Chapter Twenty Four
2122 Words
Paige
For the past week, me and Ezekiel is busy planning for the project. I’ve been very busy in the past week. Arris need five unique characters. We need to put a lot of effort in this project since they are believing in our abilities.
We don’t want to disappoint them.
“Should we go for a colourful characters or not?”
“I don’t know. It’s a movie for kids.”
“And kids at heart. For me, let’s make it colourful but not to the point that’s the colour is too annoying.” Ezekiel stated.
I nodded. Ezekiel is a smart man. He’s full of ideas every single day. Sometimes, when I’m close to him, I feel like I’m a dumb kid wanting to be genius like him.
He’s funny sometimes but when it comes to work, he is serious. Which is most of the time. And I also learned that he is only twenty four years old. He’s pretty young but he thinks like he’s already in his forties.
“Should we do over time today? Or tomorrow?” I asked him. I hoping he will say tomorrow because my mom’s birthday is today.
I’m planning to buy her favourite cake from Tiana and watch movie with her. Just like how we spend her birthdays before.
“Tomorrow? I’ve something to do tonight.”
I nodded then I answered Wallace’s call. This is the first time we are going to talk since yesterday because he needs to fly passengers to Greece because there’s no one available yesterday. I hope he landed very safe.
“Hey. You’re at work? I just got landed.” He started.
“Yeah. We are planning for the project I told you.”
“Okay. Let’s meet later? I’ll fetch you.”
He always get me after work. Since last week if he is not busy. He even snatched my car keys and let Rigo keep it so that he can have his own ways.
Spoiled brat.
“Okay. See you.”
I dropped the call.
Sometimes, all I need to do is agree on whatever he wants. Because if not, he will sulk for hours and hours until I say yes. I get it now why he acts like he get what he wants because Rigo is spoiling him too.
Wallace told me that Rigo is like a father figure for him. But Rigo always say yes to him since Wallace is paying him for his service.
One time, I asked him about his biological father, he snapped at me. It’s like there was a serious tension between the two great men. I mean, he’s father is a goddamn billionaire because of their family legacy and reputation. But Wallace is billionaire because of his blood, sweat and skills. He didn’t asked for his father’s help to be on top. He is known as one of the youngest business mogul not because of his father but because he is Wallace Monzato.
Damn Wallace, you got mad skills. That’s what I admire to Wallace. He always prove everyone wrong.
Even me.
My mind went to the reality when my phone vibrated. There’s a text message from Wallace.
He sent me a selfie with a caption ‘I missed you.’ He is still wearing his pilot uniform and he looks sexy as hell.
I shoved my phone inside my pocket and I drank my coffee. My heart is beating fast, like the usual because of Wallace’s text message.
Fuck. I am doomed for real.
Wallace satisfies me in bed and give me so much butterflies in my stomach because of his simple but sweet gestures. Now, I don’t wanna believe that he hadn’t got a girlfriend before because he is too sweet.
Or, maybe he is just Wallace— a good looking man with sharp jaw. Every women in this planet will be head over heels for him.
I mean, he is handsome, he is good in bed, he’s rich and he is respectful even though he sulks almost everyday.
Dude, Wallace is well packed with six pack abs. He can get every women he wants.
And I’m one of those women who wants him. I do like him even on his sulking hours, I found him cute and adorable. Damn.
But I refused to fall for him deeper. I’m doing anything I can to move on from this foolishness. We agreed that no stings attached, I will make it stay that way.
“Are you okay?” I flinched when I felt Ezekiel’s hand on my shoulder. I looked at him, very confused on what is happening.
I got caught up with my thoughts of Wallace. This is bad.
“What?” I asked.
“You’ve been staring at your screen for good five minutes and you are not paying attention to me. You sure everything’s okay?”
“I’m good, Ezekiel. Thank you for asking.” He nodded and continued staring at me for a couple of second before looking away.
“P! Let’s hang out!”
“Oh I’m sorry, Criss. I can’t.”
“Why?” I didn’t answer.
“Mom’s birthday.” She smiled and nodded at me.
“Okay, next time.” She kissed me on the cheeks before heading out.
Is there really need to be a reason for me to cancel plans? What if I don’t have any answers and I just feel like I want to cancel the plan?
I hope we can normalise cancelling plans without any excuse. Sometimes I don’t feel like doing it. Or maybe I shouldn’t make plans anymore.
******
“How’s Mama Cecil’s birthday last night?” Crissa asked me one morning. We are chilling in the lounge because we are taking a break from work.
“It was simple. Though we ate with Wallace and Rigo.”
Wallace helped me choose another cake for be because Tiana cannot make it because she was too busy.
He chose Fraisier, a french cake. Well, a french strawberry cake. We also both Muscat de Rivesaltes, my favourite sweet white wine that can be enjoyed with Fraisier.
I didn’t even know that Wallace know yesterday is my mom’s birthday. Maybe mom said it. They are close so I don’t know.
I finished my coffee and headed back to my desk beside Ezekiel’s which is on serious mode again. I pinched him on his shoulder even though I’m only pinching his muscles.
“Hey.” I started. “Finished the one character you told me to customise.” I showed him my screen.
“Is that how you get someone’s attention? Pinching me, really?” He chuckled.
