FALLING FOR MY BOSS'S BROTHER

ELEVEN

Zoey Dunn

I hated arguing with Artie but of late he’s been off his game. He was always at the office till late, and always so happy to go to work something I had never seen in him before. I’m guessing it has something to do with that girl she hired there a few weeks ago.

“What’s wrong sweetie? You look so sad.” Pauline, my friend, asked as she handed me a glass of wine.

I sighed, “I think Artemis is cheating on me.” I blurted out.

Pauline chuckled, “you are just feeling a bit insecure. I mean you have been dating him for what? Like four years?”

“Five actually.” I clarified but then again she did have a point. I didn’t have any proof that he was cheating on me except that he was a hard worker. “It’s just,” I paused, “he doesn’t treat me the same way he used to. It’s always excuse after excuse for him not to spend time with me.”

“Have you talked to him about it?” Pauline asked, “if him working too much and not spending time with you is the problem then I’m sure there is a way to handle that, by talking to him.”

I smiled, “I guess you have a point.”

My phone chimed, it was a message from an unknown number. It was an attachment, I opened it and there was Artemis with some girl on his lap. I chuckled, “so much for just talk to him.” I showed Pauline the picture.

Pauline looked at me then sighed, “I am going to be honest with you here but I didn’t think you two would last this long.”

I scoffed, “five years remember.” I stated.

“Yet here you are, a night before you go to some jungle somewhere and he is out there cheating on you.” Pauline replied.

“I had my suspicions anyway so I guess, it didn’t take me by surprise.” I commented.

“But—and forgive me for saying this—why would you date Aria’s ex? The two of you were close friends then you just kind of stopped talking and the rest of us were left to choose sides. It wasn’t fair.” Pauline complained.

I sighed, “thank you for choosing me, first of all and secondly, I didn’t know they were dating. I got the sense they were friends and you know Aria isn’t the kind of person who hides their boyfriend, especially if he is as good looking and rich as Artemis.”

Pauline nodded in agreement, “I don’t blame you though. I would have also jumped on that man; he has some fine ass.”

I chuckled as I took a sip of the wine, “take it from me. Never date an ex of a friend, if he broke up with her what’s stopping him from breaking up with me. Or in this case cheat on me?”

“You deserve better but, you kind of walked into that one.” Pauline said as she sipped her wine.

“What is that supposed to mean?” I asked feeling slightly offended but also curious to hear what she had to say.

She smacked her lips, put her glass of wine on the table, “are you going to get mad at me for being honest with you?” She asked.

I shook my head as I took a big sip of the wine, I had a feeling I would need it in order to listen to what she had to say.

“You two weren’t a match. By that I mean you are from two different worlds.” Pauline stated.

I chuckled, “Artemis and I had a five-year long relationship and it was amazing. He treated me like a princess.” I said with a smile.

“Yet you suspected him of cheating, you probably thought it was with someone from work, right?” She asked.

“Um… that would be a fair assumption.” I replied.

“And now here you are, alone while he is out having fun with some random girl in a strip club.” Pauline said and I have to admit she did have some truth in her statement.

But before I could answer my phone chimed again. It was a message from one of the many men that worked for my father.

“Are you having an affair that’s why you don’t seem bothered by this?” Pauline asked as she eyed me suspiciously.

I chuckled, “cheating takes a lot of time and lies, things I can’t spare and I can’t remember in that order.” I finished my drink, “I’ll be back in a minute.”

“Girl, don’t count yourself short. I’m sure the dude can last more than a minute.” Pauline commented as I walked to the door.

“It’s someone that works with my father, get your mind out of the gutter.” I said as I opened the door.

“Whatever you want to call it girl, as long as you are happy.” Pauline said and I just closed the door as that seemed like a conversation I wasn’t going to win.

Michael Dunn, my father, a man who seemed to be too busy to ever have time for his daughter but could find time to send someone to either ask me something or call me through them. I got a text from Mitch, one of my father’s right hand man, he treated Mitch more like a son than he ever treats me. From a long time ago, I decided to server ties with him, if he wasn’t a father to me then he wasn’t going to be a father to me now.

“What is it this time Mitch?” I asked as I stood in front of the brown curly haired guy.

“I’m glad to see you’re okay but this time he wants to talk to you in personally.” Mitch stated. He was like a brick wall, hard to read and interpret what he was thinking or his feelings.

“He’s here?” I asked shocked.

Mitch just opened the car door behind me, that usually meant I was to enter and go with him to this weird abandoned houses. I never asked what my father did but I always got a sense that it wasn’t exactly legal, but I didn’t want to lose my privileges as Michael always came through for me when I needed money.

“So, what does he want this time?” I asked Mitch.

He started at me though the rear view mirror, “I’m sure he’ll want to explain that himself.” He replied as he continued driving, going through corners and more corners. I stopped caring where they took me, as long as I was back in one piece.

We reached another abandoned building, Mitch parked the car, walked out, opened my door and pointed me to where I should go. “You’re not coming with me?” I asked as I looked at the old run down building.

Mitch just shook his head, closed the door and went back to the driver’s seat. I didn’t particularly feel happy about going into this building alone but I wanted to believe that my dad wouldn’t let anything bad happen to me.

I walked into the building and I have to say the outside didn’t do it justice, inside was very warm and glamorous. It looked like someone’s house, the expensive furniture, the blue wallpaper covering the walls, it almost reminded me of home.

“Your mother loved this wallpaper.” I heard my father say from the other end of the house. “I was trying to make sure you’ll be comfortable while we have dinner.”

“Since when do we have dinner together? We aren’t a normal family.” I commented.

He chuckled, “I guess I am the one to blame for that but I want to rebuild burnt bridges. You are my only daughter after all.” He said.

“And you never let me forget that, you always had an issue with me being the only girl. I messed up your perfect set of boys.” I stated. I hadn’t seen him in almost six years only for him to show up out of the blue that he wanted to build burnt bridges, as if I would believe that.

“Join me for dinner and we can talk further.” He said as he pointed to what I think was the dining room.

“You live here?” I asked.

“One of the many places I like to be.” He stated as he led me to the dining room. The table was filled with different kind of foods; it was a feast so to speak.

“Didn’t spare any expense huh? I guess what you need must be something really huge.” I stated as I took a seat. “Why don’t we cut the whole uncomfortable dinner and we go straight to why I’m here.”

He chuckled, “you always were clever.”

“Girls can be clever too dad.” I commented, “so, what do you want?” I asked.

“I want you to push your boyfriend, Artemis, to accept my offer to invest in his business.” Michael said.

“He is a business man, I’m sure if you were to reason with him he would see the benefit of getting a new investor.” I replied.

“I have tried but for some reason his father has something against me and he keeps shooting down my attempts.” He stated, “I was happy to heard that you were dating him, you are my in. You could make this possible.”

“Why would I do that?” I asked.

“Because I’m the one who give you all the money you keep travelling around with. We both know what you do doesn’t pay much.” He stated and there he was Michael the critic.

I chuckled, “I see you drop the pleasantries. And like you said, I have a rich boyfriend so you cutting me off wouldn’t even have an impact on my life.”

He sighed, “if you do this for me, I will help you open that travel agency you wanted.”

I smirked, “I guess you really do need me for you to offer that when you made it clear that you wouldn’t spend money on that ‘nonsense’.”

“Do we have a deal?” He asked.

His offer was amazing but I never got the upper hand when it came to my father so I wanted to savour the moment. I stood up, “I’ll give you an answer when I come back from my trip.” I walked out and he couldn’t do anything because he needed me.