t she just leave him alone in peace?
“Yes,” Alejandro said.
Clara’s face turned livid with anger. “Why did she sleep at your apartment?” She turns to me, “From the first time I saw you, I knew that you weren’t qualified for this job. Did you take the job to sleep with your boss!” She asked.
“Clara!!” Alejandro yelled.
I should have felt offended by what she said, but I wasn’t. “I see no reason I have to explain to you,” I said. She raised a brow and slanted her neck.
“I have some files to give to the research head. I think I’ll pass on today’s lunch,” I said politely. I’d love to have lunch with Alejandro, but not with this nutjob. “No. You’ll have lunch with us. I insist,” Alejandro said and began walking to the door.
I’d have refused, but it just didn’t seem right. Clara glared at me before walking behind Alejandro. “Wait for me,” she said like a child, and I rolled my eyes internally.
Clara sat with Alejandro at the back while I sat in front next to the driver.
The restaurant was magnificent. I have never been to one like this. There was no one else inside. Clara had booked everything. I couldn’t help but wonder how rich she was. One would have thought she had dated Alejandro because of his money, but that didn’t seem true after seeing such a grand restaurant.
A waiter approached us and led us to a table in the middle of the restaurant. It contained just two chairs. “I guess she’ll have to sit somewhere else,” Clara said to me.
I don’t mind sitting somewhere else. It would be better not to breathe the same air as she did while I ate. “No. She’ll sit here.” Alejandro insisted.
Part of me felt he did this because he didn’t want me to feel out of place, but another part felt he did this to make her feel bad.
“This table is made for two. There’s no way she can eat here,” Clara said.
Alejandro was about to reply when I said, “I don’t mind sitting on the table over there.” I said. Clara smiled in triumph. “Alright,” Alejandro said, and they sat down.
The waiter was friendly.
She gave me a menu. I didn’t quite understand what was on the list, and when I saw the price, the menu almost fell off my hands. I picked the food with the least amount, and as the waiter returned with what I ordered, I began wondering if I should send Alejandro a message explaining why I can never be able to treat him for dinner.
Even if I save my salary for a year, I won’t be able to afford anything here, let alone reserve an entire restaurant.
—-
I went home earlier than the previous day.
I was exhausted. Alejandro’s schedule was filled. After brunch, we went from one place to another. The job is quite challenging, but I think it is something I can put up with. Alejandro was busy all through, and we didn’t have time to discuss anything. He said he had dinner plans. And I began to wonder if he wanted to have dinner with me.
I struggled to keep my eyes open during the ride.
It was 7 pm when I arrived home. I pushed the door open and stepped in. The curtains were drawn, and the bulb switched off. The only source of light was the dim light from Alison’s laptop.
She was focused on it, and I doubt she had heard me walk in. I switched on the light, and she flinched. “Babe…” she called me as she removed the ear pods from her ears.
“You seem so engrossed in what you are doing,” I said. I threw my purse to the side and dropped it on the sofa. “I was watching a show. I didn’t know when you came in.” She stood.
“You look stressed,” she said. I warned tiredly. “I am stressed,” I said.
She sat on the sofa directly opposite mine and held a small pillow between her. “So tell me. How did your first day of work go.” She asked.
“It’s my second day.” I corrected her.
“I know, but you left yesterday; I want to know how it went. You didn’t come home all night, but when I called, Alejandro picked up the phone.” She said.
She eyes me, “it’s not what you think,” I said.
The last thing I want is for her to misunderstand and start with her teasing. “What do you think I think?” She asked.
“That I slept with him again. No, that didn’t happen. We’ve not had a decent conversation since yesterday.” I paused and explained further, “You know, a personal conversation.”
“So why did you sleep over at his apartment?” She asked. This was a part I loved and hated about Alison-her curiosity. I hate how she was always curious, but I loved it when it was about others.
“It’s a long story, but it’s not what you think,” I said. I gave her a summary of how my day went, how I was cornered at the restroom, and how Alejandro had saved me from being bullied.
“A lot on your first day,” Alison said.
“How was sleeping in a billionaire’s bed like?” She asked. My mind reverted to the morning when I woke up.
The bed was unfamiliar but was too comfortable. Opening my eyes and moving away from it became a chore. And when I finally did, I did not realize that I was elsewhere till I saw his face.
When I went back to the room and caught a look at my reflection in the mirror, I almost went mad. I looked like a ghost. My hair was rough, like a bird’s nest. And my face smeared with only God knows what.
And I had appeared in front of Alejandro, who didn’t flinch or shout.
“And he bought you this dress?” She asked.
