Leashed

Chapter 3

The Deliciae is adjudged to be one of the leading food and beverage companies in the Philippines. Its products range from candies, spreads, dairy, biscuits, jelly snacks, coffee, juice drinks and fizzy drinks. It is, nonetheless, the most expansive food and beverage entity that generates a lot of fortune for the Belmonte Conglomerate. Its trademark has already set roots in almost every corner of the country. For more than ten years, its competitors have seen its immense growth, and they have always been trailing behind its progressive stride, especially with the arrival of a young, astute and gorgeous Chief Executive Officer in the person of the Belmonte heiress.

Neoma gazed at the 34-storey-high building that came into view now just 60 meters away. No, this is not an act of awe towards a towering edifice installed with a vision glass curtain wall system, and even with her family name technically engraved on it, but a display of premature internal tension at the sight of impending exhaustion from the responsibility laid on her.

The elevator took her to the 30th floor of the building, and she made her way past the cubicles of her associates to her spacious executive office. She heard all their greetings of courtesy for her, yet she responded to none. This trait of hers (as you can envision as of the moment) has garnered dislike from the majority of them. She couldn’t care less, for she couldn’t even feel it. They do, in fact, admire her exceptional wit, but they sense that she can be blinded by it, particularly that she has to match the standards of her father.

A slender woman in her mid twenties wearing a blue blazer over a white blouse tucked in a knee-length gray pencil skirt approached her in haste. Chelsea Morales, her secretary, is bringing a pile of papers and, apparently, a pile of work.

“Uh, good morning, Miss Neoma.”

Well, from what I’ve mentioned earlier, she’s not fond of greeting back and just replied, “What’s going to bother me today?”

Her secretary temporarily went frantic and scanned her notes while keeping up with the pace of her boss towards her office.

“You have to choose the new flavor for our Quench energy drink from the proposals. You have to read and sign the terms of agreement with Cremera. At 10 this morning, you have to participate in the blessing of our new coffee factory in Barangay Poblacion. At 1 pm, you have a private meeting with a new investor. And at 6 pm, you have a dinner date with Mr. Ohm—”

“Cancel the dinner date.”

Her secretary stared at her for a second. “What? I-I mean, why Miss Neoma?”

“Contact that Mr. Ohm Consunji and tell him that I’m ditching his ass this evening.”

“But your father, Sir Wile, said that you have to go.”

“Well then, Chelsea, tell him that he can be my proxy for this evening’s date.”

The haughty CEO twisted the knob of the mahogany door to her office as she disappeared before the eyes of her secretary with a gaped mouth.

What should I do? I’m going to get fired. Chelsea thought as she bit her quivering lower lip.

“Worried” is not the right word for her now. “Appalled” is. She clearly remembers the ultimatum of Wile Belmonte. If she can’t make Neoma go see Ohm Consunji this evening, she’s fired. She knows her boss too well. She had already made up her mind; there would be no way to change it.

Three years and counting—that is how many times she’s been yelled at and cursed by her volatile boss. Neoma’s temperament is beyond help and her stubbornness is beyond reason. Still, she must try again. She’s prepared to get yelled at or cursed again. She’s not even going to be surprised if a mug will split her dominant forehead in two the moment she’s going to enter the den of the lioness. She was never straightforward and brave; nevertheless, she usually musters the courage to at least be assertive towards her lady boss because, unlike her co-workers, she didn’t totally hate her.

Here goes nothing. She told herself as her hand found itself gripping the knob in front of her. She closed her eyes and pursed her lips, but a gentle hand halted her.

“Chelsea baby, I think that’s not a good idea.” Just in the nick of time, he appeared before her, his face just a few inches from hers.

When she first caught sight of Sol, she mistook him as a Hollywood actor. He has the perfect charisma, the right manly features and he is the epitome of chivalry. Now, standing dangerously close to her, he smells really good like fresh mint combined with cool breeze. If only she could sniff him from head to toe.

“She’s in an extremely foul mood this morning. So, I’d bet that it wouldn’t be wise to push your luck on her right now.” His deep voice brought her back to the real world and then, she remembered just how she enjoys having his big hand wrap around her knuckles. Feeling ashamed of herself, she instantly withdrew her hand.

“Oh, right. Ohm! You have to help me please. I know that you have it in you to convince Miss Neoma.”

Sol looked at the small woman he was cowering over. She is pretty, and she looks so pure while she fiddles innocently with her tiny fingers. The thought of ravishing her popped into his mind, but in just one night, he could be done with her; since compared to Neoma, to him, she was unexciting.

“You see, Sir Wile told me that IF she wouldn’t be able to make it to the dinner date with Mr. Ohm Consunji this evening, he’s going to fire me.” She looks like she’s about to cry.

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure that you get to keep your job.” And he winked at her.

The subtle lighting dimmed, and the light brown wood wall cladded with golden accents darkened around her invisible fumes, as Sol came inside her office and saw her frowning over her black executive desk.

“It sure took a while for you to park a car,” Neoma jested.

“You surely treasure my company a lot,” he countered with a tease, and this usually worked to annoy her.

“I want you to kill someone for me.”

“Who?”

“My father”

There was silence between them at first. It was crisp and grim. Sol, now with his face void of emotion, stared at her. He knows she is serious, because she rarely jokes. He knows she is when those eyes stare back at him—piercing, furious, yet beautiful.

He loosened his tie. Slow and calculating, he walked towards her.

She, on the other hand, was the quiet observer. She was anticipating, and she was testing.

When he was already in front of her, he knelt, took her left foot and raised it in front of his face. He was looking at it like a gem, smooth and manicured, before he licked and kissed her toes.

The gesture didn’t affect Neoma at all, for she wanted to hear him promise his compliance with her request—no, her command.

“Neoma.” He kissed her ankle. “You can make me do anything. I’m your dog, after all.” Then, her calf. “Anything, but that.” This time, her knee. His kisses then went beyond that until he stopped to level her lips.

“Are you saying that you can’t do it?”

“I’m saying that you should go and honor what you promised your father earlier.”

“I don’t want to. Let him be a fool for trusting my empty words. And what do you think you can do to make me go?”

Sol brought his lips closer to hers as he intently gazed at her unwavering green orbs. “Oh, I see. You’re not only stubborn. You’re still emotionally unstable and immature, JUST LIKE a child.”

The last sentence so irked her that she found the strength to ram a palm into his face and push him flat on her desk. Folders falling, pens rattling, but Sol grinning made her clench her teeth.

“I’m not a child. Don’t make a fool out of me.”

“Now you admit who’s the fool between you and your father; though I wouldn’t mind fooling around with you.”

She grabbed a pair of scissors. She wanted to cut his tongue right here and right now; whereas, the grinning man laid on her desk made her realize that she was acting on impulse like a child. She decided to calm herself.

“Then, Sol, my lapdog, what do you suggest I do?”

“Show up to your date with Mr. Consunji this evening, and deal with him the way you want to. Show your conviction.”

For the first time in a while, he actually said something sound.

“Then, sleep with me.” Well, most of what he said.