Chapter 2
1433 Words
I couldn't believe my ears." My sister could die” I said, fighting back a tear. I wondered how anyone could be so dishonorable, so heartless. He looked at me as though he had just asked me for a pen, his countenance was completely indifferent. I was completely at a loss about what to do. My sister is lying in a critical condition at the hospital and should I turn him down she might die. And at that moment I said,
"No." A resounding one at that. I turned away from him and as I got to the door, he called me back.
"Spend a day with me," he said, "and you won't have to worry about your sister, I'll take care of her. I'll call Denzel, I'll have him call the hospital, he'll take care of everything and your sister should be fine..."
My head was spinning, the last hours had been unpredictably tumultuous, but before I could think of something to say, he further persuaded me on the subject. This meant Dollar's bills would be taken care of. That was huge. I agreed to spend the day with him as I felt I had to thank him, regardless of the circumstances that had led to it. Although he had saved me, I was still resolved on the issue that I was not going to sleep with him.
If there is one thing that must not happen, it would be not to sleep with him. This is very important as the rumors have circulated quite popularly in the past that this had been the way I had gotten the job in the first place.
The next morning, I was at the hospital finalizing the expenses of Dollar's surgery. Then suddenly Denzel, Ashen's lawyer, appeared in the hospital unannounced. He told me that he'd take over from there, that I was needed on the rooftop of the hospital.
"What? What business do I have on the rooftop, I asked, confused.
"I was told you are needed on the rooftop; I suggest you go immediately."
"Okay?" I knew it was probably Ashen, he had his ways of getting whatever he wanted and girls are no exception. Little does he know I'm no ordinary girl. Having been his secretary for two years now, I'm no stranger to his grand antics. I collected myself, I was ready for any surprises. I am determined not to give him my body. Besides the fact that he'll just toss it aside, I happen to be the only one who had something to lose in this particular transaction.
I wasn't in any way dressed for a date night; my head was so far removed from the thought of such things. In a way, it played perfectly into my hands. I wasn't going to go screw around with my sister lying unconscious on a hospital bed, but because his payment of my sister's bill was precedented by my spending the day with him, I felt I had to show some effort. Fortunately, Denzel had brought over some dresses for me to choose from. I was going to show up and show some enthusiasm about whatever subjects would be discussed, but I had to hold my resolve (to not sleep with him). There are a plethora of reasons I should not give in to him, but I'll limit it to these for now.
I arrived at the rooftop in a black velvet gown fitted to the waist...waiting for me was a helicopter with open doors. Ashen highlighted leading me in.
"You look gorgeous," he said while his eyes held a convincing charm. I didn't say much to him during the helicopter trip except
"You do know that I am not going to sleep with you, right?"
"What's that got to do with anything?" He answered.
"Isn't that why you've agreed to pay my sister's bill and..."
"Whoever said that?"
"Isn't that the point of all this?" I questioned earnestly.
"You misunderstand me, you think I've been interested in you because I'm just a playboy...but the truth is I've been fantasizing about this for a while now. I think I am head over heels in love...."
"What about your girl Trisha?" I said, cutting him short.
He didn't say any more words to me throughout the trip for reasons I very well know. Trisha and I had been friends in college, and it was on her recommendation that I secured this job, although I hadn't applied to be a secretary. This added a layer of complexity to the whole situation. I should say, however, that Trisha and I are no longer friends; I suspect she had been the one who started the rumor that I slept my way into the company. (This is because I had asked her when the rumor was rife to tell everyone that she had been the one who recommended me, but she had valiantly refused and the only person I had left to acquit me was the in-house manager who had gotten the recommendation initially, he had now been fired of course after some illegal misconduct of his).
We landed on the rooftop of some other gigantic building and arrived at the penthouse and, to my surprise, he introduced me as his girlfriend. He did this so effortlessly without giving much thought to what my reactions would be. He didn't even care whether I'd deny him and bring him much embarrassment in the presence of all his friends. This is what infuriated me the most. How could he?
"Girlfriend?" I asked, pulling him aside and making him aware of my fury.
"What? Didn't you like the sound of it? "
Couldn't you have just said your date? What is wrong with you?
Just as I had said this, a voice interrupted us. It was Trisha's, his girlfriend?
"Well… well, what do we have here, the newest couple in town?" Trisha jived in. My heart sunk into my chest, the humiliation. My goodness, I have always avoided situations like these, being involved in a triangle of a sort. He and Trisha had always been on and off.
Luckily, Ashen immediately engaged her and saved me from the eternal embarrassment of the situation. "I guess I have finally gotten rid of you," he said, directly to her face too. I couldn't say anything, I just held my face as indifferent as I possibly could. When she left, I expressed my distaste for what he had done. I would admit that the way he played the whole affair made me hold my breath...and I desperately tried to hide it when I swallowed.
In his defense, Trisha had been a certain kind of b***h. And this is not because of our history together, no - very far from it. Ashen and Trisha's relationship has been a sort of spectacle of amusement in the office. Trisha had once told Ashen that she wanted an open relationship. In light of this, it became difficult not to sympathize with Ashen.
It was after he had got us both in his private jet and taken me to his hometown in Sicily, that I began to feel my inhibition giving way to his je ne sais quoi (this means an indefinable quality that makes something attractive). The way he spoke about his hometown and where his passion truly lies made one feel attached so much so that one would appreciate having his attention; like they were part of something profoundly important in the world.
There was an important event coming up, and his family had agreed to host it at his grandfather's house in Sicily, Italy. Since everyone was coming, I dearly anticipated seeing Eli, his brother. He has always taken me; many times, I have even fantasized about him. We have talked only once but that night, he had stirred up something inside me. He was kind and tender and seemed to take a genuine interest in talking to me. I was quite striking, and it wasn't uncommon for men to want me in their beds, but he was different. He wasn't like the men I had come to know.
All through the night, I was introduced to important people, but I could only feign interest. I was deeply concerned for my sister. Fortunately, every time I worried, Denzel was very positively reassuring. More and more people kept showing up and when it got to about midnight, in front of everyone, Ashen took my hands, his eyes permanently gazed into mine as he said
"Marry me?" As he said this, he went down on one knee.
- Writer
