Utopia

Chapter-11

I walked towards Nancy’s desk to go to lunch. She was typing something on her computer when I approached her desk.

“Nancy, let’s go,” I said, leaning forward on her desk. She raised her eyes and her eyes twinkled. There was something mischievous in her eyes- totally unlike the innocent Nancy I came to know this week.

“I’m afraid I’m not going to lunch with you, Hannah,” Nancy said, taking her purse from under the desk. “I’m going with Gladys from accounting.”

I was taken aback by her words. I forgot about the wicked smile on her face. My face fell. I thought we were getting along well. I thought we were becoming friends. It came as a sudden blow to me that she didn’t want to have lunch with me anymore. I didn’t understand what I did wrong.

“What’s wrong, Nancy?” I asked. Her smile faltered and her eyes filled with concern as she heard the hurt in my voice.

“Silly, it’s not because I don’t want to. It’s because that gentleman there wants to take you himself.” She said, pointing her hand at someone behind me. Frowning, I turned back. Ethan was standing behind me, hands in his pocket, and that charming smile on his face.

“Ethan,” I said. This was the first time I was standing so close to him. He was even more handsome up close. He smelled like mint and his black shirt appreciated him. He was not as tall as Adrian but taller than me. 

“Hannah,” He said. “I’m wondering if you’ll come to lunch with me.”

I turned to Nancy briefly. She was smiling expectantly. I turned back to Ethan. He totally caught me off guard. I was not expecting to go on a date with a cute boy today. If I accepted his invitation, it would have been the first date I had gone after Jason.

“Sure,” I said, not wanting to come across as a prude. 

“Excellent, let’s go.” He said, smiling excitedly. I waved to Nancy and with Ethan, I stepped out of the office. As I was going on the date, surprisingly I felt guilty. I looked up at Adrian’s office from outside.

“What is it?” Ethan asked, following my gaze.

“Nothing,” I smiled at him. We continued towards the restaurant.

****************

Ethan and I were sitting in an Italian restaurant, facing each other. He talked a lot and that suited me, I was a good listener. He was a computer programmer and worked in the software development department. His parents lived in the countryside, so he grew up on a farm. With years of experience, I skipped the questions about my background and childhood. I didn’t feel comfortable sharing those details with a practical stranger. Ethan didn’t seem to be bothered by it. He didn’t prod me for details and I was grateful for that. The conversation then drifted towards the big man we had in common. Adrian Scott.

“I can’t believe you work closely with Mr. Scott for so much time. He looks like a cold fellow to me. You must have gotten frostbite by now.” He said. I chuckled.

“C’mon, Ethan. He’s not so bad.” I smiled. “I thought he was a little strange at the beginning. I still think that. But now it is a good kind of strangeness.”

“Good for you. It’s a little hard to believe he is being good to you after seeing all those girls crying after the interview. And what did really happen in there? You are the only one who had survived to tell the tale.” He said dramatically. I rolled my eyes.

“Can’t. Signed an NDA.” I said, putting the spoon in my mouth.

“Holy f**k. He is up to something. I’m sure of it. What is he? Mafia? Making you sign an NDA.” He looked genuinely surprised. That was when I realized none of the other employees had signed NDAs. Only his secretary had to. What was so secretive and dangerous about this job? It seemed so mundane so far. I hid my thoughts from Ethan.

“It’s not as bad as it sounds, Ethan. It’s perfectly normal and mind-numbingly boring. Believe me.” I said, gripping his hand with mine. I didn’t want him to take this thing seriously and get himself into trouble. Although I had come to like Adrian in the last few days, I couldn’t ignore my first instinct that he was dangerous. And that instinct strengthened after the incident at the abandoned factory.

Ethan visibly relaxed with my gesture and smiled.

“If you say so. I would have said don’t take the risk with that sly man. But if you resign, I won’t get to see you every day.” He said, staring straight into my eyes. I thought my cheeks were burning like embers at those comments. When would I take compliments well?

“That’s sweet of you to say,” I said, taking my hand away. But he caught it before I could.

“Really, Hannah. You are one of the kindest and most beautiful women I have ever seen.”

He was going too fast. He had that look on his face which told me that he was going to ask me on a real date. An expensive restaurant, dress, tux, champagne- the whole deal. I knew he would ask me on a date or something before this thing was over when I agreed to the lunch. But still, when the moment presented itself, I was torn. I didn’t know if I was ready for all this dating ordeal or not. And I didn’t know Ethan at all. Sure, he was handsome and seemed kind. But so was Jason when I first met him. Considering, how that turned out, it was natural that I was indecisive.