Me and Ezekiel got pretty close since we are always together talking to each other.
He come closer to me and he smelled good. Like really good.
“Anyways, I can do over time today. Are you in?” I asked him.
“Yep. We need to finish at least one of the characters today. You’re work is done. One down. Good job, Paige.”
“Thanks.”
Four to go.
This whole project is stressing. It irritates my eyes. I will not get surprised if the grade of my eyes went up. And I will not get surprised if my eyes are dying.
I massaged my temple because the migraine is coming in. I’m hungry and my head is pounding. I sigh for a couple of times before standing up to drink water and get something to eat.
It’s already six thirty in the evening and this is my first meal because I got busy all day. Luckily, we are about to finish the first character, just putting some minor correction and adjustments.
Ezekiel is the one who’s doing it. I just need to be in his side to give him some other ideas to finish the job.
“It’s done. We can go home for now. Tomorrow we will start for the next character.”
I nodded. I finished my sandwich and fix my things. Wallace is already outside waiting for me. Since it’s already evening, there’s only few people inside the building taking over time to finish some works.
Me and Ezekiel decided to go out at the same time since we are partners and I think we are friends now— that’s what he says.
I felt his hand over my shoulder. I looked at him in confusion, I don’t know but I knew this is just a friendly touch but It doesn’t feel right. I removed his hand before I stepped outside the lift.
“Bye.” I said.
He smiled at me and then he messed up my hair like a little puppy.
I saw Wallace’s dark face when I faved him. I frowned. I can see through his eyes that he is mad. Why is he mad?
“What? Are you going to walk or what?” My lips parted when I heard the coldness in his voice.
What did I do?
When I hopped inside his car, he didn’t say anything. Which is weird.
This is the Bugatti one. Everyday, he use different car from his collection.
His face is still deadly ready to kill someone if you piss him off. His grip on the steering wheel is tight that his veins are now showing. One paper cut and he’s dead.
When we arrived, he didn’t wait for me, he get out out the car and walked straight inside the mansion.
What the hell was that? What did I do? If he is angry to me, I don’t know why. I didn’t do anything.
“Good evening, Rigo.” I greeted Rigo. He smiled at me before bowing his head. “Sir Wallace is sulking again, Miss. What happened? He rolled his eyes at me and his face is deadly.”
“Oh, I don’t know. Where is mom?”
“She’s already laying down. You can visit her as you wish.”
I smiled at him before walking away. Instead of talking to Wallace, I took my time and visit my mother in her room. I did nothing after all for him to get mad like that.
After visiting my mom, I walked upstairs.
I saw him sitting on the bed, his hands on his knee. He still looks dangerous.
“Hey? What’s the problem?” I asked— bravely. He looked at me with a death glare.
“Who the f**k is that?”
I stepped back because of his tone. I have never heard him like this before. He is mad to the highest level. His jaw tightened and his eyes became more deadly.
“Who?”
“The fucker who messed up your hair. Who is that?”
I frowned. “Ezekiel? He is my partner for the project I’ve told you last week.”
“Your partner is a guy? What kind of f**k is that?”
“What is your problem? Why are mad?”
“I don’t know but I hate that motherfucker so much! He touched what’s mine.”
He hissed. He touched the bridge of his perfect nose. He removed his neck tie and his breathing is rapid. He is tensed because of madness.
“And you let that motherfucker to touch you! You shouldn’t let him touch you! You’re mine! And I don’t like that.”
I didn’t answer. I just stood there, planted on my spot watching him walking back and forth releasing the anger he was feeling.
I don’t know what to say. He is being ridiculous right now. He’s making that small contact between me and Ezekiel a big deal when it is not.
“You don’t tell me what to do, Wallace.” I said. He looked at me. “Me and Ezekiel are friends. You are being childish right now.”
“I tell you what to do! Because you are mine!”
“I am not an object! You cannot own like I’m a stupid toy.”
I will not let him treat like me I’m an object. I deserved to be respected by him because I’m not only a woman but I’m a human being.
“You own me in bed but you don’t own my whole life. You own me because of this goddamn deal but I will not let you tell me what to do. Ezekiel didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Is that how you treat your boyfriend? Is that how you treat that Craig?” He hissed.
I don’t know where the energy came from but I managed to walk closer to him and slap him as hard as I could.
Rage emerged in my system.
“Me and Craig is different. Craig did me dirty. He f****d my life. He fooled the f**k out of me. And you are not my boyfriend you knew that Wallace. How I treated him before is out of your goddamn business. You do not know how much I sacrificed for him and you do not know how much it affected me when he cheated on me.”
I sighed trying to stop the sudden flash of memory of Craig and his side chick. “You knew the real score, Wallace. One way or another, you own me in bed but not in person. You. Don’t. Own. Me.”
“Because we both know that if the deal ends, we will part our ways. We are not really together.” I continued.
He didn’t say a thing he just left without glancing at me.
Fool of me to believe everything he is doing is true. Fool of me to think that he really cares for me. But no. He cares for me because he wanted me to own like I’m an object. He treated me like I’m an object.
I want to understand him but I can’t. Me and Ezekiel are friends. He cannot act like he is jealous when we are not really together.
He cares for me because of our deal.
- Writer
