The Lie That Made Me Love You

Chapter 9 - Introduction

Julian West

I looked away from my phone and narrowed my eyes on the blond.

“What's that supposed to mean?”

Her eyes widened. Her mouth falling apart and coming together without really producing words. She blinked multiple times. It was kind of strange, watching her face get pale right before my eyes. But my concern laid more on what she implied by her statement.

“I, I—” she stuttered, turning around to stare at a lady who was in a jumpsuit and golden heels.

“Nothing!” The blonde girl blurted, looking nervous as hell. I was going to double down. Ask her why she would be surprised that I arrived before her, knowing exactly what she meant, but Alisha came out the next second and announced we could come in to see her.

After she left, and it was just two of us, the blonde did not take the chance. She rushed first to Alisha's office door, obviously not wanting to take part in the conversation anymore.

The other lady with darker hair who was standing behind her at the time was suddenly in front of me.

“Hi, you must be the Julian West.” She said, stretching her hand at me. I didn't take it right away.

“And you are?”

“Let's just say I am the one in charge of making sure that Sophie Barnes gets the best out of this deal. I am sure that's exactly why he is here too.” She pointed towards Henry who was making a call by the window side. He popped an eyebrow at me after noticing myself and the lady were both staring in his direction. When I turned away from Henry to ask about her name, she was still caught up staring at Henry. A small smile formed on her lips.

“You like what you see?” I decided to tease her. It was a reward for her straightforwardness.

She didn't turn to me right away. No. Instead, she raised her finger in the air at me. “Not quite done staring yet.”

My ears couldn't believe what they heard, so I ended up chuckling some seconds later.

“You are bold.” I had to give it to her. I liked people who knew what they wanted and were unapologetic about it.

“Okay, I am done now. It was nice meeting you, Julian. See you inside.”

I was going to stop her to ask for a name, but she was already in the office. And I may or may not have been staring—some seconds longer than necessary at her —at her butt.

Soon, Henry was done with the call and walked up to me. Before he got to my side, I tried reading his face from a distance to see if I could tell it was good news or bad.

“Well??” I said to him after he sighed.

“They said they will see how it goes.” He sighed again.

“So is that a yes, my career will see the end of the year or no, I am f****d?”

He looked me in the eyes, “It is a we will see how it goes,” Henry reiterated, with a tinge of frustration in his voice.

“Why are you still outside anyway? And who was the lady?” He asked.

Ignoring the first question because it was rhetoric as hell. At least to me. He goddamn knows why I wouldn't throw myself with the excited blonde and Alisha with her crazy ideas without him being there to keep me in check.

“She's the blonde girl's manager.”

“You know the girl has a name, right?” He popped his right eyebrow at me.

“Did you hear me use it?”

He shrugged. “Exactly.” I said to him, rolling my eyes.

“Besides, I am about to give her my last name for free, so what is there to know about her name?” Henry shook his head and ushered me to go in first.

The office didn't have an atom of feminity as I had expected in my head. I don't know, but for some weird reason, I had expected some cat pictures, a pink mug. I don't know, just something that matched her bubbly personality. But everything just seemed like dull mahogany. From her broad desk to the visitor's chair. They all shared the same element.

“Took you long enough.” Alisha said after Henry got in.

“I got lost in the hallway, my bad.” I blurted out before I could stop myself.

The brunette who spoke to me in the hallway was the only one who seemed to find my joke funny as she chuckled.

Everyone turned to stare at me directly. “He is joking. That's how he is.” Henry came to the rescue, patting a little harder than necessary on the back. A warning sign I was very familiar with.

“Okay…” Alisha trailed off. Obviously, she didn't buy it. So she changed the topic.

“So! Now that we are all here, I think a formal introduction would be necessary before I get into my well-structured plan for the deal.” Alisha stated, staring at me.

“Well??” She urged in my direction.

“I don't think I need an-”

“Just make the goddamn introduction.” Henry snapped in a low voice. The room was silent enough for them to hear. And if they did hear, then they definitely pulled off the obliviousness.

“I am Julian Jeffrey West. A writer and poet.” I said out loud in the same tone one would use in an A&A meeting.

Sophie stifled a laugh. Once again, my eyes narrowed at her, irritated.

“What's funny, blo—”

Henry kicked me by the foot and through a glare at me.

“I am Henry Munroe, a part publisher and manager to the grumpy writer we all know and love.” He smiled in the direction of the ladies in the room sitting before Alisha.

“Nice meeting you officially.” The lady who I had come to know as the blonde's manager said, stretching a lady-like handshake to Henry, which went in front of me. I stared as he accepted in similar fashion and planted an air kiss on the top of her hand. I shrugged in discomfort.

“Gosh…” She fanned herself, acting flattered.

The blonde cleared her throat, looking in the brunette's direction.

“Sorry. I am Heidi Barnes. Also Sophie's current manager.”

So that was her name… Sophie. I do remember it being basic, so at least I was right.

“Oh, are you her sister?” Alisha asked curiously.

“Second cousin.”

The focus was shifted to the blonde as the last person left to end this horrible introduction session.

“I am Sophie Barnes. An influencer and beauty artist.”

“Now, let's get to business.”