CHAPTER FIVE
1057 Words
Melissa was already at the venue for her event. The event planners had started bringing in all the preparations. There was even a load of confetti in the back. She could already picture the whole thing happening. She was going to do the runway too. At first, she didn’t want to do any of that. But she didn’t have any more money for one more model and she didn’t want to disturb Sergio anymore. He had already tried.
She was still talking to one of the event planners about what colour the colour of the carpet should be when she felt someone tap her shoulder.
It was Eric again. But he wasn’t in his usual shirts and sweatpants. He was wearing a proper suit and matching pants. He had dark shades on. He even had an air pod on and his hair was styled properly. He looked like a secret agent.
Melissa almost did a double-take when she saw him but she wasn’t stupid. He would taunt her forever if she did anything stupid. Especially now that he knew her house. He could do anything if he wanted.
“What are you doing here?” she asked and he smirked in response.
“Seems like you love using that statement a lot.”
“Mr. Mark was supposed to meet me here. Why are you here?”
“Well,” he said and exhaled deeply. “My father asked me to give this letter to you.”
Melissa didn’t know what to expect. Another check? Or does he want to ask her to join the company officially?
She anxiously opened the envelope while Eric stared at her.
She glanced through the contents and went to the conclusion immediately.
It is with great regret that we withdraw all funds that might have been put into your tiny event.
Melissa didn’t even have time to recompose herself before the tears fell out. Just then, her phone beeped. True to the letter, all the funds that were sent to her account were reversed.
“Did he say anything I did wrong?” she asked Eric, wiping all the tears from her face. She didn’t care if people were staring at her. She had gone through enough to pretend in front of people. Especially if her future was at stake.
“He told me nothing. After you chased me from your house, he just asked me to hand you this letter.” Eric shrugged.
“What did you tell him?” she wailed.
“That you chased me out of your house when I came to talk to you about the contract.” He clicked his tongue. “He said you weren’t serious with the contract.”
“But I was,” she cried. “This contract is the only one I have had throughout my life. It was going to change my life.”
Eric pitied her. Almost.
He outstretched his hands for her to hug him. At that point, that seemed like Melissa’s only source of comfort. She hugged him and stopped crying immediately her head made contact with his rock-hard chest. He pat her back and ran his hands through her hair.
He kept on whispering that things would be fine.
Melissa wasn’t oblivious to the young women staring at them. Well, staring at Eric and wishing they were the ones in her place.
“You see how these women are staring at me? They all love me.”
“Well, I don’t,” she said and frowned. She was trying to be feisty but she was still in his arms. He ran his hands through her hair again.
“Everything will be fine, Honeybee,”
Honeybee was the meaning of her name. It sparked something in her heart when he called her that. He just gave her a nickname.
“Things will never be fine,” she whispered.
“Well, things would be worse if that letter wasn’t fake.”
She was thinking of a response when his statement sank into her brain.
If the letter wasn’t fake.
She pushed him away immediately. He burst out laughing.
“Are you mad?” she screamed. “You don’t joke about things like this.”
“I was just playing my part of the challenge. You started it. and today, you let me hold you. Eric, 1. Honeybee, 0.”
She started walking away but he continuously walked behind her, calling out.
“Calm down, Bee. You just needed a reason to cheer up. I’ve only seen you laugh once. And that was yesterday.”
“And that was a mistake,” she said, wiping her tears. Thank heavens she went against her inner mind telling her to put on some eyeliner.
“I have a feeling I would make you laugh a lot more.”
She wrapped her hands around herself. “Why are you here?”
“My dad put me in charge of this project.”
“You had better do well. If not, I won't hesitate to leave a bad review for you.”
The company would belong to me no matter what, Eric wanted to say.
Everything that Mark had said a few hours ago was replaying in his mind. He had everything easy in his life. Money, cars, food, women, s*x, grades. He put anybody that wanted to get in a competition with him on their knees. But never for once in his life did he think he would be forced to snatch something from his cousin.
Everything his father told him earlier had also stuck to his brain but he didn’t want to remember that either. His mom had been the influence behind it all. He didn’t have to ask to know.
“Do you mind showing me around, Bee?” Eric asked to distract him from his thoughts. One more moment of silence, and he would run mad.
“Stop calling me that!” Melissa shrieked, earning a tiny chuckle from him. She knew he wouldn’t stop calling her that name anytime soon. Not while they were now stuck in a project together.
She proceeded to show him all the confetti in the back. She showed him all the clothes she had created and all the ones she was still making.
“I’m hungry. Wanna go for lunch?” Eric asked.
- Writer