“Will you go…”

“Wow, my two favorite employees at one place.” A voice said from behind me. Ethan looked behind me, his eyes widening. I didn’t have to look back to know who that was. I knew that voice too well by now. Still, I turned. It was Adrian in all his suited up glory. He was standing behind my chair, his hands in his pocket and looking at us both. As I was watching, he walked around and sat in the empty chair at our table.

‘Mr. Scott,’ I said with disbelief. I didn’t expect to see him here. In my thoughts, he was still in his office, his eyes chasing the words in his files. But here he was, sitting with Ethan and me. “I thought you would work all afternoon. What are you doing here?”

His eyes were trained on me- only me as he spoke. He didn’t even acknowledge Ethan. He was fully turned towards me.

“I took your advice, Hannah. I took a break. I thought I would give you company. But I see you already have one.”

I just smiled politely, not knowing what to say.

“So, are you two a thing now.” He asked, pointing his both thumbs at Ethan and me.

“What? No, no.” I said, flustered. “We were just having lunch since Nancy who accompanies me every day has other engagements.”

“Oh, really,” Adrian grinned. But it was dishonest. I could tell grinning was not what he wanted to do now. “I was afraid there for a minute that you were on a quest to dating all my secretaries, what’s your name again?”

“Ethan,” Ethan said. There was no trace of that pleasantness left in his voice from earlier. I sat there desperate and curious. What did Adrian mean by that?

“Yes, Ethan. I saw you with Carla, Hannah’s most recent predecessor, Rachel, before her, and Mattie, before her. Why was that?”

Adrian was still smiling. But it was the wolfish one- the same smile I feared during my interview. I could tell there was not much love lost between the two men sitting at this table. Ethan was visibly disturbed by Adrian’s question. Despite the air conditioning, he was sweating. He took the glass of water in front of him and drank half of it.

“Excuse me, Mr. Scott. But I remember now that I have a very urgent engagement in a few minutes. My mother is in the hospital with a fever. I have to visit her.” Ethan said.

“Oh, that’s a pity,” Adrian said. “Give her my best wishes to get well soon.”

“Sure, Mr. Scott. Bye, Hannah. Sorry for cutting the lunch short.” He stood up abruptly and rushed out of the restaurant like a hellhound was on his heels. I watched him run out with my eyebrows knitted and my mouth slightly open. Everything was like a flash since Adrian had stepped into this restaurant. I was confused as hell as to why the charming Ethan was as afraid as a convict so suddenly.

“What was all that about?” I asked Adrian, throwing my hands up in the air. “Why was he so flustered? And did he really date every one of your secretaries?”

Adrian sat back in his chair in a relaxed manner.

“A ravioli, please,” He ordered the waiter and then considered my question. “Yes, every single one of them. You know, to get a better understanding of my employees, I have spies here and there. What I know from them is there is an ongoing bet in the software department of our office. Ethan has to sleep with every secretary of mine. I bet he is giving you the eyes since your first day.”

I nodded mutely. I felt like I had been just slapped. What was it about me that always attracted the wrong kind of men? Was I a magnet for them? I didn’t even want to ponder what my mental state would have been if I knew this after I was fully invested with Ethan. It would have been Jason all over again and I didn’t think I would be able to experience it again. 

Adrian’s order arrived and he started to eat.

“Eat, Hannah,” He said. I sighed and took the spoon. I shoved the food into my mouth mechanically, still processing all the horrible possibilities of that cruel bet and how easily I almost fell for that bastard.

“Don’t give him a second thought. He is not worth it.” Adrian said, pulling me out of my despairing thoughts. “You are a strong woman and it takes a lot more than that man to tear you down, am I right?”

I smiled at him- at his words to cheer me up and nodded.

“Thank you, Mr. Scott,” I said. I hoped he heard the naked gratitude in my office.

“No mention. I saw you both leave together from my window and I had to do this. After all, who will care for my secretary if not me.” He smirked.

We had lunch together. I didn’t know if it was only my state of mind but the food tasted better than usual. Maybe it was Adrian’s presence, maybe the return of his playful mood. But I knew the most important thing was I was ecstatic that he cared enough for me to take a break from his work and come down here. He grew up ten feet tall in my heart.