Deception and Desire

Chapter 2

PRESENT DAY

“Nice job everyone, the duchess loved the outcome of her wedding dress, special thanks to you Miss. Carter.” My Boss, Samantha Thompson says, sparing me a brief side glance with her lips pulled in a thin line.

This was rare, never did I ever think she would thank me for a Job well done, I've barely seen her praise her workers for a job well done since I started working for her five years ago.

My fellow workers got on their feet to give me a standing ovation, receiving a curt nod from Mrs. Thompson, she picked up from where she left off.

“We will have to work harder to sell our business more to draw the attention of the Demitri famil-”

“Why?”

As if disgusted, Mrs Thompson sent a brief glare at the lady who interrupted her before speaking up again. "If you had let me finish, I don't think there would have been any question,” Samantha says slightly frustrated for being interrupted by Alyssa, which was shortly followed by Alyssa looking down to her feet as a sign of an apology.

“We will have to work harder to get the attention of the Demitri family, because, as we all know, or even if we don't, I'm bringing it to our attention now. The last son of the Demitri family is getting married at the end of the year and what greater good is there in being selected by one of the world's most famous families to design the wedding dress for their soon to be bride to be…. It will make a good name for us, so I will be cutting off anyone I find slacking beyond schedule.” Samantha says, walking off after her last statement, not caring to dismiss us officially.

“It may seem as though we may get cut off” Daphne teased, laughing a little as we made our way out of the meeting room into our usual office.

“Curse you Demitri family, curse you,” Alyssa says getting on the table jokingly to look up to the gods.

“ Well…. How about we all go clubbing for a job well done” Daphne beams looking around for supporters to back up her plan.

“To clubbing” Alyssa yells, raising her phone in her hands earning a little chorus from every other person that was in the room with us.

Everyone decided to pack up since our shifts were over so they could head to the so-called club they all wanted to go to. I didn't want to go but I know I didn't stand a chance.

We made our way out of the office building, as the night shifters made their way in.

“Jess, get into the next cab that comes, we'll meet at the club,” Daphne says, stretching her hands to halt the cab that was approaching our way.

“Nah, it's fine let someone else have it”

“Why” Daphne says, raising a questioning eyebrow at me.

“ I will come with the last set” I sheepishly say.

“I promise”

“I'll see you then” she yelled once she was fully inside the cab as it zoomed off.

I got into a cab and made my way to the club to join the others. I made a quick stop to buy water so I wouldn't have to collect or drink anything so as to not make any rash decisions other than the one I already made by promising to show up at the club.

We arrived at the club shortly, I got out paid the cab driver, and made my way into the club. It seemed so quiet outside on stepping inside, it felt like I just walked in on a shooting range without ear protection.

“Over here” Daphne calls out to me probably because of how lost I must have seemed to be.

“ Cheers to us” Daphne yells, raising her shots along with everyone.

“Cheers,” They all chorused with her chugging down their drinks.

“Hey! Jess didn't drink with us,” Emily says, giving me a glare which I couldn't tell if she was joking because she doesn't like me on a normal day.

“I'm not drinking tonight, I have a project to sketch when I get home.” I smiled, hoping they believed me. They waved me off and decided to play a few games while I just sat there watching with no Intentions of joining them.

In an instant, my vision was obstructed by a pair of hands, pressed over my eyes. Reflexively, my self-defense mode kicked in as I elbowed the person in the ribs and scurried to retrieve my pepper spray from my bag.

“Oww, where did you learn moves like that?” Sebastian groans, clutching onto his side where he just got elbowed by me.

I exhale, running my hands through my hair. "Doesn't matter, why would you sneak up on me like that?” I asked slightly annoyed.

“Hey hey,” he says, holding up his hand in surrender but couldn't go through with it as he winces in pain.

“Sorry about that, I should probably get you an ice pack for that,” I say getting up and walking up to the counter to request some ice.

“Hey, pretty” a middle-aged man says, walking up to me, His breath reeking of alcohol as it fanned my face. "Why is a pretty lady like you wandering about in a club like this?” He slurs, running his eyes over me as he licks his wrinkled lips

“Not to be rude sir, but I find this behavior of yours quite rude, we could both walk away so one of us wouldn't end up harmed” I finish up with a smile attempting to walk away.

Shortly as I turned away, I was welcomed by a hard smack on my ass.

“That's no way to talk to daddy baby girl,” the man says grinning a little bit. Even if I had any respect for this man, he had just lost it all, I grabbed his hand and flipped him over causing him to land hard on his back.

“b***h!” He yelled after me but I wasn't going to turn back because of that. I walked away to get my ice pack and walked back to where Sebastian was seated.

“What kept you for so long ?” He worriedly asked, scanning my eyes for the slightest thing he could get from me but there was no use, I was extremely good at hiding everything under a smile.

“It was nothing,” I say forcefully, placing the ice pack on the bruised side, shutting him up from asking further questions.

“s**t!” He hissed in pain, which made me only giggle and reduce my torture.

We were talking about work and some other stuff before the man from earlier walked up to me with some other goons.

“You again” I hissed out in frustration.

I dipped my hands into my bag and brought out my pepper spray getting ready to spray if they wouldn't back down.

“Going after what the boss owns isn't the wisest thing to do Joshua, don't you think?” A man dressed in a finely designed suit says as he approaches the figure before us with a cigarette hanging from his lips.

“No n- si-, I'm not going after any of his things” he shutters in fear.

The man walked to the guy I assume to be Joshua and whispered something into his ear causing his eyes to open wide, he then told his guys to retreat giving me a look over once again, rude!

“The boss has something for you,” the finely dressed man says, turning his attention to me now.

“Too bad, I'm not collecting anything from you,” I say walking away but was grabbed by the hand, he came so close to my ears and whispered for me to look to my left where a man was seated in the dark VIP lounge a floor above already staring at me.

“l'occhio si incontra più,” he says, walking away from me to where the other guy sat.

(The eyes will meet again)

I made my way out of the club not waiting for anyone, not even Sebastian or any of my friends I came with. I made my way home locked up, got into my room, took off my clothing, and soaked myself in the bathtub.

Submerged beneath the water, I let myself relax before coming up for air and blinking the water out of my eyes. My gaze landed on a later stuck to my bathroom mirror. I could have sworn that it wasn't there before.

With deliberate but scared movement I got out from the tub, donned my robe as I approached the mirror, and pulled the letter off, uncovering its content.

THE EYE'S WILL MEET AGAIN.

T.