I was about to call Samer to let him know about my plan to go to Stonewick when suddenly the phone rang. I picked up the receiver, suspecting it was Samer on the other end. Since it was still not office hours, the call couldn’t be work-related.
“Hi,” I greeted him cheerfully, not wanting to argue while he was still sleep-deprived. Maybe once he’s feeling better, I can ask him why he didn’t return as promised.
“Hello, baby,” Samer said on the other line. He could have just called me on my cellphone, but he seemed used to calling me at the office.
“Have you eaten?” I asked him.
“Not yet, but we’re going down with the kids… and Kate,” he replied.
I bit my lower lip when I heard Kate’s name again from him. Jealousy can really mess with one’s mind! “Bon appétit,” I said.
“Join us,” he invited.
“I’d love to, but I’m already done,” I declined his invitation. I once joined them for a meal at a restaurant, and I felt like I was just a nanny to his kids.
“I actually wanted to talk about something,” Samer said.
He wasn’t in front of me, but my eyes sparkled, wondering what he wanted to say. “Go ahead, tell me,” I urged him because waiting made me more anxious.
“The kids want us to go to Disneyland as a whole family,” Samer said.
Just as I thought! I was not wrong in assuming that Kate would use the kids to always be with Samer. If it weren’t against the animal welfare act, I might have pulled my hair out of frustration!
“When are you leaving?” I asked.
“After lunch,” he replied.
“So soon?” I raised my voice a bit in surprise that they were leaving immediately after lunch for Disneyland. “Is it a rush?” I asked.
“The kids are excited,” Samer said.
“Oh, really? Well, have fun then,” I replied.
“Come with us,” he invited, but I didn’t feel delighted. A last-minute invitation? No, thanks!
“Hmmm, I’d love to, but I need to go to Stonewick to personally check on some things,” I said, but Samer suddenly cursed on the other line. What’s his problem?
“Is it really work-related, or are you just doing it to make me jealous?” he asked.
“Why would I make you jealous, huh?” I shot back.
“Because of Kate,” Samer answered.
“Hmmm, I have every right to be jealous. I don’t know about you, but it’s so obvious to me that Kate was just using the kids to get your attention,” I told him.
“That’s not true, Jamie. Kate is kind, and all she wants is to make the kids happy,” Samer insisted.
Whoa, did I hear that right? He’s defending her to me? Yes, I know they have kids together, and I’m just his girlfriend, but it hurts to see them always together.
“Okay, she’s kind, she’s beautiful, and she has every right to you. You two should just be together!” I couldn’t hold back my anger, and I abruptly ended the call.
The phone rang again several times, but I ignored it. When it kept ringing, I unplugged the cable to avoid being called. I knew what I did was childish, but I didn’t care. He made me angry, and yet my phone still rang.
“Jamie!”
I bumped into the wall as I turned around in surprise. “Samer!” I called out to him.
“What’s your problem?” Samer asked angrily.
“Rhea, could you please leave for a moment?” I asked my assistant because I didn’t want her to hear our argument. “You’re my problem! You and your ex with the fake attitude!” I yelled back. Of course, I wouldn’t let him win!
“I told you earlier to join us so you wouldn’t suspect,” he said to me.
“And so what? I’d just be out of place there,” I expressed my doubt.
“Can’t you get used to our setup? Is it really hard for you to understand that Kate is a part of my kids’ lives?” He questioned.
“It’s easy, but it’s hard for me to understand why you can’t stop her or limit her visits to the hotel,” I let out my resentment. I had more to say, but Samer’s phone suddenly rang.
“Wait a moment, I’m going down,” he said, answering the call. “When I come back, we’ll talk,” he told me before giving me a kiss on the cheek.
He went out the door, but I remained standing, waiting for him to turn around. He didn’t. He just continued walking out, and all I got was a kiss on the cheek. Actually, I felt like smashing my desktop monitor.
“Did you have a fight?” Rhea immediately chimed in when she entered.
“You’re so nosy,” I told her as we went inside the hotel. I noticed that the hotel looked different from the last time I visited. “It looks like this will be successful,” I said.
A few minutes later, Rhea stood up and told me that she already informed all the departments about our departure to Stonewick.
“What time are we leaving?” Rhea asked. “I need to get some clothes from home, Miss Jamie,” she added.
“Don’t go home, and we’ll drop by the boutique together. Just tell the driver we’re leaving before eleven,” I instructed her.
In the whole city, Khalifa Hotel was the only one with boutiques open all the time. Samer deliberately set it up that way to gain an advantage over the competition. Khalifa Hotel also had a VIP treatment for guests, which is why it was always full, even during the off-peak season.
When we went to Stonewick earlier, we took a limo, but now we just used Khalifa Hotel’s regular car. After three hours, Rhea and I arrived at the front of Khalifa Hotel in Stonewick.
“Your boyfriend might take offense if you come here, Brent is here after all,” Rhea said.
“He knows I’m going to criticize it here, and besides, he’s busy. He has plans with his family today,” I said to Rhea.
“Hmmm Miss, how did you handle his ex?” Rhea asked.
“You’re so gossip-hungry,” I said to her as we entered the hotel. I noticed that the hotel looked different from the last time I visited. “It looks like this will be successful,” I said.
“I told you during the final interview that I’m good,” Brent said.
I turned to the guy who spoke, and my blood started to boil when I saw Brent. “Prove yourself first, Brent. You may be good with words, but you have to back it up with action,” I said to him. I wasn’t trying to drop hints; I was just not in the mood.