After I took my bath, I saw a nude color dress which was fitted to the waist and freed from there. There was also a belly belt and a pair of black heels.
“He did,” I answered.
Alison wanted to know why Alejandro wasn’t talking to me, but I had no answer for her. We talked for some time before she finally let me off. She made dinner, which we had together.
After dinner, I went to my room. I covered myself with a warm sheet and put the day behind me.
.
.
.
“When did Mr. HealthCliff agree to meet?” Alejandro asked.
“By noon, sir,” I replied, trying as hard as I could to keep the pace. Alejandro had asked me to come with him. I usually send him his schedule, but it seems he never goes through them.
A car was already waiting for us at the entrance.
He had asked for the meeting with Mr. Heathcliff to be canceled. “An urgent meeting came up,” he said.
It wasn’t in my place to complain or say anything, so I quickly made that change in his schedule and canceled other meetings that may have been affected.
“We’ll be meeting with a French man.” He said.
I nodded. “Is the meeting about the new fashion line we are about to open in France?” I asked.
“Yes. So this meeting is crucial.” He said.
“Isn’t a director supposed to go? Why is the chairman going?” I asked before I could stop myself. I bit my tongue.
“Mr. Johnson is very picky and had a, hmmm…” he struggled, looking for the right words to describe him, “not of an outstanding personality,” he settled for that. “I’m not sure anyone would be able to tolerate him without going berserk.” He said.
“Oh…” I said.
“Can you speak French? Or does he speak English?” I asked.
“I can speak French to some extent,” he said, “how about you?” He asked. “I’m fluent,” I said.
I had learned three languages.
French.
Chinese.
Dutch.
“Fair.” He sounded pleased.
I didn’t want the conversation to end. I felt the urge to ask if we could return to talking like we used to. I didn’t want to walk on eggshells around him; I mean, I wasn’t walking on eggshells, but then…
Sigh.
Things were different now.
Alejandro scrolled through his phone for the remaining part of the journey. I browsed about the man, getting all the information I could get. I saw a post that said he had an affair with some woman, and I scrolled past, not seeing how important that was to what I needed.
The hotel was grand.
A seven-star hotel. As the car passed through the black gates, I imagined coming to this hotel with a man just to eat and, have fun and make memories.
The hotel is big and fancy, like a paradise in the middle of the city. I tried hard not to gawk like a peasant, but I can’t say it was easy. This is the first time stepping into somewhere this magnificent. I felt like I was stepping into a movie.
We walked into the lobby, which had comfortable chairs and shiny floors. Soft music resounded. And the air was different. It smelled like flowers.
Alejandro didn’t seem frazzled.
He has no reason to. This was his life. People walked around. Some going, and others walking in.
A hotelier walked to us and led us to a restaurant. If I thought I had seen it all, I had been wrong.
The atmosphere was cozy and welcoming. The tables were adorned with crop white tablecloths and a small vase in the middle. Alejandro had his eyes fixed somewhere. I stood beside him. My eyes continued investigating the restaurant.
The scent of delicious food wax through the air.
I inhale sharply. My mouth-watering to have a taste of anything they cared to offer.
Alejandro began to walk.
He walked to a table where a blade man sat.
Two waiters just left the table, and their facial expressions weren’t very nice.
“Mr. Johnson,” Alejandro said when he got there. It took a while for Mr. Johnson to raise his head from his food lazily. “I see you came right in time, Mr. Costa.” He said
I pulled a chair and sat after Alejandro took his seat.
Mr. Johnson’s eyes moved to me. I tried to smile but couldn’t. I kept a straight face and bowed slightly.
“I see you’ve brought a beauty,” he said. He was practically ogling at me-this middle-aged rascal. I would poke his eyes if he didn’t look away.
“So, about the…” Alejandro began but was soon cut short by him.
“Aren’t you hungry? Let’s have a meal first.” He said.
Alejandro clenched his jaws in frustration. I may have only worked with him for a few days, but I knew enough to know he liked going straight to the point.
A waiter handed a menu to us.
As we picked our meal, I noticed a sly smile from Mr. Johnson.
The waiters left to get our food. Mr. Johnson placed a slice of steak in his mouth. “You know there’s something we didn’t agree on before this meeting.” He said. “There’s more stake to this.” He said.
“What might you mean?” Alejandro asked.
“Let’s eat first.”
Alejandro had said that he was here because he felt that he was the only one who could handle Mr. Johnson, but he didn’t seem to be doing a good job.
“What do you mean?” He asked, emphasizing each word.
He glared at Mr. Johnson, who smirked.
I felt a shift in the air.
This doesn’t seem friendly.