Chapter Three:Behind Closed Doors
1088 Words
The conversation stopped immediately.
Greg?!
Nora?!
She said each name with a heightened tone.
Vannessa swiftly stood to her feet, Greg moved a few inches back.
For a second, silence followed.
Nora’s heart beat was pounding even faster by the second.
She couldn’t take her eyes away from both of them.
Greg was a bit nervous but Vannessa stood like she had nothing to worry about.
Gently rubbing her finger nails against each other.
Greg slowly put up a faint smile on his face.
Nora!
“What are you doing here”
“I should be asking you that”. Nora replied with a frown.
“You told me you were taking a call outside”.
“Ye.. yes, I was”. He stuttered, then slipped his phone out of his pocket.
“ I ran into Vannessa”.
And…? Nora interrupted him before he was done talking.
“Hey… relax, calm down”. Vannessa cut in.
“I wasn’t talking to you Vannessa”.
“Hey! Do not speak to me in that manner, you cheap girl”.
Nora immediately rubbed to Greg… so what now? You're going to stand there and watch her talk to me like that.
Greg remained silent.
“Wow! Just wow”! Nora let out a sigh of disbelief.
You know what? Vannessa chipped in.
I have no business whatsoever in this shinanigan going on here, me and Greg were only talking about work and that's just it. I really don’t understand why you are making a mountain out of a mole.
“Well, this does not seem to me like work”. Nora replied.
Vannessa stepped a bit closer. Then what is it? Huh?
Look, I don’t know or even care about your bloody insecurities but don’t drag me into your nonsense.
Certainly, you do know Greg is allowed to have female friends and colleagues despite being married to you.
Plus this was just work, okay? Chill.
Nora stared at her blankly.
Vannessa slowly picked up her bag from the table.
I was just telling your fiancé about the new multi million dollar contract I just bagged from our company today, which by extension will give me a raise and promotion.
Did I just hear you say bagged?
Yes! You heard right.
On hearing this, Nora flinched and attempted to slap Vannessa.
Greg quickly rushed to the scene and held Nora hand.
“Let’s all calm down”. He said this while staring directly at Nora.
“Are you crazy”? Nora snapped at him.
Are you defending her over me?
Vannessa steps closer to Nora.
You are so lucky those filthy hands of yours had no contact with my skin because girl, you would not have seen the light of a new day.
She pushed Nora by her shoulders and walked out of the room.
Nora stared at Greg for a few seconds.
Really? Really Greg?
I told you it was just a work conversation but No, you are so stubborn and you never listen.
You know, your ego is way too big for someone in your class.
Excuse me!
Greg walks out of the room, leaving her alone in there.
Nora stood there for a long moment after they had both left.
The anger she felt moments ago slowly gave way to something worse.
Confusion.
“Maybe I’m just over thinking”. She thought to herself.
“I mean, it’s just work, nothing more”. She said loudly like she was trying to convince herself.
But she was unable to shake off the fact that they both seemed very scared the moment she opened the door and she had earlier heard fragments of their conversation. And what she heard definitely didn’t sound like work.
Her phone suddenly vibrated. A text message from Greg.
“Stop creating problems when there’s none”. “Come to the hall, some guests are waiting for you”.
Immediately she stepped out of the room, she noticed a particular cleaner she saw minutes before.
Hello sister.
Good evening ma.
Ooh please, so sorry to disturb you. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions.
Alright go on ma.
“There was a man in this room a few minutes ago”.
This room? The cleaner pointed to the room.
Yes… he just left not too long.
Ooh that tall, dark skinned man??
Yes! Yes! Nora affirmed.
Do you know him?
The cleaner resisted the question.
Ma, it is part of my ethics that I keep customers' information confidential.
I know, I know but this is very important and don’t worry no one will know you told me anything.
Please, just help me, sister.
The cleaner let out a deep breath. Okay, that’s fine, I will tell you but you must assure me that you won’t tell anyone I told you anything. In fact I have never met you before.
I promise!
“That man is one of our top customers in this hotel”.
He comes here quite often. The cleaner began speaking.
“Alone?"
The cleaner hesitated.
"Not always."
Who does he come with?
“Ahh, I have said a lot already ma”.
Please! Nora begged.
He comes with different women, he doesn’t exactly have a particular one but in recent times, there’s this lady who he brings really often and I think they have something serious going on.
On hearing this Nora froze.
“Hey madam, are you okay”? The cleaner shocked her hands.
That's all I know, ma."
Then she quickly walked away.
Nora stood rooted to the spot.
Uhm.. Nora snapped out of her thought.
Nora gave out a faint smile.
Then slowly walked to the engagement party like the weight of the world was on her shoulders.
By the time she got there, loud music and laughter erupted from the room.
She rested her hands on a table behind her and let out a deep breath.
Everything in the room felt like noise to her ears.
She picked up her bag in an attempt to bring out her phone and respond to a few congratulatory messages.
She couldn’t help but notice Greg’s phone carelessly left on the table.
She picked it up, so she could put it in her bag and avoid it being stolen.
A notification came in.
And the moment she read it… Her blood ran cold.
The smile left on her face instantly disappeared.
- Writer
